What to know and watch for in Mizzou football's 2022 spring game

Missouri's spring football game Saturday afternoon at Faurot Field will give fans a free chance to see some new Tigers in action for the first time.

"We want to make it exciting for the fans, want to make it great for our players and an opportunity to compete," Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "The one goal for us was individual player development, and no better way to see that through."

The program is honoring a football alumni group at halftime, and fans can get autographs on the field for 30 minutes after the game.

Fans will sit on the east side of the stadium for the game, which starts at 1 p.m.

What Mizzou coaches are looking for

Missouri coaches want to use spring practices as an introspective.

That includes Saturday's spring game.

"We've been very clear," Drinkwitz said. "There's been no establishment of a depth chart after spring. It's about individual player development."

Drinkwitz wants the players to understand where they are and what strides they need to make in order to factor into the 2022 season.

"Where are you at?" Drinkwitz said. "Then you've got four and a half months to determine what your future contribution is gonna be to our team when you show up in August for fall camp."

What the teams will look like

Saturday will be Mizzou versus the Tigers.

Team Tigers is captained by Connor Wood and Darius Robinson, while Team Mizzou is captained by Barrett Banister and Isaiah McGuire.

The teams held a player draft, like how the NFL Draft operates, to determine rosters.

Team Mizzou will feature Brady Cook, Luther Burden, Trajan Jeffcoat and Harrison Mevis, while Team Tigers will feature Tyler Macon, Nathaniel Peat, Ty'Ron Hopper and Dreyden Norwood.

It will be the first time fans get to see the likes of Burden and the number of transfers.

"You're going to have a totally different starting five offensive linemen, defensive linemen, corner, safety, so I don't know," Drinkwitz said. "Could be a low-scoring game, could be a high-scoring game. It's going to be fun."

More: Behind the first impressions Luther Burden is making in his first spring at Mizzou

Who will call the plays

Drinkwitz is splitting up his group of coaches for Saturday. He will only be watching.

"They're running it," Drinkwitz said. "I'm just going to be back there blowing a whistle."

The coaching setup is similar to how the players were chosen. Instead of a coach draft, however, there were two sets of coaches the teams could choose from.

Defensive coordinator Blake Baker headlines Team Mizzou's coaching staff, while Team Tigers will feature co-defensive coordinator DJ Smith.

"Whatever play calls they want to get, they get to draft coaches," Drinkwitz said. "There's a package of A Coaches and B Coaches and they get to draft which side. Those guys will divide it up."

What the game will look like

Although Drinkwitz wants the players to cut loose and play full, he's placing some limitations on what happens on the field.

In particular, he will be protecting his quarterbacks.

"They won't be live," Drinkwitz said. "They'll be in a white Jersey. It'll be all black, all gold and the quarterbacks will be in white."

That's important as Team Tigers has only Tyler Macon playing quarterback.

More: How Tyler Macon, Brady Cook have come full circle in Missouri football's spring QB battle

What's at stake, or at steak?

There's no record at stake, but there is a steak on the line.

"Winners get steaks," Drinkwitz said. "Losers get hot dogs."

Whatever the result, the coaching staff has gone through multiple avenues to try and make sure the spring game will cap the spring season on a high note.

"It's big-time," Drinkwitz said. "It's a big, big game."

Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 435-414-3261.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What to know about the 2022 Mizzou football spring game on Saturday