Eliah Drinkwitz Press Conference Quotes: Alabama
10/22/2024 11:55:00 PM | Football
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri football head coach Eliah Drinkwitz met with members of the media on Tuesday afternoon for his weekly press conference.
Mizzou and Alabama face off on Saturday for a top-25 SEC matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The game will be broadcast on ABC with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. CT. The contest can also be heard on the Tiger Radio Network from Mizzou Sports Properties and LEARFIELD through the varsity app.
Eliah Drinkwitz Missouri Football Head Coach
(Ref.: Opening Statement)
"Good afternoon. To recap Saturday's win, just really proud of our team and how they stuck together, and specifically defensive players Zion Young, Eddie Kelly Jr., Johnny Walker Jr., Jahkai Lang. I thought those guys at the defensive ends position played extremely well. Provided big-time plays when we really needed them. Obviously, Jahkai Lang had the sack in the third quarter, on the drive that end up being the missed field goal. Johnny Walker Jr. had the sack on the last drive the game, and then Eddie Kelly Jr. was involved in two of the three tackles on the last stop defensively. You know, Zion Young had just his best game since he's been here, and so just really proud of him and the way he provided leadership to our team and on the sideline, and the energy. Responded every time we put him in bad situations. You know, Coach [Corey] Batoon and the defensive staff deserve a lot of credit. We got to continue to improve and build upon that performance. But I was just really proud of those guys.
"Offensively, I'm really proud of Mookie Cooper. That play he made in the third quarter. Luther Burden III, the way he responded to the adversity from the muffed punt. Obviously Brady, and then the offensive line on that 17-play drive, the big fourth down conversion. Quarterback checks protection, Luther makes a great route, quarterback delivers the ball, and then obviously Jamal Roberts to find his way into the end zone. Runs through two unblocked guys. Just really key plays and key moments. We talk about competitive greatness being your best when your best is needed. I thought those guys really did a nice job of that. So proud of those guys.
"But like we've done so many times before, now it's on to the next challenge and boy is it a big challenge. Opportunity to play against a top-15 opponent. I think they've only been beaten once at home in I don't know what like the last 10 or 11 years. That was Texas last year. So really good football team with a tradition and history of winning in that stadium at home. They've got elite players all over the field, top-100 players, top-100 draft picks on both sides of the football. Offensively, their offensive line – really big, physical players. They know exactly who they're blocking and how to protect the quarterback. Their quarterback is a dynamic athlete, and quarterback has really improved. It's a hallmark of Coach [Kalen] DeBoer's offense has been taking a quarterback and developing him into a great passer, which he does that, and then obviously he has the ability to scramble, make plays with his feet. I think the biggest thing offensively that they've done is the design quarterback runs specifically in the red area. Have been huge difference-makers for their team. They utilize all the shifts and motions to try to gain a number advantage, and then they have that number advantage with the quarterback as the extra hat. So, I think Coach [Kirby] Smart accurately described it after his game. You have to kind of pick your poison if you double-team the freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, who's 17 years old, then you leave yourself a hat down in the quarterback. So, really difficult challenge there on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, Coach [Kane] Wommack has a great scheme, elite linebackers, very talented defensive line. I would say them and Texas A&M's defensive line are the two best that we've seen so far, and probably will see. I would say Georgia has an argument in that being the top three D-lines in this conference. Young at defensive back, but they have some really talented players, guys who are really highly recruited. Obviously, they've got the transfer corner, Domani Jackson, that kind of anchors their cornerback position. They're battling some injuries, but they have Malachi Moore, who is an elite player at the safety position, and so really good defense. Special teams, fast, fast, fast, talented team, and it will be a tremendous challenge, but we accept the challenge. This is going to be a challenge for our team to not focus on all the reasons why we can't. We got to focus on the reasons why we can, and we have to play it one play at a time. This is going to be really important to lean into our 'this play' philosophy and not worry about the scoreboard or worry about previous plays or next plays disappointments. We got to play the life of this play as hard as we possibly can and continually try to do that.
"I know everyone's going to want a health update with our guys. I don't have much of one, just because we haven't practiced. We practiced this afternoon, so I don't know for sure either way. We'll follow SEC protocols, and we'll get that information out tomorrow night between Zach [Parker] and Kat [Castner] and we'll follow the new SEC protocols before I issue any updates on the health of our team."
