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Mizzou Football: Kelly Bryant will make 2019 a special season for Missouri

By Leigh Oleszczak

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) drops back to pass during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Scott Donaldson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) drops back to pass during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Scott Donaldson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Mizzou football is going to be the new home of former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant. The news of the transfer should have Missouri fans excited for next season.

It’s not always easy being a Mizzou football fan, as time and time again, something goes awry to screw over the team. That’s why when former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant announced he was picking Missouri as his next school, it seemed like a dream.

Bryant opted to transfer away from Clemson once freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence took his job from him earlier this season. Bryant still was able to preserve his final year of eligibility and will now spend his senior season at the University of Missouri. Hooray!

Bryant was the successor to Deshaun Watson at Clemson and did a nice job of filling in. 2017 was Bryant’s main claim to fame and he did well in the starting role, throwing for 2,802 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Bryant’s rushing numbers were eye popping, as the signal caller had 665 yards with his legs and 11 rushing touchdowns as a junior for the Tigers.

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The news of Bryant’s transfer is absolutely exciting and comes at the perfect time for the Missouri Tigers. Drew Lock will be playing in his final collegiate game on New Year’s Eve and then he’s off to the NFL Draft to start his career as a pro.

With Lock out, the quarterback position is open, and Bryant will undoubtedly be the starter there. With Missouri playing in a fairly weak SEC East, there’s a good chance that the Tigers can go on a tear in 2019 and Bryant will play a huge part in that.

Before getting replaced by Lawrence this season, Kelly Bryant had thrown for 456 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also rushed for 144 yards and two scores. That was only through four games, but it’s worth noting that Bryant was splitting time with Lawrence as the starter.

Missouri was off to a hot start this year and then hit a speed bump midway through. Losses to South Carolina and Kentucky ended up being much more costly than MU fans would like to admit, as the Tigers ended with an 8-4 record. If Mizzou pulls those games off, they’re 10-2 and likely in a much bigger bowl game this December.

Kelly Bryant brings a winning culture to Columbia. He also has played well against tough teams, something that Drew Lock wasn’t always able to do. He’s also gone toe-to-toe with Alabama before, which could end up being a big end of the season game for the Tigers.

Like I mentioned before, the SEC East is the weaker side and Missouri’s 2019 schedule sets up nicely for them to stack up wins next year. Their toughest opponents are West Virginia, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida, with three of those taking place in Columbia.

Will Kelly Bryant be the missing piece that gets Missouri back into the SEC Championship Game next year? I’m excited to find out!

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