Mizzou football wide receiver out for rest of season, coach Eli Drinkwitz confirms
Graduate wide receiver Mookie Cooper had season-ending surgery Tuesday morning, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz confirmed.
Cooper, the Trinity Catholic and Pattonville product, transferred to the Tigers from Ohio State as a redshirt freshman prior to the 2021 season.
Cooper was injured during the Tigers’ 21-17 home triumph against Auburn on Oct. 19, and has not appeared in a game since. His career-long 78-yard reception on the final play of the third quarter was his final catch in the black and gold.
“His last real play of the year is going to be remembered as the one that sparked us to beat Auburn,” Drinkwitz said.
Cooper caught 91 passes in his collegiate career for over 1,174 yards.
Cooper was third on the Tigers in receptions and receiving yards in 2023. Despite not playing in the Tigers’ past four contests, Cooper’s 12 receptions are third-most on the team this season.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Mookie,” Drinkwitz said. “The way he goes about his business, his commitment to our team and unselfishness, we’re certainly going to miss him.”
“He’s been nothing short of unbelievable,” quarterback Brady Cook added. “As a teammate, as a player, he’s so consistent. He’s the same guy every single day, and he’s a leader.”
Tigers prepare for snow game
Forecasts indicate that Columbia could be destined for two to four inches of snow Saturday, which would be the first snow of the season in mid-Missouri. The early snow would be the first to fall during football season under Drinkwitz’s tenure at Mizzou.
“(I played in the snow) once or twice in high school,” Cook said. “Shoot, I’m down for anything. I think I’m going to be so juiced up, I don’t really care.”
While some players are excited for the opportunity to play in the snow, others are a bit more apprehensive.
“Two years ago, we thought it was going to snow when we played New Mexico State,” defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. said. “Gladly, it didn’t, but if it snows this game, there’s a first time for everything, man.”
The forecasted high for Saturday in Columbia is 33 degrees, with the low in the 20s. The greatest chance of snow in the city is expected to come in the morning hours, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Missouri and Arkansas are slated to kick off their Rivalry Week contest at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Copyright 2024 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published November 27, 2024 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Mizzou football wide receiver out for rest of season, coach Eli Drinkwitz confirms."