Mizzou Tigers: Backup QB Printz to Transfer
Mizzou Tigers’s redshirt sophomore will earn his degree in May.
Mizzou Tigers backup QB Eddie Printz will transfer, according to team spokesman Chad Moeller. This news comes one day after Maty Mauk’s suspension due to a video alleging that he snorted cocaine. Mauk’s suspension left Printz as the co-number two alongside Marvin Xanders. Printz attempted one pass during his career, an incompletion against Toledo in 2014, and was the holder on field goals and extra points.
The Marietta, Georgia native will finish out the semester and earn his degree. He will be considered a graduate transfer, giving him another two years of eligibility. The departure leaves Mizzou with two eligible quarterbacks, Drew Lock and Marvin Xanders. Lock started eight games last year in Mauk’s stead; the freshman had a 49.0 completion rate and threw for 1332 yards. Despite that, he went 2-6 in eight games as starter. Xanders has only a few career snaps to his name.
Mizzou’s quarterback situation is not quite as dire as it seems. Rivals three-star quarterback Micah Wilson has given a verbal commitment to the university. As a junior for Lincoln Christian School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wilson threw for six touchdowns, 2,371 yards and had a 58.5 percent completion rate. He figures to be an immediate backup to Lock, or even Lock’s direct competition for the starting job. The latter is perhaps less likely; Head Coach Barry Odom saw what happened last year with Lock, and could be wary of starting a freshman again.
Another player leaving the football team is offensive lineman Mike Fairchild. Fairchild redshirted in his first year in 2015, and appeared in one game last season. He will stay enrolled at Mizzou and finish his degree.