Vanderbilt Football 2022 Opponent Preview: Missouri

Vanderbilt Football 2022 Opponent Preview is Missouri. The game is on October 22, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri and is a college football game.

Missouri finished last year with a 6-7 record. They lost to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Eli Drinkwitz is the new head coach at Missouri. He has an 11-12 record in two years and signed the #15 recruiting class in the 247 Sports composite. Steven Godfrey's position was questioned midway through the 2021 season.

Drinkwitz needs to find a quarterback for the 2022 season. Brady Cook will compete with Tyler Macon, Sam Horn, and transfer Jack Abraham for starting job. Running back is a question mark with the departure of Tyler Badie. Cody Schrader, who transferred from Truman State, was Division II's leading rusher last season and Luther Burden is the #1 wide receiver prospect in the country.

Missouri's defense allowed 33.8 points per game in 2021. It was the second worst in the SEC. Blaze Alldredge is gone, but the team has eight starters back. Jaylon Carlies, Kris Abrams-Draine and Martez Manuel are back on the defense.

Drinkwitz is looking for defensive players to improve the team. Jayden Jernigan, Tyrone Hopper, Ty’Ron Hoppers, DJ Coleman and Joseph Charleston are interested in joining the defense in 2022.

Harrison Mevis is the best kicker in the country. Kris Abrams-Draine handled kick returns last year. Grant McKinniss is gone and there is no obvious replacement waiting in waiting.

Missouri's 2022 recruiting class was strong, but the team is still in transition. The team's ceiling is high if it can find a quarterback and all the transfers can fill holes on the defense. Missouri's team feels interchangeable with Florida and South Carolina in the middle of the SEC East pack.