Eye on the Tigers

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch beat writer Eli Hoff digs into Missouri's first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament and suggests three keys for MU to advance into the second round.

In this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch beat writer Eli Hoff sets the stage for Mizzou's entrance into the SEC Tournament, shares notes and observations from spring football practices, then offers his takeaways on the future of Missouri's women's basketball program. Listen to the full episode. Subscribe to the Post-Dispatch.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff is joined by NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone to recap how Mizzou players performed at the NFL combine and how their NFL Draft stock is holding up. Is Luther Burden III still a first-round talent? How early could Armand Membou be selected? Will Brady Cook hear his name called? Joe shares his insight and the rumblings out of draft circles. Eli closes the show with a look at a concerning trend for Missouri men's basketball that is popping up at the wrong time of year. Find more podcasts from the Post-Dispatch. Subscribe to the Post-Dispatch.

On this jam-packed episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff talks through all of the latest developments in Mizzou sports. He shares his takeaways from Missouri men's basketball's defeat in Arkansas and 30-point win over South Carolina, plus a quick bit of bracketology. Eli walks you through what led MU women's basketball to make a coaching change, what it means and what happens next. He then turns his attention to the start of preseason football practice, sharing the five returners and five incoming transfers he's most excited to watch during spring ball.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff digs into Missouri's big-time win over No. 4 Alabama, from the crowd to the game-starting run to the fire in the arena afterward. He also explores what an analytic called "kill shots" means for Mizzou in March. Eli closes out the show with a look at the remaining SEC schedules and makes the case for the Tigers as a contender in the conference tournament.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff breaks down the key moments from Missouri men's basketball's latest two games. He talks through what one offensive possession against Texas A&M showed about Dennis Gates' coaching philosophy and what made Mark Mitchell's dominance of Oklahoma so evident. Eli also shares some quick notes on Mizzou football, softball and baseball.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff digs into Missouri men's basketball's 85-81 loss at Tennessee. He argues it was actually a net positive for the Tigers, given the extent to which they pushed the Volunteers. With Mizzou halfway through its slate of SEC games, Eli sorts MU's remaining nine matchups into tiers of how winnable they are to sort out what the Tigers' ceiling is.

On this basketball-focused episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff digs into what went wrong for Missouri in its low-scoring loss to Texas and what the pessimistic and optimistic views of that game are. He then previews the Tigers' upcoming stretch of four games in a row against ranked opponents and what it will mean for a Mizzou team that could still raise its ceiling. 

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch sportswriter Eli Hoff talks through a big-time win for Missouri men's basketball, which upset No. 5 Florida and changed the course of its season this week. What do the Tigers' latest wins mean for their season? A different expectation, Eli argues. He also talks through the latest MU football developments before walking through his takeaways from reporting on Mizzou athletics financial data.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff breaks down his takeaways from Missouri's first two Southeastern Conference basketball games of the season. He found a positive from Mizzou's loss to Auburn and plenty more to like when MU beat LSU. He also picks out a recent transfer signing who he thinks will excel on the gridiron for the Tigers in 2025.

On this week's Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff talks through his takeaways from Missouri's Music City Bowl win over Iowa. He also unpacks the bowl game's status — is it just an "exhibition game," like Eli Drinkwitz said? — before tossing out a bold idea about how to play bowls moving forward. 

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Benjamin Hochman discuss Missouri's splashy transfer portal pickup of Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula. Eli ponders how the Tigers will approach the QB room in 2025, while Hochman shares stories from Pribula's high school coach. Eli and Benjamin then preview Mizzou's Music City Bowl showdown with Iowa before a quick look back at Braggin' Rights.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff is joined by Jeff Gordon to talk about the surprises of Missouri's men's basketball season and what could be coming together for the Tigers. Jeff provides his rundown of Illinois before dissecting Sunday's Braggin' Rights matchup between Mizzou and the Illini. Then, Eli rounds up Missouri's transfer portal activity and explains what to make of five freshmen leaving the program.

