Everything Brady Cook, Luther Burden and Kristian Williams Said at 2024 SEC Media Days

The three Missouri Tigers players previewed the 2024 season Tuesday in Dallas.

SEC Media

The unofficial start of SEC football season kicked off this week with the conference's media days. Tuesday afternoon was Missouri's turn. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz took the podium first.

After Drinkwitz, quarterback Brady Cook, wide receiver Luther Burden III and defensive tackle Kristian Williams all took questions from the media to preview the upcoming season. Here are transcripts from each.

Quarterback Brady Cook:

On the additions of Cayden Green and Marus Bryant: "It's hard to replace Javon Foster and
Xavier Delgado. A lot of talent from those two, but I think we did about the best we could.
Cayden got here in January, and it's been a perfect fit. Him and Membou have already had a close connection, good relationship, which has helped a lot. He's meshed right in. Then Marcus Bryant, he got here for this summer. It's been a great fit. Going through OTAs, workouts, meetings. Those two are a perfect fit for our culture, perfect fit for the line. I'm excited to watch them do their thing."

On what Missouri has to prove in 2024: "Yeah, last year our motto formed into something to prove. I'm sure you guys have heard it. We lived by it, and we still do. Although we had a good year last year and accomplished a few things, we still have to go out and prove it this year. For the guys that came back, for the team we have now, 2024 is all that matters. That's the record that's going to be talked about. These are the games that's going to be talked about. No one is going to talk about the Cotton Bowl versus Ohio State moving forward. It's in the past. It's in the history books. We do. We have to go out and prove it every single week. No one's going to hand it to us. No one's going to give us
any free handouts. Us, Mizzou, we have to go earn it, we have to go prove it."

On not starting for the first two years of his career: "Yeah, it was tough. I don't know if I planned on it or not. I graduated early with the idea of let's go learn as much as possible and see if I can compete. I
didn't know what college football was all about yet. I was still new. I don't think I was disappointed in that, but it was definitely hard. That was the first time in my life that I've ever not played on my team. I've always been the starting quarterback, whether it's grade school, middle school, high school. I've always been that leader of the team. So to sit back and have those two years of just kind of learning and being away from the in-game action, it was hard, but at the same time, I learned a ton. I was able to see different perspectives. I wasn't thrown into the fire too early.

On his first impression of Cayden Green: He fit right in. Got here in January. We
start spring ball early. We start spring ball probably the third week of February. First practice, he's out there doing everything, playing full speed, hitting pads. I'm giving him calls, he's not looking confused or hesitating. He's getting the call and getting lined up and doing what he needs to do. I think it's just seamless with him. He got in, has a relationship with Membou, Mekhi Miller, a couple of guys previously which helped. He fits in great."

On what he's heard about Kyle Field at Texas A&M: I heard Kyle Field gets pretty loud. I heard there's a lot of fans. I heard it gets rowdy, but I hear it's a great environment. I'm excited. I get to play in a few different places that Ihaven't played yet this year. Obviously with the realignment and everything like that. Texas A&M being one of them. I've heard a lot of great things. I've heard it's a hard place
to play at. I'm sure it is, but I'm excited for it."

On the entrance of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC: I'm excited. I'm excited. When I think of
Oklahoma, I think about the College GameDay game at Mizzou when fans rushed the field. We beat the No. 1 overall team. That's what I go back to in my mind because obviously that was a big memory for me as a fan. I'm looking forward to this year's game. It's going to be fun. But like I said earlier, we have to go and prove it week to week. If we get to the Oklahoma game and we have a couple of losses on the schedule, that game won't feel quite as nice. So we've got to go prove it week one, week two, week three, and we'll get to Oklahoma when it happens.

Q: You talked about Arch (Manning). We've got Garrett (Nussmeir) obviously in Baton Rouge, Carson (Beck) , some quarterbacks are sticking around and getting their opportunity. Is that something that, with the success that you guys are having, maybe can change the narrative of needing to leave to play right away?

"I think there's some merit to it. At least in my experience, in talking to some of those guys down at
the Manning Academy, when you stick with a program and a team for a certain amount of time, you really become it, you embody it, you learn how everything works. You know every single person in the building. I walk into our facility, I know every single person -- staff,lunch room, player, nutrition, fourth floor coaches. I know everybody. They're comfortable with me. I'm comfortable with them. As a quarterback, that helps me lead. I know everybody. I know how to lead everyone. Whereas if you transferred somewhere and you're trying to just transfer for maybe one year, you transfer to a second
team, that chemistry, there's just no way it can be the same. So I think there's some merit to it, and I think it gives me some confidence too."

