Missouri Tigers Football

After entering the transfer portal, former Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula has found his next landing spot.

Missouri announced on Sunday night that Pribula has committed to the program. According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, he had also taken visits to Iowa, UCF and Ole Miss before choosing the Tigers.

Beau is a Tiger.

✍️ @beauprib #MIZ | #STP pic.twitter.com/GDiamxyV4g

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) December 23, 2024

A redshirt sophomore, Pribula will have two years of college eligibility remaining. He announced his intentions to transfer after Penn State starting quarterback Drew Allar told coaches that he would be returning for the 2025 season.

Nakos noted that Pribula "could see immediate playing time with Missouri," as the team is set to lose starting quarterback Brady Cook to graduation. Tigers backup quarterback Drew Pyne failed to establish himself as the favorite for the starting role next year, throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions in six games this season.

In 24 games for the Nittany Lions, Pribula threw for 424 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception while rushing for 571 yards and 10 more scores. He was tied for second on the team this year with six rushing touchdowns and would've been part of the gameplan for Penn State's College Football Playoff first-round game against SMU, which the Nittany Lions won 38-10.

Penn State head coach James Franklin wasn't happy with how Pribula's transfer played out, as the deadline for the NCAA transfer portal forced him to leave the program before the College Football Playoff.

"I can give you my word Beau Pribula did not want to leave our program, and he did not want to leave our program until the end of the season," Franklin said last week. "But the way the portal is and the timing of it and the way our team is playing, and when you play the position of quarterback and there's only one spot and those spots are filling up, he felt like he was put in a no-win situation, and I agree with him."

After committing to Missouri, Pribula will now turn the page to try to win the starting job for the Tigers in 2025. Missouri will close out the 2024 season against Iowa in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville on Dec. 30.

Lamont Rogers, a 5-star offensive tackle, has decommitted from Missouri following a strong recruiting push from Texas A&M, according to Hunter Shelton of On3Sports.

Rogers originally committed to the Missouri Tigers on July 6 but has now announced his return to the recruiting process in a social media post:

After many thoughts, prayers and conversations with my family I have decided to decommit from the University of Missouri. I’d like to thank the Missouri staff for the opportunity and thank you B. Jones and M. Bland for your mentorship over the years.

— Lamont Rogers (@TheLamontRogers) December 2, 2024

Out of Mesquite, Texas, Rogers is considered the No. 26 overall prospect and the No. 5 offensive tackle in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports.

The 6'7" senior has taken multiple visits to College Station to see what Mike Elko's program is all about, including an unofficial visit with the Aggies on Aug. 31. Shortly after, recruiting analysis for 247Sports predicted that Rogers would sign with the team on Nov. 7.

Prior to his official announcement, Rogers had hinted at being interested in Texas A&M.

"I am still trying to figure out what I want to do," Rogers said on Nov. 19, per Shelton. "With Texas A&M, what I like about them is what they have done in year one. I am impressed by that and what coach Elko and coach Cushing are doing."

The Aggies wrapped up the season with an 8-4 record, finishing fourth in the SEC and ranked No. 20 in the AP poll, earning bowl eligibility.

After three years at Missouri, wide receiver Luther Burden III is ready to take his talents to the next level.

Burden told reporters on Monday that he is declaring for the 2025 NFL draft. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the junior wideout said he will skip the Tigers' bowl game.

BREAKING: Missouri WR Luther Burden III tells @on3sports he will declare for the NFL Draft

In his 3 year career with the Tigers he totaled 192 Receptions, 2,739 All-Purpose Yards, & 26 TDShttps://t.co/h855094brt pic.twitter.com/fXgnFSYzwv

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 2, 2024

"I feel like this is the best time to enter the draft," Burden told Thamel. "I'm confident in myself and what I can do at the next level. I'm ready for the next step."

In the most recent draft big board, B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked Burden as the No. 4 wide receiver in the 2025 class. He's projected as "one of the draft class' best playmakers and should be a productive high-volume slot receiver and chain-mover in the NFL."

