Missouri Football Announces 5 Captains for 2024 Season

The Missouri Tigers announced the five players who will wear the "C" patch this season.

Sep 9, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (1) celebrates with quarterback Brady Cook (12) after Wease s touchdown against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

A clear difference between Missouri's 2023 team compared to the preceding years was elevated leadership. Heading into the 2024 season, the Tigers are looking to uphold the standard of excellence despite five of their captains from 2023 no longer on the team.

Despite these losses, there's no lack of leadership on the 2024 roster.

"I think the thing that’s so cool about this team is there’s a lot of leaders," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said during a fall camp press conference. "This is a close-knit football team that understands the standard, and they are unafraid to call each other out when it’s below the standard."

The team announced the five captains for the 2024 season Tuesday afternoon, each with a long track record of leadership.

The one returning captain, quarterback Brady Cook, has continued to grow as a leader as he enters his third year as a starter.

"I think what Brady has done is continually demonstrated a competitive spirit and a standard of excellence," Drinkwitz said at 2024 SEC Media days. "He's earned the respect of everybody in our locker room."

Cook now enters 2024 with more confidence than before after being one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC in 2023, throwing for 3,317 yards, 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The confidence is allowing him to improve as a leader.

“I’d say the biggest thing is just the confidence," offensive lineman Armand Membou said during a fall camp interview. "After last season, Brady’s a lot more confident, and I think he’s grown a lot as the leader to where our whole team just looks up to him as the guy.”

One of Cook's favorite targets, receiver Theo Wease Jr., was also named a team captain. The announcement comes less than a week after resounding praise from Drinkwitz on the impact Wease has made on the Missouri program after transferring from Oklahoma ahead of 2023.

"I cannot say how fortunate we are for Theo Wease," Drinkwitz said. "I think his maturity and wisdom in that room was really the glue that’s brought us together. He’s always an outstanding player, he’s an alpha. He is an elite player, but man, he is an elite teammate. I think his presence, his ability to talk trash, be who he is, but also play to his role and get everybody else to do that cannot be overstated in the success that we’ve had."

The other three of the captains for Missouri are veterans on the defensive side of the ball.

First, linebacker Chuck Hicks, entering his fourth year with Missouri and seventh in college football. Hicks veteran experience is not lost on Drinkwitz, who joked during his most recent press conference that Hicks has been playing football since 1839.

"He's the elder statesman," linebackers coach D.J. Smith said of Hicks. "Probably the oldest guy in college football, but he backs it up with his plays a veteran leader for us and coming into this season. He's had a really good offseason. He's gotten bigger, faster, stronger, he's cut a little bit of his weight. So he's a little he looks a little a little bit more rocked up and he was last year but he's ready to roll."

With just one less year of experience than Hicks, defensive tackle Kristian Williams has earned the right to wear the "C" patch on his jersey. The former Oregon transfer has racked up 53 total tackles, including 11 for loss in his two years with Missouri. Just as importantly, he's been an emotional leader for the Tigers.

Like the older guy, a big brother type," Williams said when asked what type of leader he sees himself being this year. "Just being able to accommodate and help everybody if they're going through something in football or if its just life because both of them correlate. Then, on top of that, just just trying to elevate the standard."

Finally, defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. was also named as a captain for Missouri. Entering his fifth year wit Missouri, Walker will be expected to continue to be one of the top pass rushers on the Tigers' defense and set the standard for an edge rusher room full of young players and transfers.

These five players might be the officially anointed captains but it is only a short list of the players seemingly making an important impact on the culture at Missouri.

Your 2024 Football Captains 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡#MIZ | #STP pic.twitter.com/urLMwNgFli

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) August 13, 2024

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Missouri Tight End Brett Norfleet Has Always Stood Above the Rest

Where Missouri Landed in the AP's Preseason Poll