Based on his performance in a scrimmage over the weekend, it appeared Tyler Gabbert had closed the gap in his battle with James Franklin to become Missouri’s starting quarterback. Based on a tweet Tuesday from his brother and former Mizzou QB Blaine -- “So proud of my bro @TylerGabbert. And that’s all I really have to say about that” -- the gap between the two was closer than many realized.
On Tuesday, the Kansas City Star writes, the news became obvious to all. Unofficially.
Head coach Gary Pinkel declined to officially name Gabbert and Franklin, the pre-spring starter, as co-No. 1’s, but the increased workload with the first-team offense prompted the Star to write that Gabbert had officially shouldered his way up to share No. 1 status with Franklin.
So, how did Gabbert celebrate his apparent rise to a share of the top of the depth chart? By throwing his first pick of the spring, of course.
“I didn’t have too hot a day today,” Gabbert said, “but I’ve just got to go out and improve on Thursday.”
Of course, just because Gabbert’s nudged his way to the top at the end of March doesn’t mean he’ll remain there in early September. Franklin, after all, didn’t enter the spring as No. 1 for no reason at all. But it is a battle for the starting job that’s been fully engaged between the two players and shows no signs of letting up.
How long will that be the case? Offensive coordinator David Yost said a decision on a starter could come by the end of the spring sessions. “Or it could go all the way up to the first game,” Yost added.