Burden burst onto the scene during his stellar sophomore season in which he posted 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. He helped lead Missouri to an impressive 11-2 finish that included a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

However, the 20-year-old hasn't been as productive this season with 61 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns, though he's also added 115 rushing yards and two more scores. The Tigers went 9-3 during the regular season and capped off the year with back-to-back wins. Still, Burden felt that it was time to move on.

"The ultimate goal was to come here and make a difference," Burden told Thamel. "I feel like I met my goal with everything that I set out before I got here. It was a pleasure being here. I will love Mizzou forever."

There is going to be a snow game when Arkansas and Missouri kickoff from Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

A blanket of snow in Missouri resulted in the Tigers' stadium being covered in white hours before the game is set to begin.

Snowy scene 📍 pic.twitter.com/MLHlD3ec4H

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) November 30, 2024

WE’VE GOT A SNOW GAME IN COMO! 🚨❄️@MizzouFootball | @RazorbackFB #ItJustMeansMore pic.twitter.com/t4XahlU7HJ

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) November 30, 2024

This is a stark contrast to the weather that the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed at Arrowhead Stadium in their 19-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Even though temperatures were cold, it was an otherwise pleasant winter day for football.

Things have taken a turn in Missouri in less than 24 hours. Per NBC affiliate KMOU in Columbia, there is a winter weather advisory in the area from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Saturday.

The National Weather Service noted most of the snow will hit the area through 4 p.m. local time, with total daytime accumulations expected to be between three to five inches.

"The weather could be an intriguing factor in this game," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters during his Tuesday press conference. "I haven't played in a snow game and it's looking like we might get one of those."

Per Matt Jones of Whole Hog Sports, this will be the first snow game for Arkansas since its final season in the Southwest Conference in 1991.

That game was against Baylor in what appeared to be the first time either team ever experienced playing in snow. The Razorbacks lost 9-5 in a game that saw both teams record a safety.

Missouri will hope the weather offers an extra advantage on top of playing at home. The Tigers are one win away from securing nine wins for the second consecutive season. They haven't won at least nine games in back-to-back years since 2013 and 2014.

The Razorbacks and Tigers will kickoff from Memorial Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Matt Zollers, a 4-star quarterback in the class of 2025, remains committed to Missouri despite making a visit this weekend to Penn State.

"My commitment to Missouri is strong because of my relationship with all the coaches there," Zollers told Chad Simmons of On3.

Zollers, who attends Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Pennsylvania, is ranked 49th overall and seventh among quarterbacks in the 247Sports Composite list of class of 2025 prospects.

He visited State College during a huge football weekend with No. 3 Penn State hosting No. 4 Ohio State. The Buckeyes emerged victorious, 20-13.

This is obviously a big win for Missouri, who received a commitment from Zollers last April. He's currently the only quarterback who's delivered a hard commit to the Tigers in the class of 2025, so losing him would have been very difficult for the program.

But Zollers is sticking around. He got a good scouting report from Andrew Ivins of 247Sports last February, with the analyst stating in part that Zollers is an "athletic quarterback prospect with a projectable frame that can whip the ball around the yard."

"Will likely need some time to get adjusted to the speed and demands of the college game, but took a big step forward as a junior and has proven to be a competitor under the lights," Ivins later added.

Zollers also has wheels, as evidenced by this big touchdown run earlier this season.

Missouri 5-star QB commit Matt Zollers (@MattZollers) weaves through the entire defense on an INSANE 79-yard TD run🤯https://t.co/t4bRWbXCBN

pic.twitter.com/SfeOgPtvSV

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) September 6, 2024

Unfortunately, Zollers suffered a season-ending broken left ankle last September while trying to evade a sack. It was a tough and premature ending for a phenomenal talent, who threw for 2,917 yards and 37 touchdowns (two interceptions) the year before.

But his future is bright at Missouri, which will welcome Zollers into Columbia with open arms next year.

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook had a very eventful Saturday.

Cook was injured during Missouri's 21-17 victory over Auburn but returned to the game to help lead the team to victory. Following the win, Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz revealed that Cook had actually gone to the hospital during the game before coming back and returning to the field.

