Razorbacks' Facing Another Experienced QB and That's Not Good

Hogs' Pittman even knows exactly what he's facing but still trying to manufacture rivalry with Missouri

Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) warms up at Bryant-Denny Stadium. / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's not exactly a big secret Arkansas has struggled against experienced quarterbacks this year. They don't seem to be particularly bothered with whatever the Razorbacks throw at them.

Travis Williams' defenses have changed a lot, but Garrett Nussmeier at LSU, Jaxson Dart with Ole Miss and Quinn Ewers of Texas just ate up whatever was put in front of them. Even Texas A&M's Marcel Reed and Oklahoma State's veteran handled them.

Now comes Brady Cook with No. 24 Missouri. He made national headlines this year, getting carted to the emergency room and coming back to lead the Tigers to a win over Auburn. Hogs coach Sam Pittman knows all this.

"Brady Cook makes them go, obviously," he said Monday, noting the way Missouri responds differently when he's in the game. "When he was hurt, then came backyou could just see the team go (makes “swoosh” sound like Tigers taking off)."

It's the intangibles that makes for winners at quarterback. Knowing how to win can't be measured in any way except looking at the scoreboard. The two best in Razorback history are Greg Thomas (1984-87) and Billy Montgomer (1968-70) are the ones that define that with the Hogs.

Thomas has the most wins of a starting quarterback with Arkansas and Montgomery is second. Neither of them did any single thing spectacularly except win games and get the players around them playing better. Cook has that ability with the Tigers.

"He’s a really good player, but I think what he brings to the team is with his legs, his arm, his leadership," Pittman said. "He’s won a lot of games at Missouri. Certainly having him back for Missouri puts a lot more on his ability to run. We have to watch that. "Of course he throws the deep ball and play action about as good as anybody."

Cook also has a ton of experience and that may be the biggest problem area. Pittman has never been the head coach against a different quarterback for the Tigers. He'll get one more shot Saturday.

While the game has primarily been played on Friday after Thanksgiving, this year it's moving to a day later. It will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network. You can also hear the game on ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home along with the Razorback Sports Network statewide.

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