Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz yells as quarterback Shawn Robinson (3) passes by during warmups at the start of a practice on the football practice fields in the Mizzou Athletic Training Complex in Columbia on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With his team down 21-0 just seconds into the second quarter, Eliah Drinkwitz went to his other quarterback, Connor Bazelak.
Starter Shawn Robinson was at the controls for MU’s first three series, producing just 44 yards on 14 plays. Bazelak’s first possession wasn’t much better, ending with MU’s third punt after some brief success with Tyler Badie’s 10-yard run.
Robinson started the next series with 10:30 left in the second quarter.
• MU confirmed midway through the first half that sophomore defensive back Chris Shearin has decided to opt out for the 2020 season, becoming the team’s sixth player to opt out.
• The mystery ended 54 seconds into Missouri’s season: Shawn Robinson is the Tigers’ starting quarterback. Robinson led a quick three-and-out series to open Saturday’s game against No. 2 Alabama, ending weeks of uncertainty about the identity of Eliah Drinkwitz’s starting quarterback: Robinson, the junior transfer from TCU or redshirt freshman Connor Bazelak?
Robinson’s first series was a dud. An option pitch to wideout Damon Hazelton Jr. was stopped at the line of scrimmage, followed by a Hazelton drop on Robinson’s first Mizzou pass. On third down, Alabama linebacker Christian Harris blitzed through a gaping hole and dropped Robinson for a 10-yard loss.
