Eli Drinkwitz's Message for Fans who Doubted Brady Cook

The Missouri Tigers head coach gave a teary-eyed defense of his quarterback.

Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) returns to the game during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz was vindicated Saturday.

The head coach of the Missouri Tigers has stood behind quarterback Brady Cook all season. Even as Cook and the Missouri offense struggled to start the season, Drinkwitz has held faith in his three-year starter at quarterback. His team has stood with him too.

“They know how hard he works," Drinkwitz said. "They know he’s put in the preparation. They know he’s put in the time."

Against Auburn in Week 8, the toughness and resilency Drinkwitz has long praised Cook for was on full display. The quarterback returned to the game late in the third quarter after exiting with an injury on the first drive of the game.

"For him to be out there and put his body on the line for us is incredible and should be inspiring everybody that watched it today.”

Missouri trailed 17-6 when Cook entered with 31 seconds remaining in the game. As soon as he jogged back onto the field after spending 90 minutes in the hospital, the fans at Faurot Field roared back to life.

"It was so, so special, going out the first drive back and listening to the crowd that gave everybody on the team juice," Cook said.

There's been a vocal part of the Missouri fanbase who has called for Cook to be replaced by veteran transfer Drew Pyne through the early-season struggles. The contrast in the team's faith in Cook compared to some of the fanbase has not been unnoticed by Drinkwitz.

"That's their guy, they believe in him," Drinkwitz said of the team. "We all do. In this building, nobody doubts that guy. And hopefully nobody else will. Hopefully we get past that bull crap."

On a bad ankle, Cook scrambled for two 14-yard gains in the final five minutes of the game. On the second one, Cook evaded pressure to his left on a third-and-7 to extend the drive for Missouri. The rush kept the drive alive for Missouri to score a game-winning touchdown with under a minute left.

On the same drive, Cook delivered pinpoint passes to Luther Burden III on a fourth-and-5 conversion and to Theo Wease Jr. on the sideline on a third-and-10 to place Missouri within the Auburn 15.

Whenever Missouri needed a play, Cook delivered.

“It’s one thing to come back," Drinkwitz said. "It's another thing to be able to scramble for a couple of first downs, to move in the pocket, deliver accurate throws.  No. 1 characteristic of a quarterback is toughness and he has it written all over him.”

Cook admitted he hasn't been pleased with the offense's early production in the first six weeks of the season. As he sat in the hospital room after undergoing a MRI, he realized he only had 2.5 games left at Faurot Field as a Missouri Tiger. He wasn't going to spend a half away from the field.

“For all the criticism that young man takes," Drinkwitz said. "12 sure would die on that field for everybody."