Mizzou's QB room has a higher ceiling than last year — and a much lower floor
With Pribula off to Virginia, the room is almost entirely new. Went through all four:
**Austin Simmons, RS JR — starter.** Had the Ole Miss job until the injury, then Chambliss took it and never gave it back. His three real outings: 20/31, 341, 3 TD, 2 INT vs Georgia State; 13/24, 235, 2 INT vs Kentucky; 7/12, 100, 1 INT vs the Citadel. The stat line doesn't sell you on him. The arm does — he can put it anywhere on the field from any platform. And unlike Pribula, he's a passer who can run instead of a runner trying to be a passer (22 carries, 71 yards, but 61 of those came in the first two games before he got hurt).
**Matt Zollers, SO.** The only returner. Big-time recruit, thrown into backup duty as a true freshman after Horn went down on the first play of his season. Looked great in relief at Vandy after Pribula got carted off — led a TD drive, hit Jude James. Then the A&M start happened: 7/22, 77 yards, 16.8 QBR. Bounced back some vs Mississippi State (8/15, 112, 2 TD). Elite arm talent, but he processes slow and the ball sails.
**Nick Evers, RS SR.** Oklahoma → Wisconsin → UConn. Best stretch was 2024 with the Huskies: 97/180, 919 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT. Mentor and emergency insurance.
**Gavin Sidwar, FR.** Three-star out of LaSalle College, PA. State title, school records. Almost certainly redshirts.
The honest read: Drinkwitz swung on upside with Pribula and whiffed. Simmons is the same swing with a better bat. If the accuracy shows up, this offense is more dangerous than it was last year. If it doesn't, it's worse.
Full breakdown with the rest of the tape notes is on my site: https://1821mosports.com/2026/08/15/position-preview-series-the-quarterbacks/ — running backs went up right behind it.
(I write at 1821 Sports, small Missouri sports blog out of Columbia.)