On this episode of Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson unpack a busy week of Missouri sports news. They start with the Tigers losing five-star edge rusher Williams Nwaneri to the transfer portal and what it means for the program's present and future. Eli and Ben also recap Mizzou men's basketball taking down No. 1 Kansas, the game's atmosphere and whether expectations should change for this year's team. They wrap up the episode with reaction to the Missouri getting Iowa in the Music City Bowl and Eli quizzes Ben on college football-related legislation around the country.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson remember Bob Holt, the late Arkansas beat reporter and MU alum who was famous for his SEC media days questions. Eli and Ben also talk through the latest in Mizzou's bowl options and what they think the transfer portal priorities should be for the Tigers. They close out the episode with a look at Missouri men's basketball's comeback win and chances to beat Kansas in the weekend's Border War showdown.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson talk about where Missouri goes from here after a loss to South Carolina that ended any remaining playoff hopes for the Tigers. They discuss what the offense can show down the stretch and where the defense has struggled before debating some of their preferred matchups for Mizzou's eventual bowl game.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson reflect on a wild end to Missouri's win over Oklahoma and what the result means for the program's journey into the home stretch of the season. They also debate how to handle the quarterback decision between Brady Cook and Drew Pyne before touching on the Tigers' hopes of clawing back into College Football Playoff relevance. Eli and Ben close out the episode by skimming through the struggles and successes of this year's men's basketball team and what matters during early season nonconference games.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Benjamin Hochman dive into a world of Mizzou sports that includes both football and men's basketball in action. They start with the Tigers blowing a lead in the hoops season opener, digging into what went wrong from half-court offense to rotation oddities. Eli and Benjamin also discuss Brady Cook's injury status, what it means for Missouri's chances against Oklahoma this weekend, and what could get fans excited for the game.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson break down what's gone wrong for Missouri football in 2024. Eli lays out what he knows about Brady Cook's injury and prognosis, and Ben explains what he's watching for during the rest of the season. With basketball season starting Monday, Eli and Ben also discuss the elements of this year's Mizzou hoops team that excite them and what they'll be monitoring during the season opener against Memphis.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson break down the importance of two key Mizzou players' health ahead of this weekend's game against Alabama. Will Brady Cook's ankle be fine for him to play? Will Nate Noel be out or available? Eli and Ben explain what they know about the injuries and information out there before digging into matchups against Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams. They close out the episode with a look at Missouri's national perception heading into a make-or-break game.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson zoom out to evaluate Missouri football at the halfway point of its season. They hand out midterm grades to every position on the Tigers' roster, unpacking a disappointing start for wide receivers, the nuance of grading an offensive line and opportunities for better marks on the defense. Eli and Ben also look ahead to Mizzou's homecoming game against Auburn and how MU's defense could be an X-factor in that game.

On this week’s episode of the Eye on the Tigers podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson unpack Missouri’s collapse against Texas A&M. They discuss was what went wrong, from a lack of a response from the Tigers to issues establishing the run to overall preparedness.Also, Eli and Ben look ahead to Mizzou’s strange game at UMass and what it can and cannot do for the Tigers’ season.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson chat about the value of Missouri getting its first bye week early in the 2024 season. They look ahead to Mizzou's marquee game at Texas A&M this weekend, previewing a matchup against yet another mobile quarterback and an experienced coach in Mike Elko.

For a bye week episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson open up the mailbag to answer listener questions. They discuss what's up with Missouri quarterback Brady Cook's performance, what is impacting Mizzou's passing game at large, how the Tigers' past opponents are faring, preferences for Columbia's famous college town food spots and more. 

