COLUMBIA — Spring has sprung. At least Mizzou football has. 

Head coach Eli Drinkwitz opened up the first 35 minutes of Mizzou's walk-thru spring practice for the media to attend. Here's everything I saw and noticed. 

Emphasis on the unofficial.

Here's Mizzou's spring roster with positions, schools and (some) numbers. 

Some names on the list are not meant to be here, as the players are now departed from the program. 

- Dakotah Terrell
- Mose Phillips III
- Damon Wilson II

Other items of note: 

- Punter John Butcher has returned
- Defensive end Daedan Hopkins is now listed at 243 pounds, a six-pound increase from 2025
- Special teams transfer Brunno Reus is in fact listed as both a kicker and a punter, as he will compete for kickoff snaps
- Star transfer wideout Cayden Lee has not picked a number

Missouri's quarterback room was putting in work in both pocket-presence and rollout drills. Among the group was transfer Austin Simmons, returner Matt Zollers and incoming freshman Gavin Sidwar.

Simmons had a bandages / braces on his right leg, while Zollers and Sidwar had braces on their left, as did dozens of other Tigers — don't think too much of it. 

You can watch below.

New quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley appears to be running the drills, as expected. It's his first year with the program, fresh off a stint as Clemson's offensive coordinator, where he worked with Cade Klubnik. 

Mizzou hired former Florida State special teams coordinator John Papuchis to take on the same role with the Tigers. Here's what I noticed about his unit. 

DaMarion Fowlkes was Mizzou's primary kick returner last year. The returning sophomore seems primed for the role again — he, alongside Shaun Terry II, Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode were working on fielding kickoffs with the help of running backs coach Curtis Luper. 

Olugbode fielding kicks is interesting to keep an eye on — Drinkwitz hasn't been afraid to put his top wideouts in punt return roles during previous seasons. 

Craig started for his entire 2024 redshirt freshman season with Missouri. However, a torn ACL derailed his 2025 season, leading him to play just one game. 

He's working back to full strength to get back on track in 2026, but Reus is there to back him up in the meantime. 

"We can't put Blake in a position where he's trying to do too much too soon," Drinkwitz said. "So there is a protocol, from a doctor standpoint, what he can and can't do.  Won't have a lot of kickoff responsibility — probably won't have any until June, but he is able to get some low he is able to get some field goals. And we are adjusting our field goal formation with coach, JP as our special teams coordinator...

"Bruno has the ability as a combo guy. He will be able to kick off for us this spring and obviously handle the primary punt duties, but he will also be a backup."

Craig didn't attempt a field goal, as far as I saw, but he was lined up and working on snap formation with the protection unit and his holder. 

Mizzou football opened practice with a team breakdown. It's hard to see, but it appears Ahmad Hardy, Olugbode, Zollers and Craig were among those in the center of it. 

Nicholas Rodriguez was at the crux. 

The next media availability is Tuesday morning, where I'll drop in on walk-thru and talk to new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsay after.