Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz makes a harsh but fair comment after crushing Tennessee
"Our defense kicked their ass tonight." Truer words could not be spoken about the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday in Columbia, MO. Unfortunately, Tennessee was the rear end and Missouri was the foot, as the Tigers clobbered the Vols 36-7. The words, predictably, were those of the very outspoken Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Heupel has […]
"Our defense kicked their ass tonight."
Truer words could not be spoken about the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday in Columbia, MO. Unfortunately, Tennessee was the rear end and Missouri was the foot, as the Tigers clobbered the Vols 36-7.
The words, predictably, were those of the very outspoken Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Heupel has had Drinkwitz's number the first two times the teams have met, with the Vols winning 62-24 and 66-24 in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
This time Drinkwitz had the last word, and he gave them gleefully to sideline reporter Jenny Dell after the game. He cut off Dell while she was asking her first question with: "Tennessee state champs."
When Dell finally did ask her question, Drinkwitz didn't hold back.
"We had some unfinished business from last year," Drinkwitz said. "We came out and took care of business.
"Great win. Our defense kicked their ass tonight."
It was obvious that Drinkwitz was relishing this one, and he certainly appears to have an axe to grind with Heupel and the Tennessee program. Heupel didn't quit throwing last year with the Vols up 59-24, with Joe Milton hitting Squirrel White on a 58-yard bomb with less than 2 minutes left before Dylan Sampson tacked on a final touchdown. Of course, that could have been thanks to disparaging comments Drinkwitz made in the offseason about Tennessee on the Jim Rome Show in July 2022.
Regardless, Milton couldn't hit much of anything when Tennessee needed it on Saturday, hooking up with Dont'e Thornton on a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter. That would be it for Tennessee offensively all day.
And that's because what Drinkwitz said about his defense was correct. As such, it's back to the drawing board for Heupel and his offense as the Georgia Bulldogs come calling next weekend.