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson discuss Tennessee passing Missouri in the AP Top 25. They also unpack the good, bad and undisciplined from the Tigers win over Boston College before digging into what Mizzou needs to show against Vanderbilt in Week 4.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson share their standouts and concerns from Missouri's win over Buffalo, including Luther Burden III's exit with an illness and Theo Wease Jr.'s career night. They praise the Tigers' defense and back-to-back shutouts before a preview of No. 6 Mizzou vs. No. 24 Boston College this weekend. How will MU try to stop quarterback Thomas Castellanos? What kind of day does Brady Cook need to give? Eli and Ben give their answers before picking other college football games of interest during Week 3.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson enjoy having real college football games to talk about and all their implications — including Missouri moving up to 9th in the AP Top 25. A couple of the Tigers' upcoming opponents look a few degrees tougher, which Eli and Ben dive into. They also talk about why Buffalo is helpful preparation for the games that lie ahead and Eli gets a surprising curveball about Ben's football hobbies — or lack thereof.

On this postgame episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson review Missouri's 51-0 win against Murray State to open the 2024 season. They discuss what impressed them about the Tigers' defense in a shutout performance, what could have been for wideout Luther Burden III on offense and why the kicking game was actually one of the most important takeaways. Eli and Ben close out the episode by picking games to watch from an appetizing Week 1 slate around the rest of the country.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson unpack Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz's comments regarding ticket sales for the football program's home opener and whether they crossed a line. Eli and Ben also continue their discussion of how strength of schedule could impact Mizzou's College Football Playoff chances before pondering what the Tigers need from quarterback Brady Cook this season. Plus, Eli spots a local angle to the Michigan sign-stealing controversy.

On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson break down a season-ending injury for defensive end Darris Smith and what it means for Missouri's defense. They also ponder key questions facing Mizzou and its College Football Playoff hopes, from defensive transfers to the line of succession at running back to what record will be necessary for a spot in the 12-team CFP.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Post-Dispatch beat writer Eli Hoff is joined by columnist Benjamin Hochman to make suspiciously specific predictions about what will happen during the 2024 college football season. From a standout individual performance from one Missouri player against his former team to a game-deciding turnover to a very precise geographical way to look at College Football Playoff seeding, Eli and Benjamin go on the record with how they think Mizzou's upcoming season will play out.

On the latest episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff talks with author Brendon Steenbergen about Respectable Roughnecks, Brendon's recent book about the 1960 Missouri football team. They talk about what makes that season so transcendent, from first-ever competitive achievements to MU's first Black football player to the legacy of that era in today's game. 

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson share their relations to Mizzou's hiring of its next athletics director: Memphis AD Laird Veatch. Ben shares why he thinks there's cause for the excitement with the hire while Eli talks through Veatch's strengths and first priorities.  Ben also assuages some concerns around the hiring process before they close out the episode with talk of how the hire will eventually be evaluated.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson catch up on what has and hasn't happened with Mizzou's search for a new athletics director. They also discuss the potential impacts of John Calipari leaving Kentucky on a former Mizzou basketball target, and what the commitment of a four-star quarterback means for Eli Drinkwitz's program.

