Mizzou Backup Drew Pyne Resilient After Poor Showing in Loss

Despite not being able to rally the Tigers after trailing at halftime, Pyne is looking forward with the hopes of improving.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Pyne (6) rolls out to pass against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Any hopes the Missouri Tigers had of winning after Drew Pyne's first turnover were dwindled and that's the truth.

Despite the cold, hard reality that the Tigers would have an uphill climb to defeat the momentous Crimson Tide, Pyne remained resilient and continued to focus on his next throw. He made two more of the same mistake later in the game when the score was out of hand, but that same mindset didn't go anywhere.

“I learned in eighth grade from my coach, it’s amnesia,” Pyne said. “Just got to forget and keep moving.”

The three interceptions he threw were all looks down the field, with the hopes of digging his offense out of the hole they were already in. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz knew he had to get his team back into the game on offense by throwing the ball down the field, but the execution was not there.

“He's trying to win the game. He's trying to put us in a position to get back into the game,” Drinkwitz said. “And I understand that, but we just can't put the ball into jeopardy in those situations.”

With a loss as bad as the one the Tigers suffered comes plenty of reflection. Fortunately for Missouri, its second bye week of the season is upon them. Looking for a certain response, the Tigers have plenty to watch and learn from following its defeat.

“You're gonna have to look at this game be tough with yourself and really learn from it, and we practice really hard,” Pyne said. “It's just a part of football, coming back next day, looking at it and practicing the following day.”

Even with Pyne's bad showing, throwing for only 42 yards on 6-for-12 efficiency and three interceptions, he will be ready to work once back in Columbia, Mo. His team also has his back, which might be a boost of confidence.

“I’ll be at the facility all day doing everything I can,” Pyne said. “The only reason I'm doing that is because I absolutely love these guys.”

The love he gets from his teammates, on both sides of the ball, is admirable. Despite his inability to put points on the board, he had players showing him love after every drive.

“Our team's very close and tight-knit and everyone has each other's backs,” Pyne said. I have guys on defense offense coming up to me after every single play and had my back and told me they loved me.”

His stat line and lack of scoring will be what's taken away from his performance, but Pyne certainly has the respect of his team and his coaching staff. Drinkwitz attributed the loss to himself and not any one player that touched the field.

“Drew came in there and competed and [I’m] not disappointed in him, [I’m] disappointed in myself,” Drinkwitz said. “So it's not on Drew, it's on me.”

This was only Pyne's fifth appearance for the Tigers this season and in each of those, he has not been as effective as many would have hoped. Again, defying the odds of expectation and outside pressure, Pyne will be back and ready to improve on his mistakes.

“We have two options as a man,” Pyne said. “We can curl up in a ball or grind as hard as I can and get better.”

Pyne's optimism about the opportunity for improvement and the outlook of the season is a positive sign for the Missouri Tigers. Even after a brutal loss that completely shifted its postseason opportunities and outlook on the season, his only focus is learning from his mistakes and improving.

It was Pyne's mountain of a job to fill in for an already-injured Brady Cook, who started the game but exited late in the first half due to a hand injury, unrelated to what kept him limited all week.

Because of that injury, Pyne was grouped with the starters all week in the practices leading up to kick-off. The week of practices was solid and showed no indication of what was to happen against Alabama.

“We take practice very serious at Mizzou,” Pyne said. “Tuesday, Wednesday, we go extremely hard and I practiced very hard.”

As long as the status of Cook's multiple injuries remains unclear, Pyne's name will be in the ringer to start at the quarterback spot. He will need to show improvement if he wants to help score points with this Tiger offense, but his commitment to the team to improve and learn is a trait that defines his character.