(Ref.: On a quarterback's toughness being a key trait)
"Well, we kind of define it as toughness, preparation, discipline, decision-making, accuracy and leadership. And I just think from a position, you got to have both mental and physical toughness. You have to be physically tough to be able to stand in there and take the hits. I mean, golly Drew Pyne's first four plays he got rocked. It wasn't really anything wrong with the calls or wrong with the offensive line, that's just the nature of the game. Obviously, Brady [Cook] did too. So, you have to be physically tough, and you're relying on everybody else to do their job, and everybody's not always going to do their job to the best, you know, they're going to try, but it's not always going to be executed. And defenses have, you know, plays too, and they've got plays that are better than your schemes, so you're going to have to physically take hits, and then you got to be mentally tough, because no matter what's thrown at you, you're expected on this play to perform at the highest level, and you've got to do that. You know, back in the day, quarterbacks didn't have to make a decision on every play. There were plays where you just had to hand the ball off. That's not the case anymore for our quarterback position. If there's 78 plays within each play, he's got 10, 12, 15, different decisions that he has to make. And so to be that mentally tough for that much of a game and to perform at an elite level, I think it's really really challenging. And if it was so easy, you know, the people who predicted this quarterback should go in the first round, and then he goes there, and he's not successful, it wouldn't happen as much. I mean, all these players that are playing quarterback in the NFL, there's a third that are really good, another third that are just average, and another third that everybody wants to bench, and those guys are the 66 best quarterbacks in the world. So, I think it's a really tough position from a physical and a mental standpoint because you have to mentally handle the ups and downs of the game."
(Ref.: On resources at home games compared to away games and how that helped Brady Cook's situation on Saturday)
"No. Cause if it's not a home game, we're not able to get over to MU Health and we're not able to get the MRI and we're not able to get that read in a timely manner. You know, that's the one time I was very thankful that games lasted three and a half hours, because if it was a two-and-a-half-hour game it probably wouldn't happen. So, no, it wouldn't be a possibility if you weren't at home and very fortunate for MU Health Care, and it's another reason why this is one of the best universities in the world. It's an AAU-institution. You know, we're the state school and the land grant institution, and got the ability to have your own health care. Chuck Hicks' child was born a couple of weeks ago over at MU Health Care and got a few more that'll be coming. So, it's an awesome thing."
(Ref.: On the importance in gap and pass rush integrity)
"Yeah, I mean, obviously, if there's open gaps again, these guys up front are so big, they create space just by the size that they have. So, we're going to have to do a really good job of stopping the run and anytime you commit more people to doing that, you're leaving one-on-ones or voids in your zone coverage. So, it's a real challenge. And then you add on top of it, that if you rush four, and he gets vertical in his escape, then you got real problems. I think the biggest key for us is we got to figure out how to rush the passer. And obviously we can do that, but we can't create vertical rush lanes for him to escape through. Once he gets his shoulders pointed downhill, he's got unbelievable speed, he's got great vision, he's a really good thrower, so he's the definition of a dual-threat quarterback."
(Ref.: On what his team will need to do pass coverage-wise during Saturday's game)
"Yeah, we're going to need blankets. I mean, we're going to have to cover them. We're going to have to do our jobs. I think Coach [Corey] Batoon obviously has a pretty good feel of mixing up coverages, and I thought we did a really good job of that on Saturday, but we cannot let the deep ball beat us. And you know, that's been an issue for us. We've given up way too many deep balls, deep shots. Obviously, the touchdown that Auburn had in the game. Boston College, Vanderbilt all had deep throws, so, you know, we're going to have to keep the ball in front of us. And again, goes back to 'this play' philosophy, you know, we got to knock it down and get back up and play this play, and we can't give up explosives for touchdowns."
(Ref.: On Luther Burden III's impact on the last drive in the fourth quarter against Auburn)
"Yeah, obviously, you know, he was disappointed in that decision. We all were. Probably more on me than anything versus that. Punt return, I should have had an automatic fair catch on it, and he was trying to make a play with the frustrations of the day. But you can't do that. You have to play within the play, and you can't force something that's not there. But yeah, I mean, he responded, you know, everybody understood what he was trying to do. You don't condone it, but we understood it. And so, it was about just focusing on this play for the fourth quarter, and obviously in the fourth quarter and the biggest moments that third down and fourth down were huge and he did exactly what we needed him to do."
