Mizzou football adopts ‘Something To Prove’ as 2023 motto. Training camp starts Monday

It’s no secret that Mizzou football has spent the past few seasons mired in mediocrity.

The program has teetered around .500 throughout coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s three-year tenure, posting a 5-5 record in 2020 and back-to-back 6-7 marks in 2021 and 2022. Although Missouri made bowl appearances the past two seasons, the Tigers finished 3-5 in the SEC in each of those years.

But with another edition of training camp beginning on Monday, Drinkwitz advised that what happened last year has no bearing on what happens this year.

Instead, his Tigers have something to prove. And that — Something To Prove — has become the team’s motto for the 2023 season.

“(People) aren’t going to believe us because of what we say,” Drinkwitz said. “They want to see the results.

“We’re not trying to prove that individually we are talented. We know that we’ve had talent on this football team. We’re going to prove that collectively we belong in our league and we can play better than we have and produce better results than we have.”

The three-word slogan has become the program’s rallying cry in a multitude of ways.

The Tigers return 18 of 22 offensive and defensive starters from a year ago, and that’s a luxury most programs don’t enjoy. Some who could’ve opted out chose to stay. Drinkwitz said that represented the faith they have in the team, as well as their readiness to shoulder new leadership roles and heightened expectations.

Drinkwitz said he wants to prove to those players that they made the right decision to stay and grow through better results as a team. Players such as linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper, offensive lineman Javon Foster and defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine have NFL Draft potential yet decided to return to school.

But no matter the impact a specific player made on the field last year, Drinkwitz’s philosophy is that everyone must reestablish their value during camp: Players figure out their roles and coaches continue to evaluate.

“Fall camps are now more important than probably it was maybe in the early ‘90s or early 2000s,” the coach said. “With the fluidity of your rosters throughout the year, I think these 25 practices, you create the identity for who you are as a team.”

NCAA rules limit programs to two live scrimmages. And traditionally, Drinkwitz said, he doesn’t incorporate live tackling until 14 days before his team’s first game — this year, that’s Aug. 31 at home against South Dakota.

But a few of defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s prime goals entering camp don’t require contact. He preaches competition and will use this time to forge a defense’s identity.

The MU defense played a major part in the Tigers’ successes last year, Baker’s first as coordinator. Mizzou finished fourth in the conference and 28th nationally in yards allowed per game. Baker wondered how the group would handle success, but its outstanding play silenced those concerns.

Now, he expects his experienced defense to back up last year’s showing with another strong campaign on that side of the ball.

“We have to prove it. Talking season is over,” Baker said. “We always want to be the most physical team in the country, we always want to be the hardest playing team in the country, and then everything else will fall into place.”

Drinkwitz also wants to demonstrate the quality of others on his coaching staff. This includes a couple of newcomers: offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, who was hired on Jan. 5, and offensive line coach Brandon Jones, who was hired in April. Moore takes over play-calling duties, while Monday’s practice will be Jones’ first at MU.

To foster togetherness during the first week of camp, everyone will stay in the Missouri campus’ South Hall residential building. They’ll focus on camaraderie, team spirit and a positive mindset entering the practice sessions.

After all, the Tigers have something to prove.

“There’s voices outside that don’t believe in our abilities or what we could be, or rankings,” Drinkwitz said. “From a talent standpoint, a production standpoint, fundamental standpoint, overall, we need to improve, and I anticipate that’ll happen.”