Mizzou Central

Brady Cook Reflects on Transfer Portal Scares; The Buzz, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.

Chase Gemes

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) throws a pass during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) throws a pass during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images / Butch Dill-Imagn Images
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Throughout Missouri football history, few quarterbacks have made the impact of Brady Cook during the five years he spent with the program.

Putting together 8,964 passing yards and 48 touchdown completions in three seasons as a starter, it's hard to imagine another quarterback leading the Tigers to potential back-to-back 10+ win campaigns. However, Cook's job hasn't always been secure.

Ahead of the 2022 season, coach Eli Drinkwitz made an effort to survey other quarterback options in the transfer portal. Of those that came to pay Missouri a visit, one became an eventual NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite: Jayden Daniels.

Having to deal with the pressures of earning the job he dreamt of growing up, along with fending off the potential of a portal addition, it was a turbulent time to be Cook.

"It was tough. I remember in February of 2022, Jayden Daniels visited and he was on campus, watching one of our practices," Cook said. "It's one of those things where you have to accept the fact that it's a new age in college football. the head coach the coaching staff, they're going to bring in the best possible players they can every year because you have to do that in order to compete for championships."

Though the name of the game came into play, it didn't make the situation any less difficult for Cook. But ultimately, it prepared him to fight through adversity to get to where he wanted to land.

"It's a job that I was fighting for, that meant a ton to me and it hurt at the time. At the same time, wouldn't of had it any other way," Cook said. "It's a part of it and it was just a small step in the journey. Luckily the Heisman winner didn't come here."

Fortunately for Cook, Daniels opted to transfer to LSU after three seasons at Arizona State instead of Missouri. Daniels may have notched the Heisman trophy in 2023 before he was selected by the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft, but it's worked out for both sides in the long run.

Before his college career comes to a close, Cook gets one last opportunity against Iowa in the Music City Bowl at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, in Nashville, Tenn.

Today's Schedule

  • Men's basketball vs. Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m. in Mizzou Arena, — Watch, Listen, Stats

Did you notice?

  • Mizzou added outside hitter Caylen Alexander in the transfer portal. The Big West Player of the Year averaged 5.09 kills per set last season — the fifth highest in the nation.
  • 4-star safety Jamarrion Gordon received an offer from Missouri on Monday:
  • Washington State quarterback John Mateer entered the transfer portal after putting up 3,139 passing yards, 827 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. He's heavily expected to go to Oklahoma, but worth keeping an eye on for Missouri.

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Report: Former Mizzou Running Back Staying in SEC After Committing to Ole Miss
Recent Tiger Safety Transfer Talks Relationships, Mizzou's System and More
Report: Mizzou Adds Linebacker from West Virginia Through Transfer Portal

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Chase Gemes
CHASE GEMES

Chase Gemes is a journalism student at the University of Missouri, and serves as sports editor for its student newspaper, The Maneater. He's covered Missouri football, men's basketball and baseball, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder for FanNation. He's contributed to MizzouCentral since 2023.   

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