The Tigers open up the 2021 season against the Central Michigan Chippewas on Saturday at Faurot Field at 3 p.m.
Second-year head coach Eli Drinkwitz looks to start the 2021 season strong and build off a 5-5 record last year. The Tigers played an all-SEC schedule in 2020, making this game the first non-conference match that the Tigers will play since Oct. 5, 2019.
Their opponent, the Chippewas, finished 3-3 with an all Mid-American Conference schedule.
“They’re a very well-coached football team,” Drinkwitz said. “They play fundamentally sound, they play incredibly hard.”
Jim McElwain enters his third season as Central Michigan’s head coach, but the team will be without him in Missouri due to an appendicitis surgery. Assistant head coach Tim Skipper will take over against the Tigers.
Offensively, Connor Bazelak, who was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, enters his sophomore campaign. He’ll have five of his top seven pass catchers from a year ago. Senior Tyler Badie, who was second on the team in rushing a year ago, takes over for Larry Rountree III with Elijah Young filling in the no. 2 role.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers will begin a new era with new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Up front the Tigers have experience with Trajan Jeffcoat, Kobie Whiteside, Akial Byers and Isaiah McGuire, while junior team captain Martez Manuel leads the secondary.
Central Michigan brings some talented playmakers to Columbia including quarterback Daniel Richardson, running backs Kobe Lewis and Lew Nichols and receiver Kalil Pimpleton.
Pimpleton is a big part of the Chippewas’ offense. He not only catches the ball, but contributes in the running and passing game as Central Michigan uses a lot of wildcat formation. In six games last season, Pimpleton had a combined 411 rushing and receiving yards, which was third on the team.
“Wildcat [formation] is not really a gimmick for them, it’s a big part of their offense,” Drinkwitz said. “[We need to] make sure we complete our assignments until the whistle is blown. When 88 has the ball in his hands, he will throw the football.”
The Chippewas have eight returning starters on defense, with their strength being their defensive front seven.
“It’s gonna be a tough test for us with their schemes and what they try to do, combined with the talent level they have,” Drinkwitz said.
Missouri enters the game as 14-point point favorites and are 12-2 against opponents from the MAC since 2000. Also, since the beginning of the century, they have a 17-3 record in home openers. They’ll look to continue their impressive record this Saturday afternoon.
Edited by Kyle Pinnell | kpinnell@themaneater.com