Missouri’s quarterback situation has been a fragile one all season, and midway through the third quarter against Vanderbilt, the Tigers’ worst fears came true. Backup Sam Horn went down in the season opener, leaving the team thin under center, and now losing starter Beau Pribula has left head coach Eli Drinkwitz in a bind.

On a crucial fourth-and-goal play, Pribula tried to punch the ball in on a rush attempt, but his left leg got tangled in traffic at the goal line, leaving him in visible pain. Trainers quickly rushed to his side, fitted him with an air cast, and carted him off the field in a wheelchair, leaving fans and teammates stunned.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the third quarter with 11:15 left to play, HC Eliah Drinkwitz will have to hope for a win without his ace QB. Losing out on Pribula this early is not a good sign for Drinkwater. After all, he has been their star player alongside RB Ahmad Hardy. True freshman Matt Zollers replaced Pribula under center. Pribula, on the other hand, was later seen in a wheelchair, prompting fans to question whether the quarterback will return anytime soon.

Beau Pribula has been instrumental in Missouri’s success this season. His dual-threat abilities have been a problem for opponent defenses. He has completed 149 of 213 passes for 1617 yards, giving him a 70% completion rate. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, his ability to escape pressure with his feints adds to Missouri’s offense and has helped him score 5 rushing touchdowns for 210 yards.

According to early reports, Pribula suffered a dislocated ankle but, fortunately, avoided any fractures. The medical team will conduct an MRI to determine the full extent of the damage to him. More updates on his condition and recovery timeline will be added once additional information becomes available.

Prayers pour in for Beau Pribula

Beau Pribula’s injury spread like wildfire on X. Fans poured the comment section with support and recovery messages for the QB. One fan said his prayers while giving a warning to Missouri’s O-line, commenting, “Prayers up for Beau Pribula🙏 A horrific injury on a gutsy play. Heartbreaking for Mizzou with Zollers stepping up cold. That O line better step up.”

Fans continued their prayers for Pribula, with one fan commenting, “Awful to see. Hope for the best for him!”. Another chimed in with “Prayers… Seriously.. real injuries are no joking matter. 👊🙏”. Clearly, the fans weren’t expecting Pribula to get injured. The recent photos of him being in a wheelchair could mean it is a serious issue. If it is, then it will be a sad way to miss out on the season, especially with the playoffs coming close.

While fans were mostly concerned with praying for Beau Pribula, one fan was skeptical of the scramble by the Vanderbilt defense, which resulted in Pribula’s injury. “Sure did look intentional by the Vandy DT,” said the fan, who pointed out that it could very well have been intentional by the Vandy defense to target Pribula and his leg. 

Some fans had mixed feelings about the injury. While they were sad for Pribula, they were also happy that Matt Zollers finally got to step up. One fan commented, “Pray for Beau, LETS see that elite arm from Matt Zollers.” And that feeling was shared by another who was confident in Zoller’s abilities, commenting, “Zollers has this.” With the playoffs approaching and the Tigers sitting in the top half of the SEC at 6-1, Drinkwitz now faces a critical challenge. Can Missouri continue its push without their star quarterback?