(Ref.: On what he's seen from his team and their ability to fight through adversity and how it will help this weekend in a tough environment)
"Yeah, I think we have a lot of confidence in our players' grit and toughness. This is going to be a new challenge that we weren't able to measure up to last time, just with the size of the stadium and going on the road and ranked opponent, and so, you know, we're going to have to challenge ourselves to meet this challenge. We're going to have to work hard this week to build up our confidence. Your confidence comes from your preparation. Like I told those guys, don't wish for it to be Saturday. Just focus on having the best toughness Tuesday that you can have because then you'll know on Saturday, you're ready to play. And so that, for us is really going to be the confidence that we have. Is what kind of practice do we have today? Can we piece together the details in practice today so that we can perform on Saturday? It's going to be a heck of a test. I don't have the stat right in front of me, but I know it's pretty, it's pretty gaudy. They've lost one home game in a long time, so, and that was Texas last year. So maybe Kat [Castner] can get it for us. I have no idea what their SEC home record is. I bet it's a lot."
(Ref.: On comparing his team's experience playing against Texas A&M at Kyle Field to playing Alabama on its home field)
"Yeah, I think the first thing is we can't play overanalyzing every situation. We can't have too many checks on both sides of the ball. We can't have too many what ifs, you know, we can't have if they do this, then we're going to do this, and if they do this, if they motion to this, we're going to check to this. Or if they show us this coverage, we're going to check to this, like we got to go out there and play football. And it's going to come down to who's able to stop the run, who's able to run the football, who's able to defend the pass, you know, are we going to be able to tackle? Are they going to be able to tackle us? Are you going to be able to play clean on special teams? You know, I think sometimes we get caught up too much in the minutia and if you just go back and watch our game from a 10,000 feet view, you know, just because it was a good idea doesn't make it the best idea for our team. We got to focus on what we can do. And if our base call allows our guys to play fast and without hesitation, then that's going to be the best thing that we can do in the game. And so the biggest thing that we can go in there, and the thing that I've challenged our team is play with zero hesitation. Go out there and play as fast as you possibly can, and don't hesitate. And when the play is there, go make it."
(Ref.: On the familiarity of their coaches on both sides of the ball, in particular Kirby Moore and Kalen DeBoer and Corey Batoon and Kane Wommack)
"Yeah, you know that's interesting because there is quite a bit of familiarity for both sides of the ball on what schemes. I mean, we go good on good. That's probably the best show team you can get because we run a lot of the same pass concepts. They have a big difference in their run scheme, our run schemes a lot different than theirs. But in the pass concepts, it's very similar. I mean, our quarterback can watch all their throws and say, 'okay, that's this concept, this concept, this concept'. The challenge is, we don't know when they're going to do it, right? I think there's some of that. But at the end of the day, it's going to be the players on the field making plays and we're going to try to put them in the best positions possible to defend what they do. I think both sides of the ball will try to have some wrinkles that put us in a bind, whether it's, you know, for us offensively, whether it's, you know, a coverage that we don't like, or defensively, you know, if it's a motion that we don't like."
(Ref.: On the strengths and weaknesses of the offensive line after watching Saturday's film)
"I thought we had our best day running the inside zone. I thought we were pretty square, push vertical. Obviously, we had some A-gap integrity issues in protections. Gave up a sack on a sim pressure that we actually picked up, but we just didn't finish. So, we got to do a better job in our A-gap identification on pressures, and we've got to sustain blocks longer. They got an elite D-line. They always have and I assume that they always will. With the way that they recruit, but they've got elite players, great pass rushers, big, physical guys that can stone you at the point of attack. I think their linebackers are really good. I think they might be the best set of linebackers that we've played this year from a physicality standpoint, so we got a task ahead of us."
(Ref.: On getting pressure to Alabama's offensive line)
"We're going to try Dan Lanning's approach and play 12 just to see. Add an extra rusher. See if anybody notices. So, yeah, we're going to go play football. I mean, there's no magic to it. It's not like we're going come up with new schemes. We're going to do what we do, and they're going to do what they do and, you know, we're going to have a great practice today."
