How is Sam Horn’s injury affecting Mizzou’s QB competition?

Ever since Miami quarterback transfer Jake Garcia was signed to Mizzou on Jan. 20, there has been speculation that there would be another full-blown quarterback competition at Columbia.

By this point, it was already known that Brady Cook, the team’s quarterback from a season ago, would miss spring football as he recovers from a torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder. That means Garcia would share first-team representatives with Sam Horn, the team’s four-star prospect from the Class of 2022.

At least that was the thought last weekend.

On Saturday, Horn, who is also a pitcher for Mizozu’s baseball team, was 25 pitches and 1 1/3 innings in a game against Florida International when he made a face to Mizzou, the baseball coach Steve Beiser Signaling that something was wrong with Horn’s right throwing arm. Horn was immediately removed from the game.

After social media broke the news, speculation ran rampant that Horn might have suffered a serious injury – like a ripped UCL – and many wondered what it meant for the football team in the short and long term.

Lucky for Missouri fans everywhere, Missouri football head coach Eli Trinkwitz quashed those rumors in his first appearance on media day ahead of the Spring Ball.

“He suffered a sprain and a forearm strain from a pitch he threw on Saturday night which was MRI scanned and not only checked out by our orthopedic surgeon but also a second opinion and we think we’ve diagnosed that well.” , said Drinkwitz. “There was no ligament damage.”

Drinkwitz later added that he expects Horn to be “restricted” on the first day of spring training Tuesday because it’s a different throwing motion for football than baseball, but can throw later in the week at practice on Thursday or Saturday.

The NCAA allows athletes to participate in sports only 20 hours per week, no matter how many sports the athlete participates in. So Horn has 20 hours a week between baseball and football. It’s not clear how this will affect Horn’s baseball career, aside from the fact that he probably won’t be able to pitch for the next few weeks, but his use of his hours and arm is something Drinkwitz and his coaching staff need to monitor.

Since Horn has not suffered a serious injury and the quarterback competition is still in full swing, there is heightened caution right now.

One theme for Drinkwitz’s first press conference of the spring seemed to be that everything deserved is not given and what a player achieved last season is a thing of the past.

When Drinkwitz was asked if Cook would keep his starting XI after his injury return, it was non-binding and essentially confirmed the much-speculated quarterback competition.

“I’m not that far yet,” said Drinkwitz. “I’m focused on this spring and the opportunities that both Jake and Sam will have this spring. Brady will work out there and watch, he won’t be able to throw and we’ll take it as it comes Whether it’s Daylan Carnell or Tre’Vez (Johnson) or Joseph Charleston and Sidney (Williams) or Triston Newson, Chad Bailey and Ty’Ron Hopper and Marcellus (Johnson) and Armand (Membou) – each has a chance to compete.

“This is the #1 core value of our team. What you did last year, no one cares this year. So every year is an opportunity to go there and earn it and earn it again.”

The fact that a much-hyped quarterback contest comes into play isn’t surprising, but the question of where Cook falls into the contest was unknown.

Was it Cook’s job to lose, or does he need to gain ground and win a quarterback contest for the second year in a row?

The answer now seems clear.

Due to NCAA rules, Drinkwitz said he has yet to see Garcia attempt a pass, but he was still high on the Quarterback Who rivals. com Listed as a four star transfer and #25 overall transfer available.

“I just look at the video and I know he has natural arm talent there with a quick release,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s got good feet and understands what it takes to be an attacking player. I just like being around him. He has the right kind of personality and I think he’s done a really good job of fitting into his Insert teammates and come in. I know these guys, he’s played in some big ball and I think he knows what it takes to play the position.

Garcia completed 68 of 115 (59%) passes for 803 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions in eight games and one start that was a win over Virginia.

Last season, it took eight days at fall camp for Drinkwitz to appoint Cook as a starter.

This quarterback contest will likely last at least that long, if not longer, with plenty of time for Cook, Horn or Garcia to emerge as the best option even if the former two are struggling with injuries. However, Garcia seems to have a different sense of excitement about going head-to-head with Horn and Cook than he did for last season’s quarterback contest.