Multiple Missouri Football Players Included on Award Watch Lists

Missouri running back Cody Schrader and quarterback Brady Cook are mid-season nominees for yearly honors.

Missouri Tigers running back Cody Schrader was nominated to the Burlsworth Trophy mid-season watch list on Tuesday. The award honors the nation's most outstanding former walk-on.

Schrader walked onto the Missouri Tigers football team after transferring from Truman State University in 2021. He collected 17 school records at Truman State that are still held by him today.

The graduate student started throughout his first year at Missouri last season, but like the rest of the team, he has truly emerged in 2023: 140 rush attempts for 807 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns. Schrader has the second-most rushing yards in the SEC (16 yards behind Kentucky running back Ray Davis) entering Week 10.

Schrader won the SEC Offensive Player of the Week award after rushing 26 times for a season-high 159 yards and two touchdowns against South Carolina on Oct. 21. It was the fourth time this season that he broke 100 yards on the ground.

The former unrated recruit has helped lead Missouri to their best start (7-1) since 2013, as they've climbed to the No. 14 spot in the AP Poll. Their lone loss came to now-No. 13 LSU in Week 6.

Nevertheless, Schrader hasn't been the team's only leader, as quarterback Brady Cook is also being recognized for his efforts. The senior was named to the Davey O’Brien Quarterback Class of 2023—a list of 35 signal-callers in the running to be crowned the nation's best quarterback.

Heading into Week 10, Cook ranks third in the SEC in passing yards (2,259) and touchdowns (15). His passing yards total is also the 15th-most in FBS, as he's averaged over 280 per game this season.

Cook finished the game against South Carolina completing 14-of-24 attempts for 198 yards and a touchdown. While these numbers aren't spectacular, the 22-year-old also rushed for a season-high 64 yards, including a 17-yard score.

Cook's best outing came against Vanderbilt on Sept. 30, as he completed 33-of-41 pass attempts for 395 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Georgia's Kirby Smart: Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz Has 'Done A Tremendous Job'