In this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson prepare for the end of the Mizzou men's basketball season, and weigh whether the Tigers have a chance of doing the surprising and winning a game in the SEC tournament. Eli shares some of his observations from the first spring football practices before he and Ben discuss MU's hire of a search firm for its athletics director hunt. This week's Quick 3 puts Ben on the spot as a hypothetical candidate for the gig, with some decisions looming right off the bat.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson discuss the past and future of the Mizzou athletics director position, from how the university will handle Desiree Reed-Francois' buyout to what decisions will face her replacement. They also discuss some observations and questions from the start of the Tigers' spring football practices before turning to potential college postseason changes in the Quick 3 segment.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson react to the surprising departure of Mizzou AD Desiree Reed-Francois. They revisit some of the signs of friction between Reed-Francois and university leadership and why that contributed to her sudden exit before listing some potential replacements and discussing what recent turnover means for Mizzou athletics going forward.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff is joined by Rock M Nation writer Matt Watkins for an analytical discussion of Mizzou men's basketball's future. They discuss what to make of the Tigers' freshmen and their roles before talking through the stats that show off a player's role and style. Eli closes out the episode by picking Matt's brain about the concept of "program building" and how Dennis Gates' experience as an assistant coach at Florida State is shaping his current approach toward recruiting and developing players.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff is joined by NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone to talk through where some former Mizzou players will go in the draft. They discuss Joe's adventures at the Super Bowl and Senior Bowl before diving in with discussion of how Darius Robinson and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.'s skillsets will translate to the pros. Joe shares insight on how he scouts cornerbacks before putting Cody Schrader's potential in context. Joe closes out the show with valuable insight for football fans on how to determine whether the analysts putting together mock drafts and big boards know what they're talking about. You can follow Joe and his analysis on X, formerly Twitter, at @joedeleone.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson dissect Mizzou men's basketball's latest defeats, including a rock fight against Texas A&M. They highlight an important change to the Tigers' starting lineup and what it means for the team's freshmen going forward. Eli and Ben also weigh how much time to give the freshmen this season and what expectations might look like for next year's highly regarded recruits. This week's Quick 3 segment takes on a bit of a different form as Eli and Ben consider which four-game stretch of the rest of the season gives Mizzou its best chance of getting an SEC win.

Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson dive deep into the struggling Missouri men's basketball team, starting with Eli's pitch that a large part of the problems have to do with personnel — and not coach Dennis Gates. They also talk through portal misses, veteran players' struggles and what isn't working with Gates' system. The duo talks through the holding pattern around the Tigers' defensive coordinator search before a memorable Quick 3 segment draws Ben's ire regarding college basketball coaches' conduct.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, the Post-Dispatch's Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson weave through the latest Mizzou sports news, starting with the sudden departure of defensive coordinator Blake Baker. They unpack the timeline of his decision to leave, what it means for Missouri and where coach Eli Drinkwitz might go with his new hire. Eli and Ben also talk through Drinkwitz's recent pay raise before discussing another defeat for the men's basketball team – but one that showed some silver linings. This week's Quick 3 segment puts Ben on the record with some way-too-early predictions for how Mizzou football will be ranked in 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff is joined by Post-Dispatch columnist Benjamin Hochman at the Cotton Bowl media headquarters to discuss Mizzou's final game of the 2023 season. They talk through what the bowl appearance means for the Tigers, what storylines will impact the game and how Missouri has prepared. Eli shares his observations of what lining up for a 50-yard field goal in AT&T Stadium looks like before pressing Benjamin for predictions in the Quick 3 segment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson dash around Mizzou sports, starting with the Tigers' coup of O-lineman Cayden Green from Oklahoma. They dance through the list of MU's early signees, including what holding on to the nation's top defensive prospect means for coach Eli Drinkwitz. Eli and Ben close out the episode by prancing past Missouri men's basketball's loss to Seton Hall and how the Tigers might recover for Braggin' Rights, wrapping up with a year-ending Quick 3 segment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli and Ben bounce around the world of Mizzou sports, starting with the Tigers' upcoming trip to the Cotton Bowl. They discuss what the atmosphere might be like, the recruiting implications and why a game against Ohio State matters for St. Louis-area football. Eli and Ben also talk through what MU's loss to Kansas says about the program, and they come dangerously close to talking about bracketology. They close out the show with a Quick 3 segment that bounces from the Heisman Trophy to future football away games.​See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, Rock M Nation basketball writer Matt Harris joins Eli Hoff to talk about the start of Missouri men's basketball's season. Matt brings his spreadsheets and stats while Eli peppers him with questions about every position on the floor, from point guard shot selection to getting the centers in pick-and-roll. Eli and Matt discuss early impressions of freshman Anthony Robinson II, the scoring prowess of Sean East II and when the Tigers' offense has looked the best. To close out the episode, Matt faces an awards-heavy Quick 3 segment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.