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Missouri reinstates Maty Mauk, but should he start over Drew Lock?

By Patrick Schmidt

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Missouri Tigers quarterback Maty Mauk has been reinstated after serving a four-game suspension but will be he reinstated to the starting lineup?

Maty Mauk was reinstated by Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel on Tuesday, according to St. Louis-Post Dispatch’s Dave Matter after serving a four-game suspension for violating team rules.

Missouri went 1-3 without him as the Tigers beat South Carolina but are on a three-game losing streak after falling to Florida, Georgia and Vanderbilt and have scored a total of 12 points in those three losses with freshman Drew Lock starting at quarterback.

While Mauk is reinstated, it’s not a certainty that he’ll be returning to the starting lineup or even play in the team’s next game against Mississippi State. Missouri has a bye this week, so Pinkel won’t have a chance to comment on Mauk and who will be under center to start the game until Wednesday’s SEC teleconference.

Mauk is 17-5 as a starter at Missouri but has struggled this year, completing 51.8 percent of his passes for 654 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions. Lock came to Missouri as a highly touted four-star recruit but the freshman has struggled in his baptism by fire to SEC football. He is completing 48.8 percent of his passes for 538 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and the aforementioned 1-3 record.

At this point of the season, it may make sense to start Mauk to get bowl eligibility but also work Lock into the game plan to continue his development so he can take the starting reigns next year on a full-time basis, but we should know for sure when Pinkel addresses the media on Wednesday.

Missouri’s next game is a Thursday night showdown with the Mississippi State Bulldogs and All-SEC quarterback Dak Prescott.

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