August 26, 2021

Anna Griffin

With just over a week until Missouri football kicks off its season, the last few days have been understandably eventful within the meeting rooms of Faurot Field’s south end zone.

Coach Eli Drinkwitz made two important announcements in the past few days. One of which concerned the Tigers’ captains, as redshirt sophomore quarterback Connor Bazelak, redshirt senior offensive lineman Case Cook and junior safety Martez Manuel were tabbed as leaders for a squad looking to improve upon its 5-5 record from 2020.

Bazelak enters his third year in black and gold, and his first  as a full-time starter, with high expectations. He ranks third among returning SEC quarterbacks in passing yards from last year. 

“He has a lot of guys looking up to him as someone we can trust each and every day,” graduate student receiver Keke Chism said. “He’s grown into that role and he’s well deserved to be a captain for this team.”

With only nine collegiate starts to his name, Bazelak is not the most experienced player in an offensive bunch with a large veteran presence. However, Chism noted that his starting quarterback has taken strides as a vocal leader since even last year, when he began the campaign backing up Shawn Robinson who now plays defensive back.

“He’s extremely confident, poised and he’s getting more comfortable being a vocal leader instead of just a leader just by action,” Chism said. “I think the team has responded really well to that.” 

Bazelak missed practice Thursday due to what Drinkwitz called, “a minor illness.” The coach anticipated that Thursday would be the one and only day Bazelak missed, barring a positive COVID-19 test. Drinkwitz said the redshirt sophomore is vaccinated.

Cook returns as captain in his fifth year on an offensive line that remains mostly intact from last fall. He never missed a snap in 10 contests last season and has 20 consecutive starts at right guard dating back to 2019.

Manuel, the hometown kid out of Rock Bridge High School, is poised to be the next defensive leader for a unit that lost All-American linebacker Nick Bolton to the NFL.

The junior defensive back didn’t expect to be voted in as a captain for the team, as he didn’t vote for himself.

“I thought that was bad news,” Manuel said. “I was kind of scared going out there and then he was like, ‘I just want to congratulate you,’ and he told me the news. I was just really honored that my teammates thought that much of me.”

Manuel recorded 64 tackles in the pandemic-shortened season, with seven tackles for loss along with 2.5 sacks.

Drinkwitz’s other major reveal was another positive moment — the Tigers put redshirt junior offensive lineman Richard Taylor on scholarship.

In a video posted by team social media on Wednesday, Drinkwitz tossed Taylor a juice box, signifying that he earned player of the day honors. A note taped on the box read that Taylor was the Tigers’ newest scholarship player.

When asked about Taylor and his contributions to the team, Drinkwitz and the players lit up with a smile on their faces, raving about his character and the energy he brings to the program.

“Richard’s a graduate already and is getting his master’s degree, a guy who’s always here, always working, gives everything he can to the football program and has two jobs,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s got the right kind of character and grit, and embodies the four core values of our football team.”

Taylor and the captains look to continue the team’s momentum leading into the season opener against Central Michigan on September 4.

Edited by Kyle Pinnell | kpinnell@themaneater.com

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