Blind (side) competition just beginning to heat up in fall camp

For a third straight offseason, Missouri football is having a competition to find its blind-side protector.

This time, however, it wasn’t by choice or design. The Tigers brought in a three-year starter through the transfer portal, adding Josh Atkins from Arizona State.

But the anticipated plan for him to start at right tackle fell through when he suffered a leg injury in the spring and then had a setback in June.

The blind side flipped this offseason, as starting quarterback Austin Simmons is a left-handed passer. In the prior two seasons, Missouri held a competition for its starting left tackle spot. The choice in 2024 proved simple in the end, with Marcus Bryant winning the job. In 2025, offensive line coach Brandon Jones got creative and had Cayden Green switch from left guard to tackle.

Jones’ track record has earned the trust of the man who hired him.

“I’ll say this: I have a ton of confidence in Brandon Jones,” Drinkwitz said during fall practices in 2025. “What he did with our offensive line the last two years that he’s been here has earned him the ability to be flexible with how he does it.”

There are three main competitors this fall, each with an intriguing résumé.

The most-experienced of them, Luke Work, appeared in 22 games and earned eight starts over two years at Mississippi State. He’ll mainly compete with Kansas City product Logan Reichert, a 6-foot-6 senior whom Jones describes as “extremely gifted.” The youngest of the three, Jack Lange, was the top-rated prospect in Missouri in 2025. His opportunity may be more of an outside shot.

Drinkwitz has said Work had as good an offseason as he has ever seen an offensive lineman have. Jones added that Work’s tape against Texas A&M stood out. He started at right tackle in that game at Kyle Field. Jones also was impressed with Work’s play against the Tigers themselves in each of the past two seasons. Mizzou has had an array of talented pass rushers and stalwart defensive linemen over those two seasons.

Jones also echoed Drinkwitz’s sentiment about Work’s offseason conditioning with director of athletic performance Ryan Russell.

“Just seeing the people that we’ve had go against him, I just thought he had a lot of upside,” Jones said. “Obviously, fairly young. ... From a developmental deal, I think he’s really taking some steps. He’s changed his body. Coach Russell did an unbelievable job with him.”

Injuries have gotten in the way of Reichert’s path. In 2025, he suffered a lower-body injury during fall camp that sidelined him for the first seven games of the season. He also sustained a lower-body injury toward the end of the 2024 regular season.

“Over the years, I’ve experienced setbacks — of course, the injuries — in my confidence, preparation,” Reichert said. “But I say now I feel like I’m so evolved from where I was at.”

Jones has seen Reichert develop his routine over the years, particularly over this past offseason. Reichert was rated a composite four-star prospect out of high school, but he is now complementing that with knowledge and self-assuredness.

“I think the game is just slowing down for him,” Jones said. “Obviously, physically, he’s extremely gifted. It’s just the confidence, which obviously comes from his preparation. I think that’s improved. He’s been really dialed in these last couple months.”

Reichert is, in Jones’ words, “extremely massive,” even by the standards of offensive tackles. He came to Missouri as a guard and competed for the Tigers’ starting right guard spot last offseason. But he’s beginning to settle into tackle, where he could form a brick wall to close off the edge of the offensive line.

“Being able to run around him is probably not going to happen,” Jones said. “Trying to run him over is not going to happen. ... I think he still has the capability to play some guard if we need him to. But just settling in at one position, just leaving him at right tackle, I think that’s helped him significantly.”

Jones has also been pleased with Lange this summer. Lange has begun to fill out his tall frame, having come in listed at 300 pounds as a freshman. He is now up to 319, according to Jones.

“I think he has grown up,” Jones said. “I think he’s gotten stronger.”

No matter how the opportunities are spread early in fall camp, Drinkwitz and Jones don’t plan to rush a decision.

“I mean, there’s somebody that’s going to run out there first, but the opportunity for everybody to establish their roles is wide open, and we need the consistency of performance before we say anybody’s going to be the starter,” Drinkwitz said Sunday.