Eli Drinkwitz Not Risking It, Won't Allow Marcel Reed's Sister At Full Practice, Though She Works For Tigers

Thanks to quarterback Marcel Reed, this weekend's upcoming game between Missouri and Texas A&M is somewhat of a family affair, and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitx is not taking any chances in his preparations.

While the two teams will battle on Kyle Field this Saturday, the Tigers don’t want any secrets getting out about their game plan for the Aggies. You might be asking yourself why they would be nervous, or taking so many precautions. 

Well, it just so happens that Reed is the quarterback at Texas A&M and has a sister, Briah Reed, and she just happens to be the assistant director of on-campus recruiting for the Missouri Tigers. So, when Eli Drinkwitz first found out that there was a connection, which came after the Aggies defeated Florida a few weeks ago, he had a decision to make. 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz of the Missouri Tigers poses with the Battle Line Trophy after the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 24, 2023. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

So, as we are two days away from the game, and even though Connor Weigman might be healthy enough to play, Drinkwitz thinks this is gamesmanship and Marcel Reed will continue to start for the Aggies. This has made the situation around Missouri pretty interesting, given that the starting quarterback for Texas A&M has a sister that works on the staff at Missouri. 

"It's creating an interesting dynamic," Eli Drinkwitz said earlier in the week. At the end of the day that's her brother and that's her blood. And we know that she's doing her job here. But family is always so important and so we don't want her to be in any type of conflict of interest. In fact, I just saw her in the hallway just a second ago. But, I'm not letting her in the copy room and she's sure not going to have her eyes on the scouting report."

Now, you can take some of this as Drinkwitz having fun with the situation. But, these college football coaches are so paranoid that their gameplan will somehow get leaked, so they aren't taking any chances. 

Eli Drinkwitz Was Not Joking About Marcel Reed's Sister 

During the SEC teleconference on Wednesday, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko joked around about the situation. 

"I was hoping that maybe she could get out to practice and find some secrets for it," Elko said regarding the interesting dynamic. "Nah, I'm kidding, of course. That would be crossing the lines."

When asked on the same teleconference if he was joking around about Briah Reed not being allowed at practice, Missouri's Eli Drinkwtiz was actually dead serious. 

"No, I wasn't joking. No, Briah is awesome. I actually didn’t even know until after the Florida game that that was her brother," Eli Drinkwitz said on Wednesday. "If she wants to go to practice, I'm sure she could be out there probably the same as the media, the first five periods."

I'll give Eli Drinkwitz some credit here, he's not messing around with one of the biggest games of the season. And, he's also not putting Briah Reed in a tough position by having her around during key preparations for the Aggies. 

One thing is clear from all of this. The family doesn't matter in college football, there will be no risks taken. 

Game on.