Should Missouri change quarterbacks? Drinkwitz hears the noise surrounding Tigers’ Brady Cook
.JPG "Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz, right, talks to quarterback Brady Cook during the second half of Saturday’s game at South Carolina. MU beat the Gamecocks 23-10.")
Somebody besides Brady Cook could get snaps in a game at quarterback for Missouri this season, but coach Eli Drinkwitz said it’s not part of this week’s agenda.
“If the opportunity presents itself for us to get another quarterback in a situation that we’re in control of, we would do that, but I’m not making that plan for this game,” Drinkwitz said on Tuesday.
The Tigers travel to fifth-ranked Tennessee on Saturday.
Cook and the Mizzou offense had a rough go for most of three quarters in last week’s 21-17 home loss to Kentucky. The Wildcats opened a 14-3 lead, and at that time Missouri’s non-scoring possessions ended with four punts, a fumble by Cook, a failed fourth down and a special teams error on a punt.
A restless crowd had started to voice its displeasure.
“I hear the same things you hear, I’m not deaf out there,” Drinkwitz said. “I only have one headset on so I can hear everyone else give me ideas.”
Then, Cook started a comeback. He capped consecutive drives with touchdown runs, one on an option keeper on fourth down from the 1, the next covering 20 yards that included an athletic spin move. Mizzou took the lead with eight minutes remaining.
But Kentucky immediately responded with a go-ahead touchdown and Missouri couldn’t answer back.
“The reality of it is, the fourth quarter our quarterback played well enough to get us back in the game and gives us the lead,” Drinkwitz said. “It doesn’t excuse the things that occurred before that have to improve. But he still gives us the best chance going forward.
“He’s going to continue to grow and get back as well as the guys behind him.”
Missouri stands 4-5 overall with three games remaining. After Tennessee, the Tigers face New Mexico State and Arkansas at Faurot Field. They need two victories to quality for a bowl game.
Cook finished the Kentucky game completing 18 of 26 passes for 143 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. In his first season as a starter, Cook has completed 65.6 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and seven picks.
Missouri has played him almost exclusively this season. Transfer Jack Abraham made appearances in the first three games and has thrown six passes. Tyler Macon, who started a game last year, has made one appearance.
Freshman Sam Horn, the four-star recruit and baseball prospect, took extra snaps during Missouri’s bye week last month in anticipation of seeing action against Vanderbilt.
A week earlier, Cook had his best game against an SEC opponent, when he led Mizzou to a 23-10 victory against South Carolina. While Cook and the offense seek consistency, Drinkwitz likes his quarterback’s resiliency.
“Brady has displayed a lot of toughness,” Drinkwitz said. “Both mental and physical throughout the season, and that’s a trait that everybody can get behind. The results are not what anybody has wanted or anticipated. We all have our struggles and our accountabilities for those and I think he’s taken ownership of the things that he can take ownership for, and he’s trying to do the very best he can in a hard situation.”
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 5:31 PM.