COLUMBIA, Mo. • When it came to making the most talked-about decision of the preseason, Gary Pinkel and his Missouri coaches could have come up with plenty of reasons to keep freshman quarterback Drew Lock bubble-wrapped on the bench this fall.
For one, fellow backups Eddie Printz and Marvin Zanders played like capable options during training camp. Both already have used a redshirt season. Either could have handled the backup job behind returning starter Maty Mauk and afforded the staff the chance to preserve Lock’s year of eligibility.
Two, Mauk is just a junior, meaning Lock could have a slim chance to unseat Mauk in 2016, provided the veteran stays healthy this year and plays well enough to keep the job.