On sophomore wide receiver Marquis Johnson: "Marquis is speedy, I think we all know that. He's probably the fastest guy on our team, and he's talented, man. To do what he did as a freshman last year in those big moments was impressive. One thing that stuck out to me is he's gained weight. Like
he's developed his body. That's something I noticed he always comes to me and he tells me, Brady, I gained weight, yada, yada, yada. I'm like, dude, let's go. We need that. He's conscious. He's focused. He was talking to me two days ago, he's like, hey, fall camp, after practice let's rip balls, posts, shoot routes. He loves all the deep stuff. I mean, he's talented man. He's focused. Super impressive what he did as a freshman last year. So I'm excited to see him play."

What he remembers of playing Auburn in 2022, thoughts on hosting them this season: Definitely a little bit of payback. The one in '22, that stung. I still feel that one. Thanks for the reminder on that. No, I'm just kidding. I haven't dove into Auburn prep or really taken a really good look at kind of their personnel, but I know they have a good program. I know they can win any given game they
play. They haven't been this strong in the SEC for no reason. They can win every game they play, and it's going to be fun. I'm excited that they're coming to our place this time. I.enjoyed playing at Auburn last time. It's going to be a fun game, man. I'm excited."

On connection with Luther Burden III: It's great. As a quarterback, that's what you want. We're going on year three together right now. So our chemistry is at an all time high. We've worked really hard this off-season. We spent many times one-on-one working sessions, working little details. He's definitely growing. He continues to get better, and we're confident. I think our duo is going to be fun to watch, fun to play as a quarterback. Yeah, like you said, he goes deep, and I can just put it in an area, and he makes a play on it. So Luther is a fun guy to have in that room."

---

Wide Receiver Luther Burden III:

On Brady Cook: "I could tell you that my quarterback, he's a great player off the field. Me and him has definitely created a better relationship this year. We hang out more than we did last year. I feel like the trust has grown. "

On what he wants to accomplish this season that he hasn't done before: "What I'm trying to do this year that I haven't done the first year is win the big National Championship."

On what he's heard about Kyle Field at Texas A&M: "I heard it's a hostile environment. That's pretty much what I heard. I know some players there and stuff. I'm definitely looking forward to playing in front of 100,000 or so. I can't wait."

On how he saw Brady Cook's confidence grow after the Kansas State win: I feel like because we was a crazy underdog during that game, we was at home. I feel like his confidence this year is tremendously like way better than it was last year. I can just feel the vibe. I can tell that he's — he's ready. Like he's extra ready. I'm excited."

On how Missouri NIL regulations help in recruiting: "It definitely helped with me personally because I wasn't — I didn't grow up with a lot of money. So definitely, I was grateful to have the opportunity to make — create my name, image and likeness created and build it actually. Missouri has helped me build my stuff off the field tremendously. I feel like they're going to do that with every player that comes there."

On the 2022 loss to Auburn, his thoughts on hosting them this season: "I've got every game circled on the schedule. My motto is still something to prove. I feel like I have a lot to prove to the rest of the country. I'm definitely looking forward to the Auburn game."

How he views himself as a player: "I look at myself as a player, I feel like there's still work to do. I've still got a lot to prove once again. I want to show them I'm the best in the country. So I'm going to show up."

On managing the pressure of expectations for Missouri: "I feel like that we just need to take one game at a time. My focus is on Murray State. It's the first game of the season. Everything else is going to play itself out."

On how increased involvement in 2023 helped his confidence: "I feel like it definitely got me going.
When I get the ball, I get ready to go. Yeah, it definitely helped build my confidence, getting me the ball early, getting me going. It helped our team tremendously."

On the importance of starting receivers contributing on special teams: "It's definitely a huge part of the game. You can win or lose on special teams. So I feel like that I can help us in a tremendous way on special teams. Most of the times, you get a touchdown on special teams, you 90 percent win the game. So I'm looking forward to getting more touchdowns, especially this year."

On connection with Brady Cook: We definitely can be the best duo in the country, I believe. I feel like his confidence has grown tremendously. He just feels more comfortable, so that's very good that he's going to feel comfortable and go out there and do his thing."

