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How Mizzou's Hazelton learned to turn dropped passes into senior year enlightenment

COLUMBIA, Mo. — One of the numerous motivational tricks first-year coach Eli Drinkwitz implemented for his Mizzou players this season was a handout. Every player got a card with a message on it.

“What if you viewed every challenge as an opportunity to practice your faith and mental toughness,” Drinkwitz said, “and it wouldn’t be about the outcome. It would be about the person that you’re becoming?”

That note has been on receiver Damon Hazelton’s mind all season, and on one night in particular. After a game in which he didn’t get much playing time, the graduate transfer sent the message to Drinkwitz in the early hours of the morning.