Eli Drinkwitz Details How Injuries are Impacting Brady Cook

The Missouri Tigers head coach explained how a wrist injury is affecting his quarterback's throwing motion.

Nov 16, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) directs his offense against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook is "choosing to play" through an ankle and wrist injury in his last season. The three-year starter has been working through recovery, returning in Missouri's Week 12 game against South Carolina after having to miss eight of the Tigers' previous 12 quarters of play.

"It’s been mentally taxing on him," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Cook's recovery in a press conference. "I think it’s been a mental challenge for him to stay positive and have a lot of uncertainty, unknown, but try to do the very best he can every day to try to get as healthy as he can for his teammates and for himself."

Cook's performance against South Carolina on Nov. 16 was the first time he was able to play in all four quarters of a game since Missouri's Oct. 12 game against UMass. Cook's throwing motion seemed to be affected by his wrist injury, with some of his passes falling low.

Cook still managed to complete 21 of his 31 passes, good enough for a completion percentage of 67.7%, his highest this season in SEC play.

"He can't quite snap his wrist the way he needs to, which is why some of the balls get left short," Drinkwitz said. "But he's a battler that makes no excuses and very fortunate to have him leading our team the next three games."

Cook has opted to play through injuries at multiple points in his career. First, in 2022 when he played 12 games with a torn labrum on his throwing arm that he suffered in Week 2 against Kansas State.

When he suffered his current ankle injury against Auburn in Week 8, he returned to the game after a trip to the hospital to lead Missouri on a 17-point comeback.

"He's choosing to play, much like he did several years ago," Drinkwitz said. "You'd expect nothing less from Brady as a leader and a teammate."

If Cook is healthy enough to play in Missouri's remaining games, he'll be past the mental anguish of having to watch his team without being able to contribute. But he'll still have to work through adjusting his play to his two current injuries.

His ankle injury undoubtedly limits his mobility, especially for a quarterback who often rolls out of the pocket to extend plays. With his wrist injury, the height of his passes seemingly improved throughout the South Carolina game.

Cook will look to play in Missouri's final two regular season games, first a roadtrip to Mississippi State in Week 13, followed by a home game against Arkansas in Week 14.

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