“From Backup to Breakthrough: How Missouri’s Drake Heismeyer Seizes His Moment Under Pressure”

For Drake Heismeyer, the journey to his first career start has been a marathon rather than a sprint. Arriving at the University of Missouri back in 2020, Heismeyer took his place among a notable group of athletes, including quarterback Brady Cook and future NFL defensive backs. While his peers have seized starting roles, Heismeyer has spent much of his college football career patiently biding his time, primarily as a backup on the depth chart. However, the resilience and dedication he’s shown over these five years have finally paid off; an unexpected series of events has opened the door for him as he steps into the spotlight—a moment he’s long awaited. After stepping in due to an injury to his close friend and starting center, Connor Tollison, Heismeyer now embarks on what promises to be a defining chapter in his college career. With its ups and downs, his story is a compelling testament to tenacity and the spirit of teamwork. Now, as he gets ready to make his starting debut, fans are eager to see how this determined offensive lineman will rise to the occasion. To dive deeper into Heismeyer’s remarkable journey and his upcoming game against Mississippi State, LEARN MORE.He kept pressure entirely out of Pyne’s face against OU, as PFF attributed no pressures to Heismeyer over the course of his 26 snaps in relief. Against South Carolina, which has recorded the third-most sacks among FBS teams this season, the offensive line allowed just one sack on a banged-up Cook over the course of the game.“I was really, really impressed and proud of the way he played and performed,” Drinkwitz said. “I thought, for as good as that defensive front was, for him to keep us on the right IDs, there’s only a handful of plays that weren’t executed the way we wanted to. But he held up really well.”Long time coming.“The game didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but I thought I played pretty well. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought it was going to be,” Heismeyer said Tuesday. “I had a really good time out there. It’s my first time really playing in a game, like, the whole time. I’ve been thrown in later in some games, not the whole games. But I really enjoyed it. I thought I played well, but obviously we need to win, so we can always do better.”Don’t get it wrong, he’s been out on the field for the Tigers.He had one of the more recognizable early name, image and likeness deals in the infant stages of the NIL era, as he used the slogan ‘69 Eats Local’ — an homage to the number he wears on his jersey — to score partnerships with and promote St. Louis- and Columbia-based eateries.The Tigers lost 34-30 on the road to the Gamecocks, falling late after overturning a once-15-point deficit to give themselves a chance late at Williams-Brice Stadium.This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football OL Drake Heismeyer is getting starting opportunityEnterprising, starter or not.

It’s likely that the center’s snaps will be heading Cook’s way, despite Drinkwitz saying the quarterback is still “dealing with multiple injuries that aren’t fully recovered yet.”

But that’s just been the icing for Heismeyer, who is studying engineering and is from St. Charles, Missouri.He’ll get his next chance Saturday against Mississippi State on the road in Starkville, and will be the planned starter in both the Tigers’ regular-season finale against Arkansas and wherever MU ends up bowling.“When I committed to Mizzou, I was sold on the school. At the end of the day, I don’t do this for money,” Heismeyer said. … “I’ve been here since 2020. I’ve been through the bad years, you know, when we were fighting for a bowl game. And now, obviously, we’re starting to reap some rewards here.Heismeyer was the next man up, and he was up at South Carolina. Four years and some change, and there was that first start.

Heismeyer has had quite the college journey off the field.The backup Missouri football offensive linemen arrived on campus in 2020, in a class alongside quarterback Brady Cook and since-drafted NFL corners Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine. Heismeyer was in one year before the Tigers’ three-year starting center Connor Tollison, and has spent most of his career down the depth chart along the offensive line.But then he was called up to the offense four games before his five-year college career was over. Not under circumstances he wanted, but under necessity. Tollison is one of his best friends, Heismeyer said, and the pair lived together for multiple years.Playing time has been sparing. He’s taken some relief reps here and fourth-quarter minutes there. Tollison has been essentially ever-present in the middle of the O-line, starting 34 straight games before Mizzou went to South Carolina.Not many players will wait longer for a first career start than Drake Heismeyer.“I think it’s a really good opportunity for me, going out this way in my senior year,” Heismeyer said. “I’ve got nothing to lose other than the game. Pretty excited about it — I think it’s a cool story. I’m excited to put on for the state of Missouri. I’m right down the road in St. Louis, so I’ve got a lot of fans. I’m just pretty happy about it.”Heismeyer has three more games to play as Mizzou goes in search of a second straight 10-win season, a feat that has only occurred twice in program history.Why? Heismeyer said “if (Cook) can play, he’ll be out there.”More: With 3 losses, Missouri football’s potential bowl destinations narrow. Where MU could landMore: What does Missouri football have to play for after South Carolina loss? Start with Brady Cook“So, I’m not in it for the money. I’m not doing it for the fame. I love the school. I want to get a degree from the University of Missouri. It means a lot to me. So, I just wanted to keep it home.”He was one of the brand ambassadors when ‘Raising Cane’s’ opened in Columbia in 2021, and he was one of seven Mizzou O-linemen announced in a partnership with ‘Hooters’ in 2022.But Tollison sustained an injury against Oklahoma and was pulled from the game. Heismeyer came in and kept backup quarterback Drew Pyne clean as the Tigers staged a late comeback to beat the Sooners. Tollison’s injury required surgery, and the starter was ruled out for the year.He’s appeared in 48 games over the course of his career, mostly on special teams duties. This year, his role was mostly as the backup to Tollison and as part of the middle shield on MU’s punt team — a role Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz said that the O-lineman “takes extreme amount of pride in that.”But when Heismeyer’s recognizable number was called, he mostly met the moment.Same for the center, who has the starting job from here until the end of the year.