Missouri Unsure What to Expect from Revamped Murray State Team

With a brand new coaching staff and plenty of new additions, the Missouri Tigers are unsure what to expect out of Murray State in week 1.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts to a play against the Florida Gators during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Missouri Tigers coaching staff is having to scour the internet for any sort of film on Murray State's 2024 team.

Murray State, Missouri's week 1 opponent, brings along an entirely new coaching staff and a host of newcomers. Its starting quarterback played at South Dakota Mines for the last four years. Its offensive coordinator has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Jacksonville High School. The team that hits the field in Missouri Thursday will look vastly different from the one that played in southwestern Kentucky in 2023. The uniforms might be the only thing that stays the same.

"It's going to be a difficult challenge, probably the most difficult opening game that we faced all since I've been here," Drinkwitz said in a press conference. "It's a real challenge to have any idea of what they're going to do schematically, whether we're talking about offense, defense or special teams."

Wright comes in with 22 years of coaching experience, including three in the NFL. He spent the past two seasons as a tight ends coach at South Carolina. This will be his first stint as a head coach.

"He does an outstanding job. He's got experience in both SEC pro level and it's been tremendous at all the different places and stops that he's had before. He's got a lot of different types of coaches on his staff, and so we're trying to pull film from a lot of different places to get an idea of what they're going to do."

Wright's team features 23 transfers just from FBS schools and seven from other FCS schools. The Missouri coaching staff has tried to put together diligent film study on Murray State's newcomers but there's no real way to tell how they will be deployed in week 1.

"It's going to be different," safety Daylan Carnell said. "Not having as much as information on them with all the new players and the new staff. We just really trying to focus on what were doing, so just applying to our rules to whatever we see when we get out there so we can play fast."

Drinkwitz has emphasized with his team the importance of sticking to their fundamentals in the season opener. Murray State has an unpredictable card of hands at play. Missouri can only do so much preparation for their opponent.

"We're going to have to really focus on us and our execution," Drinkwitz said, "and make sure that we're ready to play, make sure that we have the most excitement, make sure that we're focused on tackling and taking care of the football. Make sure that we win situational football and execution is going to come down to a premium."

Missouri's players have been prepped with a diverse film study assignment. The coaching staff hopes it will lead the team to be prepared for any looks Murray State might present.

"They showed us a little bit of everything," Carnell said, "just so were prepared for anything so its not like really one thing were keying in on, they're showing us a bunch of different things that we could see just so we're ready for it all."

Despite Missouri being heavy favorites in their season opener, Drinkwitz is reminding his players that nothing is guranteed in college football. He pointed out to his team that the first Saturday of college football featured three upsets, including Georgia Tech defeating No. 10 Florida State.

"He always tells us, focus on this game," linebacker Khalil Jacobs said. "We really have to just focus in. Anything can happen on any given day."

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Everything Eli Drinkwitz Said Ahead of 2024 Season Opener

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Nick Saban Says Missouri Has "Easiest Path" to SEC Championship Game