Very emotional #Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz after today's game ⤵️ QB Brady Cook got injured, went to the hospital, came back and won the football game...
"For all the criticism that young man takes, 12 sure would die on the field for everybody."

I asked Coach Drink… pic.twitter.com/P7fitd37zF

— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) October 19, 2024

"He told the team that in the hospital he realized I only got two and a half games left at Faurot Field," Drinkwitz said in his postgame press conference. "There's no way I'm spending it here in this hospital."

Following the game, Cook said his love for the program helped inspire him to return and that the sacrifice was worth it.

"Mizzou means so much to me." 🥹

An emotional Brady Cook after @MizzouFootball's win against Auburn. pic.twitter.com/fXyIBf9Eg2

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 19, 2024

"Shoutout to our trainers," Cook said. "I've played through stuff before, I've been through adversity before, physically, emotionally, mentally. This isn't anything new, it's just another step."

Cook went 11-of-22 for 194 yards and helped steer the Tigers towards a 15-point fourth quarter that sealed the win. Missouri improved to 6-1 with the victory and remain in contention within the SEC.

Cook left during the Tiger's first drive and did not return until late in the third quarter. Drew Pyne played in his absence, going 10-of-21 for 78 yards.

The Tigers have a high-profile matchup against Alabama next and a victory would catapult them up the SEC rankings. Missouri only has two home games left on the schedule, so Cook's courage showed his commitment to the program and honoring it at Faurot Field.

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 206

HAND: 8½"

ARM: 31¼"

WINGSPAN: 76½"

40-YARD DASH: 4.41"

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POSITIVES

— Dynamic playmaker who excels with the football in space.

— Special teams value as a punt returner

— Generates big plays with post-catch burst and acceleration.

— Alignment versatile offers creative play-calling possibilities.

— Excellent play strength, routinely breaking tackles.

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NEGATIVES

— Slot-heavy usage, limited outside snaps since the start of 2023.

— Consistently having answers when facing press alignment.

— Having fewer concentration drops.

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NOTES

— Born Dec. 12, 2003

— 5-star recruit in 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 2023 First-Team All-SEC; Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist

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OVERALL

Luther Burden III is a dynamic playmaking slot receiver who needs the football. Whether down the field or in the quick passing game, get Burden involved.

Burden excels working out of the slot, which gives him a two-way go to get into his route. He effectively handles "gadget" or manufactured touch plays in space. Burden's alignment versatility opens up the playbook to create mismatches and advantageous matchups. He has aligned in the backfield at running back, in bunch and stacked sets.

Burden is great after the catch due to his play strength, contact balance, and body control. He is a tackle-breaking machine who runs through arm tackle attempts routinely. Burden has an explosive and dynamic burst/acceleration to generate chunk plays after the catch. He brings enough straight-line speed to win on slot fades down the field. Burden's experience as a punt returner shows up on offense. When the ball is in his hands, he weaves in and out of traffic, evading pursuing defenders. Surprisingly, Burden wins in contested catch situations due to his innate play strength and ultra-competitive drive.

However, Burden's frame and wingspan are not great. This can present challenges to win at the catch point against longer NFL cornerbacks. Due to his slot-heavy alignment, Burden does not face much press alight or jam technique. Another potential challenge at the next level is teams playing more two-high coverages. Burden will need to handle more physical coverage when presented with it and have answers with his release package and route running abilities. Throughout his career, concentration drops have been a concern. So far, so good this season, but it is worth watching. As a result of Missouri's offense creating advantageous opportunities for him, Burden's route-running and route-tree are not as robust as other wide receiver prospects.

Overall, Luther Burden III is an explosive and dynamic run-after-catch threat. He should be able to carve out a similar role early in his NFL career. Burden has room to grow and elevate his game as a pro. He will benefit from being linked to a creative offensive coordinator who will utilize his full skill set to help the offense. The best way to implement Burden into the offensive system is to get him involved in the passing game from multiple alignments with pre-snap motion.

