Missouri Tigers’ Drinkwitz wants team to stay football focused despite 2 tough losses

For the second week in a row, Missouri lost a game it probably should have won.

Two weeks ago, the Tigers made a couple of costly errors, including a missed chip-shot field goal as time expired and a goal-line fumble in overtime, in losing 17-14 at Auburn. Last Saturday, they led No. 1 Georgia for 45 minutes before allowing two fourth-quarter touchdown drives in a 26-22 defeat.

But Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz doesn’t want his team to be focused on those results.

“The challenge for us this week is to re-create the process and not get caught up in the outcomes,” he said. “Don’t worry so much about the outcome, but worry about the process and what we control, which is having a great Tuesday practice focused on our fundamentals and techniques and the things that we need to correct from the game — not attach ourselves so much so to the outcome that we can’t be emotionally ready to go.”

Drinkwitz compared these past two weeks to going on a diet.

“Just because you’ve done it right for 15 days and you don’t get the results you want, you’ve gotta stick with it,” Drinkwitz said. “Same thing with working out. Same thing with building a program and finding ways to win. You’ve got to stick with the process.”

The Tigers played inspired football and controlled the line of scrimmage against Georgia. Now Mizzou (2-3, 0-2 SEC) will try to bounce back again — with a victory, this time — on Saturday at Florida (3-2, 0-2). The game is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. Central Time on ESPNU.

The Tigers looked vastly different than the team that couldn’t score in the second half against Auburn. But can Missouri recreate that performance in a hostile road environment?

“We know what it takes and what it looks like in order to play that way,” Drinkwitz said. “You’ve got to recharge yourself emotionally. You’ve got to figure out how to dig deep.”

Missouri’s offensive line has incurred numerous penalties this season. After running back Cody Schrader brought the Tigers to Georgia’s 1-yard line in the second quarter Saturday, lineman Mitchell Walters was flagged for a false start and the Tigers had to settle for a field goal.

“Flinching on a cadence is discipline,” Drinkwitz said. “We’ve had the conversation. Is there something inflection-wise that we’re doing? But that’s gotta get corrected.”

Walters was also flagged for illegal hands to the face in the fourth quarter with Missouri leading 22-19.

Another emphasis for Drinkwitz this week is finishing drives. Harrison Mevis was great against Georgia, going 5-for-5 in field-goal attempts, but the Tigers would prefer more touchdowns and fewer field goals against Florida.

Drinkwitz applauded the job that quarterback Brady Cook has done the past two weeks. Against Georgia, he completed 20 of 32 passes for 192 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He was without Missouri’s leading receiver during the second half of Saturday’s game after Dominic Lovett was injured; Drinkwitz said the SEC’s receiving leader is 50/50 to play against Florida.

After an upset win over Utah in Week 1, the Gators struggled against two of the SEC East’s toughest opponents, losing to Kentuck and Georgia. MU’s No. 1 task defensively this weekend will be to stop UF quarterback Anthony Richardson, whom Drinkwitz likened to KJ Jefferson of Arkansas. Richardson ranks among the top half of SEC QBs in passing yards and has also tallied two multi-score games on the ground.

Drinkwitz said Tuesday that defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine is 50/50 to play following an injury he suffered against Georgia. Linebacker Chad Bailey will practice with a green jersey this week and is doubtful after missing last week’s game.