(Ref.: On his thoughts on Alabama's 17-year-old wide receiver, Ryan Williams)
"Special player, special talent. I think aside from the size, ball skills, speed, quickness, agility, obviously attention to detail, obviously ability to retain information, I think there's just a competitive spirit about him that's pretty impressive for him to make those plays. Specifically in Georgia, the fade ball in the Tennessee game, there's a competitive quality that he has that is special. And you know, I don't know that age is that big of a factor when you have those kinds of gifts."
(Ref.: On if he felt the offense took a step forward despite having his starting quarterback limited for much of the contest)
"You know, it's hard to go back and evaluate a lot of that. You can evaluate some individual performances, but just because of the nature of the injuries. I mean, first drive, you lose your starting running back, your starting quarterback. Second drive, you lose your starting tight end. You're already down a couple of wide receivers. At that point it's just about figuring out, how do you put enough patches on it to win the game. And ultimately, I think the great reminder for me is it's about winning the football game and not getting caught up with the outside noise and measurements of everybody's team, all right. It's about playing on Saturday and finding a way to win that game and not worrying about what the criticisms, are you going to drop in the polls, all that stuff. None of that matters. At the end of the day, you play to win the game, and if you win, you figure out why you did, and if you lose, you figure out why you didn't, and you keep going to work. Getting caught up in what people's opinions are about our football team is a waste of time, and I don't care. I really don't. I don't care what anybody says about our team. Our team is our team. It's who we got. I love those guys. We're trying like heck every day to get a little bit better, to try to go win on Saturdays, and that's what this team displayed on Saturday. And couldn't be any more proud of them. And whatever people think about it, I really don't care."
(Ref.: On his team being 7-0 in one score games the last two years and what the common thread has been)
"We need to be in those because we're not good when we get blown out. You know? It's a great stat. I think our guys focus on situational football. I think we understand it. We play to that. We talk about it all the time. The margins are so small, and if you can get in those games, maybe that's when a coach can have some impact on the strategy they use. But, you know, I think that's a little bit skewed, because both the LSU and the Georgia game should have been one-score games. We end up throwing the pick-six at the end of the LSU game. That's a one-score game. So we had a chance there too. In Georgia too. We end up giving up that field goal after the pick, which made it a nine-point game. So, you know, balls bouncing toward us maybe? 2022 we were not nearly as good in one-score games. So sometimes the ball bounces for you, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes veteran teams find ways to win. I do think the one quality that I think this team really has that shows up is a refusal to give in. And I think in college football, that's not always the norm. You know, I don't think that's always the norm. I think people get into that, here we go again mode. Or they don't focus on this play, they focus on the final scoreboard. And our team just doesn't seem to do that right now."
(Ref.: On what he's learned about his team from fall camp to now)
"Yeah, I didn't know how they would gel. I didn't know how hard they would play with each other and for each other. I didn't know if they would be able to bounce back from adversity. Like you can add talent to a roster and into a culture, but until you get tested, you really don't know what you got. And I think you know that was a real positive for us after A&M and being tested and seeing kind of what we had. Obviously, we were tested in different ways in the Vanderbilt game and the Boston College game, but now we've faced some adversity, faced even more Saturday, going to face a lot more this Saturday. So just gotta stay in the fight, and you're never out of it. You know, if you believe in yourself and you believe in each other, then you're never out of fight."
(Ref.: On the difference in preparing for his first game as head coach at Missouri against Alabama to this game)
"It was COVID. I knew about it. I think it was like July 7th is when they announced the SEC schedule, and I was down at Lake of the Ozarks. I knew I was going be playing the number one team in the country in the first game of my career here, so didn't sleep very well for however many months that was. I think probably mature-wise, I don't pay as much attention to all that stuff anymore, but still a tremendous amount of respect for the brand. Kalen DeBoer is an elite football coach, I mean, arguably the best coach in college football, him and Coach [Kirby] Smart, you know, with a very talented roster, with a team that he's still putting his, you know, identity on, and organization, he's putting his identity on. So, really big challenge. You know, I've always viewed them as a challenge. So, it'll be a challenge whether we were at Auburn or whether we're here, you know, playing Alabama as a challenge"
(Ref.: On what he's seen from Jordan Harris and how he's stepped due to injuries)
"Yeah, consistent. You know, he battled some injuries too in fall camp, but is consistent, you know, just does his job. I was really proud of him for bouncing back after that big, you know, after the drop, for him to make that catch and get us down the sideline the next series I thought was really big for his confidence. So proud of him."
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