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GRADE: 7.9 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 29

POSITION RANK: WR4

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Curtis Samuel & Randall Cobb

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson

Missouri remained undefeated after Week 4, but it didn't come without a scare against unranked Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The No. 7 Tigers snuck past the Commodores 30-27 in overtime, not an ideal result for a team looking to compete in the College Football Playoff later this year.

After the close win, fans questioned whether Missouri should retain its top-10 ranking when the new AP Poll is released on Sunday.

Mizzou might be the worst top 10 team ever

— T (@tdgator9) September 21, 2024

Mizzou might be the luckiest —and worst — top 10 team ever

— steve conroy (@conroyherald) September 22, 2024

#Mizzou is NOT a Top-10 ranked team.

— Andrew Mandziara (@ImTheMANdziara) September 22, 2024

Mizzou is not a top-10 team.

Borderline Top-25 so far.

— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) September 21, 2024

Mizzou hardly looks like a Top 10 team, let alone a Top 25 team today. They look so soft

— Payton Reid (@payton_reid14) September 21, 2024

https://twitter.com/Tigers_SEC02/status/1837624580145373252

mizzou biggest fraud top 10 I've seen in a minute

— Graham Stevens (@gstevens0) September 21, 2024

This is your weekly reminder that Mizzou is a fraudulent top 10 team.

— Bobby Lee (@VolDVM) September 21, 2024

Mizzou Deserves to be moved down to the 15-20 range after that embarrassment. Win at A&M and earn your way back into the top 10…

— Logo Bracketology (@FromTheLogoBR) September 22, 2024

Mizzou stumbling through the easiest schedule of any SEC team this year. Get these dudes outta the top 10 lmao

— Jamel Johnson (@MEL_piece02) September 22, 2024

Mizzou should fall out of the top 10 no matter what after this game.

— Broskizzle (@RFowler74) September 22, 2024

Vanderbilt looked like it could have a decent year after beating Virginia Tech and Alcorn State to start the season, but a loss to Georgia State last week reminded the country that the Commodores should still be viewed as an easy win for other SEC teams.

It was far from an easy win for Mizzou as the Tigers struggled to contain Vandy while also failing to get much offense going.

The close win also marked the second week in a row that Missouri has struggled against a manageable opponent as the Tigers beat No. 24 Boston College by just a touchdown last week.

Missouri was a contender in the SEC a year ago with its only losses coming to LSU and Georgia, but much of that success was because of star running back Cody Schrader, who left for the NFL.

The Tigers still have strong pieces like receiver Luther Burden and veteran quarterback Brady Cook, but Saturday proved Missouri might have taken a step back this season.

Next week's matchup against No. 25 Texas A&M will be a good indicator if Missouri's scare against Vanderbilt was just a fluke or if the Tigers are on their way to a down year. If Mizzou can get a win in College Station, fans will likely reevaluate how they view the Tigers.

Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium is getting some love.

The Missouri Board of Governors announced Friday its plans for $250 million in renovations, per Front Office Sports, which will increase the overall capacity to around 65,000 spectators, among other new features:

Mizzou's Board of Curators has unanimously approved $250 million in renovations to Memorial Stadium.

• 150 loge boxes
• LED field lighting
• 14 field-level suites
• 250 club seats, 28 outdoor boxes
• Will increase capacity to ~65,000

The project breaks ground Nov. 30th. pic.twitter.com/AAQElg2dy1

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 13, 2024

"Our significant investments demonstrate our resolve to being highly competitive in the SEC and match our drive for global competitiveness across the entire university," board chair Robin Wenneker told reporters. "This project will ensure that Memorial Stadium remains a source of pride for all Missourians and the greater Mizzou family for years to come."

"This project is a game-changer for Mizzou football," athletic director Laird Veatch added. "This historic stadium renovation will not only enhance the overall fan experience but provide the resources necessary for our program to compete at the highest level in the SEC."

Memorial Stadium dates all the way back to 1926, with multiple renovations along the way to keep it a viable option for the Tigers' football program. This latest one will be one of the biggest ones yet.