Beau Pribula injury update. Missouri QB takes step toward availability Thursday
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Will Beau be good to go?
Missouri football quarterback Beau Pribula was upgraded to ‘questionable’ on the Tigers’ SEC-mandated availability report Thursday, which is a step closer toward availability from his ‘doubtful’ designation on the report the night prior.
Moreover, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported shortly before the availability report was released that Pribula has been “medically cleared to play” against Oklahoma on Saturday and that it will “come down to a coach’s decision” with “player input” on whether the starting QB suits up for the game in Norman, Oklahoma.
The SEC-mandated reports are required of member organizations every night, beginning Wednesday, in the lead-up to an in-conference matchup, with the final report published 90 minutes before kickoff.
The possible designations, from most likely to play to least likely, are as follows: available; probable; questionable; doubtful; out.
That’s a noteworthy development on an injury that once appeared like it was going to cost Pribula the remainder of the 2025 regular season.
Pribula sustained a “non-fractured dislocated ankle” against Vanderbilt on Oct. 25. While the team has not set an official timetable for a return, the typical recovery period for that injury designation made it unlikely he would return in the regular season.
But the QB appears to be ahead of any reported schedule. He was doubtful on every pregame Mizzou report ahead of the Tigers’ win over Mississippi State this past Saturday, and even came out for early pregame warmups, running through non-contact drills on Faurot Field without any visible aid on his ankle or clear limitation to his movement.
If Pribula is unable to play, then freshman Matt Zollers will make the third start of his college career.
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz indicated Tuesday that he is working under the assumption that Zollers will start.
“I think we'll probably huddle as a group and make a call,” Drinkwitz said. “You know, the very first thing, and the most important thing, is the student-athlete’s health and well-being. And playing against an elite defense, you don't want to put somebody out there who can't compete at the highest level. And knowing how aggressive and attacking they (Oklahoma) are, it would be a detriment to our team, and to Beau, to put him out there if he's not able to play up to his level.”
Elsewhere on the Missouri availability report Thursday, defensive end Langden Kitchen was upgraded to available, and MU wide receiver and punt returner DaMarion Fowlkes was downgraded to out.
Quarterback Sam Horn and kicker Blake Craig — both of whom were ruled out for the season after Week 1 — were the only other Mizzou players officially ruled out of the game.
Star Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas opened the week as ‘questionable’ on the report, as was contributing cornerback Gentry Williams. Oklahoma listed four more players on the report, but none of those players have appeared in more than four games this season.
Mizzou’s game against Oklahoma is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma. It will be the Tigers’ penultimate game of the 2025 regular season and first in Norman since 2011.
Missouri and Oklahoma will release a follow-up availability report on Friday night, as well as one final report on Saturday before the game.
Missouri football’s full Thursday availability report
- QB Beau Pribula (questionable)
- WR/PR DaMarion Fowlkes (out)
- QB Sam Horn (out)
- K Blake Craig (out)
Oklahoma full Thursday availability report
- DE R Mason Thomas (questionable)
- CB Gentry Williams (questionable)
- RB Jovantae Barnes (questionable)
- OL Heath Azaeta (doubtful)
- OL Troy Everett (out)
- OL Jacob Sexton (out)
- OL Jake Taylor (out)
What is the availability report?
The SEC-mandated reports are not technically injury reports, which some teams — Mizzou often included — provided in years prior. Instead, they are lists that include any players ruled unavailable or possibly unavailable for upcoming games. That could be for any number of reasons, including but not limited to injuries.
The reports are only mandated before in-conference matchups and are closely linked to the growing sports gambling market.
Inaccurate or late reports in football are subject to fines ranging from $25,000-$100,000.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Beau Pribula injury update. Missouri QB takes step toward availability
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