On the loss of Cody Schrader: "We have a couple of guys from the portal who can help take that spot. We have guys that's been there, that's been in the offense who can take that spot. It's all up for grabs in the football game."

On playing in his hometown of St. Louis in 2023 against Memphis: It was great, man. I had a lot of
family members there that would probably never be to another football game again. Just to be like being able to play at home in college is like crazy. It's a crazyexperience. I had a great time. I think I had one of my best games there. So I would love to do it again."

Players he watched growing up and now: " I watched Jameson Williams growing up. I watched Ja'Marr Chase. Those two guys, I kind of look at the most."

Significance of staying in his home state: I felt like, before I got there, the state was kind of dry. I felt like my impact with going there could have changed the whole scenario of the whole reputation of the Missouri Tigers. I'm still continuing to work, still continuing to try to change that, and I'm trying to put us on top."

---

Defensive tackle Kristian Williams:

On what he's heard about Kyle Field at Texas A&M: I've heard it's 100,000 something people. That's a lot of people. We haven't really given too much thought about it. We're trying to accomplish what we've accomplished right now, and that's get through summer workouts, go to fall camp, and build camaraderie with one another."

On mentoring transfers and incoming freshman: Not only try to enforce the standard on them, but make them feel more comfortable who they are as a person. You've got everybody on the team who are all leaders in their way, form, or fashion. My job is to figure it out and enhance it a little bit more so they can be able to do what they want to do."

On managing the pressure of expectations for Missouri: "With social media and phones and technology, it's obviously difficult to be able to block anything out. But for the most part, we just try to stay present and lock in on what we've got to do and lock in on the adversities as a team we've got to go through. Just being able to come out of that with our brotherhood and our bond with one another. So we're not too focused on that."

On his first impressions of new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon: "He's fresh in, so just to get to know him as a person and for him to know me as a person, just took a lot of growing pains in that area for us to get to know one another and go right to the workouts, go right into the walkthroughs and know the playbook and stuff. It's challenging for anybody. So just to be able to experience that with him and learn more from him and pick off his brain as much as I can. He's a situational master. That's my big takeaway from him. He's a laid back guy, so he gets on you if he needs to. I'm just excited to see what the future may hold."

On if Missouri has an favorable schedule: "I wouldn't say that because every
single game, it's NFL caliber players on each and every team. You have to bring your A game every game. I wouldn't say it's in our favor. We're just trying to prove something. Each and every year we have something to prove. We're just trying to elevate the standard we have from last year. Last year is the past, and we accepted that, and we're just trying to move forward."

On the future of the rivalry between Missouri and Arkansas: Whatever it is, it's a rival for a reason.
Who knows? You never know. It's a competitive sport, at the end of the day. Emotions flare up. Guys compete with one another at the highest level. So you want to bring that out in somebody. You want to bring the best out of them. So who knows?"

On the revival of Missouri's rivalry with Oklahoma: I actually learned that through social media. Coach Drink, he never really touched on it. He just wanted us to be present and stay focused. The most important game is the next game, or in our case it's the next workout or the next day at fall camp. He just wanted us to focus on what's now, and then when the time comes, just be prepared for it.

On how his role as a leader could change this season: "The role may have shifted. I would
probably say -- I wouldn't say that the mission is different. At the end of the day, I have something to prove. I'll just probably say it's with a newer group of guys. So I have to get to know more people more.
It's not a problem for me. At the end of the day, I want to be able to go outside my comfort zone, and I want them to go outside their comfort zone. For us to thrive how we want to thrive, you have to make
those sacrifices."

On the interior defensive line group: "As we call ourselves, trench mob, and also, in my opinion, we're big athletes. I feel we can do it all at any weight. Coach Batoon has a great scheme for us in multiple assets. He has multiple schemes we can go in and out of. He has multiple disguises. Just be on the lookout for many different looks."

His thoughts on Auburn and hosting them this season: "I knew some guys like D.J. James and Robby Ashford. But also as of now, I know Asante, and he's up here now. We're not going to exchange words on what our game is going to be like. We'd just rather show each other. That's the biggest thing."

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Brady Cook Carries 2023 Confidence Into a New Season With High Expectations

Missouri WR Luther Burden III Aiming for Big Season, Anticipates Playoff Game at Faurot Field

Missouri Tuesday SEC Media Days Postcard