Eli Drinkwitz returned to The Harp Tuesday for Tiger Talk following Mizzou’s historically dominant win over Florida.
Quarterback Austin Simmons and cornerback Sione Laulea joined Drinkwitz and Mike Kelly to talk about the win, the Tigers’ upcoming matchup with Texas A&M, and more.
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Here are the highlights of what was said;
Some head of Eli Drinkwitz
Drinkwitz had a theory as to why the common people tended to be older than usual to look at this especially; “Well, some people have tests to start. It’s midterms at some point; they’ve got to drink and study, you know?”
About winning Florida; “We need it. Our team responded after losing a piece of the road, and so I was really proud of the guys, they went out of their way and handled the business. I thought they played really stable, even when there were some adverse opponents. We clearly scored first. We came to a big stop, we didn’t have points. They went down and scored to tie the game, and I thought we played really stable, even when some adverse opponents were there. Obviously we responded to the first goal. We came down and scored to tie the game, and I thought we played really well when the opposition was there. We came down and scored to tie the game, you know.
The day to refuel after a big win; “As Bill Belichick used to say, ‘Hey, we’re at A&M,’ you know, and really what he used to be around today at A&M was focusing on finding ways to improve. The best football teams are constantly working on improvement. They don’t ride emotions, they don’t ride ‘Hey, we’re moving because of this or that.’
On Sterling Webb’s change of defensive end against Florida: “Just another great example of brotherhood doing whatever it takes to find a way to win. We use this line a lot: there’s a way to win every game, you just have to find it. And I give it to our coaches; [defensive tackles] coach [David] Blackwell et al [defensive line] partly Chop [Harbin] and [edge rushers] coach [Brian] Early on, we have to find a way to…we have depth in the d-arms, so we can work on Sterling’s deadline and what he needs to do smartly first to stop the run. Then the bag was big enough for him to pass. It was pretty awesome.”
The timeline for Langden Kitchen and Darris Smith returns: “We talked about it today. It’s the thing, you know. It’s a long time, and if you try to bring them back too soon, you’re just going to put them back and it’s going to hurt your team worse. So, you know, we’ll see you. I think it’s a bye week, and it’s probably more true for everyone.”
On the day Jaden Jones rushes to the extreme side in the absences; “He had blood in April and he couldn’t do anything until – really, July 7 was the first day he could work again. So we’re starting to see him come back because he’s finally getting two months or three months of workouts that he needs, and so I remember, he’s better. I know we can count on him. He played an excellent game.”
The improvement that has been seen on special teams over the past few weeks; “Man, if we focus a little bit further, we put a little bit more into the details, we can create some dramatic games. And then you have to believe in our special. I mean, when Bruno is there and he kicks, this is a weapon. We are constantly pinning the guys inside 10, which is huge for us. So there is, a lot of players and positive for us. Positive criticism and responding”
Of special teams coordinator John Papuchis; “I’ve known Jp for a while, even when I was in North Carolina and I was in North Carolina, and who he was and as a coach I’ve watched for a long time. It was just a situation where he needed or wanted another opportunity, and he needed another voice, and so it worked really well. His wife is really from Blue Springs, so that the connection to everyone is closer, and I think it’s great.
11 a.m. Kickoff of the year; “Don’t faze me something. Tell us when to play. We’re holding a training session. You know they fall in camp, everyone was used to 11, so it’s not something we’re afraid of. He got up late and got you ready to roll.”
On Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed: “He does a really good job of playing the game the way he needs to play to win. You look at the game against South Carolina when they put down 29 points or whatever. He throws the ball very effectively. He understands the game plans. He can move the ball. I remember when he came in and beat Arkansas in 2024. I mean, the guy has played a lot of football and so he has a lot of respect, a lot of football and a lot of respect.
When asked to tell something about Simmons, Drinkwitz revealed that the QB texts him in slang and sometimes he has to look up what he means: “He has a special kind of language that you know me, and he holds my hip.”
QB Austin Simmons
On offense against Texas A&M: “I think I just stay neutral, you know how much preparation goes out. And he also stays in front of the clubs – he stays out of a third-and-long situation because Texas A&M’s really big on these foreign looks on third down. So he just stays in front of the sticks, stays on third down.”
The moment he hyped up the third crowd at the end of the fourth quarter; “Being from the state of Florida, beating Florida has always been a big dream for me. I used to have relationships with this school so much in my rebuilding process. That whole game was just in the spotlight the whole offseason.
On the difference in culture at Mizzou: “I came from a system that used to have a whole lot of transfers and a whole lot of newcomers coming in, so nothing was really new to me. But as far as the connection goes, I’ve never seen anything like that before. I’ve spoken with the guys, I’ve never spoken in front of me; I’m really close with the microphones, I’m really close with players like Sion.
Simmons said: Go out to dinner with the line every Thursday during game week; “It’s a special way for me. They know we’re on the same page sometimes on the field, and we just go from there to keep going.”
He also mentioned that he likes to hear the MIZ-ZOU chant after each first down; “It’s probably one of the coolest experiences ever in a UAPB game.”
To whom he leans when someone needs him to be with him; “My quarterback coach [in Ft. Lauderdale] and also mom. She has always kept one with me from day one, and it’s an island – like that. [Sione Laulea] can tell how the islanders They will be strict with you, they will be honest with you, sometimes cruelly honest. He kept it real with me day after day, and really nurtured me. He grew me into the man I am today.
Cornerback Zion Laulea
I will win the flowery day; Obviously the deposition of the expense; [we] that kind of thing. “Going in with a chip on our shoulder, he took deep into the game plan, and you had to watch the Southeastern Conference, knowing that every team is respected, every team is great, and we’re just a little bit into the process, into the game plan, and he handled it well.”
On the improvement of armaments; “The tackle was something we caught in a big way coming from Mississippi State, and we picked it up and pressed pretty well. We only missed five tackles in the game, and that’s something we’re going to have to keep going into this next game. We feel like when you catch the ball, you run the game early and you stop the run.”
Accidentally pushing a Florida mobster into Drinkwitz, causing him to fall; “I keep him climbing the sideline, I’m getting close to the way. I think to drive him, and then I get a push; I see the coach drink the viewer, and I tried to stop. At that time I hit him late. I said sorry, he gave me because he is a deck.”
On the challenge of playing in the SEC: “Every week is a battle. You can’t look at our interview where you’re like, ‘Okay, we’re having a week.’ This is not a big 10.” At the end of the day, we play great teams week in and week out.
He immediately fell in love with football; “My mother put me in pads when I was four. I was kind of careless in all body contact and whatnot. But it took everything once I got hit; I cried, got up and hit someone back, and I was when I loved.”
We learned some fun facts about Laurel over the course of the show;
He has a realtor’s license in Oregon and is working to become one in Missouri as well
He plays guitar, piano and ukulele
During his free time (and if other players are also free), he likes to go to AMF for bowling
Laulea said running back Mala Fonoti is the best pitcher on the team and has like five touchdowns. Simon added: Tryhard, bro.