Mizzou's Eli Drinkwitz Silences Early-Season Doubts on Brady Cook

Similarly to the early part of the Missouri Tigers 2023 campaign, quarterback Brady Cook is receiving some backlash for his underwhelming start to the season.

Chase Gemes | Sep 26, 2024

Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) drops back to pass during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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A year ago, Missouri starting quarterback Brady Cook was hearing similar noise to what the rhetoric surrounding his early season performance is now.

There was questions about Cook heading into the 2023 season. After his first year as a starter in 2022, where Cook threw for 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions, he battled for the starting job in 2023 with Sam Horn. Though the competition between Cook and the then redshirt freshman was decided by the coaching staff after Week 1, some parts of the fanbase still campaigned for Horn until Cook led the Tigers to a victory over Kansas State in Week 3.

The whole situation sparked the 'boos' surrounding Faurot Field when Cook was announced in the starting lineups ahead of the Kansas State matchup, and the subsequent comments from head coach Eli Drinkwitz that denounced the fansbase's lack of support.

“It pissed me off when we booed our starting quarterback to start the game,” Drinkwitz said. "He went out there and played his butt off for this university and this team...We need to get behind the young man. You want to boo me? Fine. You’re going to boo the starting quarterback? Bull crap. I’ll say it again. Should never happen.”

Shortly after that, Cook turned his play around enough to help bring Missouri to an eventual Cotton Bowl win to round its 2023 season. The days of a disconnect between he and Tiger fans seemed to be in the past, until Saturday's double-overtime win over Vanderbilt.

It was far from the same Cook that Missouri saw at the end of last year. His decision-making and misfires to open receivers were obvious against the Commodores, resulting in 23-of-37 pass completions, a season-low 226 yards and three sacks. The fifth-year passer was all out of sorts, and if it wasn't for his perfectly timed touchdown to Luther Burden III in overtime, the doubts would've been much louder.

They were loud enough for Drinkwitz to hear, however, and he took a recent appearance on ESPN's Opening Drive to address them.

"The outside noise relating to him right now is ridiculous," Drinkwitz said. "People need to have their minds checked and anybody who is suggesting that there’s an issue at the quarterback position is insane, in my opinion.”

To a lesser extent than Horn last season, some have campaigned for backup quarterback Drew Pyne to get a chance at being a starter after Cook's woes. The former Arizona State Sun Devil is a solid option, but any chances of that coming to fruition are out of the window.

Despite Cook's lackluster performance against Vanderbilt, he is and will continue to be the starter moving forward. He took the Tigers to 11 wins last year, and there isn't much competiiton to take his place until he graduates.

Even with his struggles throwing the deep ball thus far, the senior still ranks as the 5th leading quarterback in passing yards in the Southeastern Conference with a total of 946. Plus, he's only recorded one interception in four games.

There's definitely room for Cook to improve though, and Missouri needs it quickly. It can't continue to win over competitive SEC teams — such as Texas A&M — with underwhelming play at quarterback, so he and the coaching staff will have to address the issues before Week 6 rolls around.

If not, the Tigers' hopes for a College Football Playoff bid will start to wane, and Drinkwitz recognizes that. However, he doesn't want Cook to be the sole pin on why they haven't peformed up to the standards set before the season.

"Can he play better? Absolutely, just like I can coach better" Drinkwitz said. "But to point fingers right now, our fans need to have a reality check on that stuff."

There's going to natural ups and downs throughout Missouri's 2024 season — which includes Cook's play — but he isn't going anywhere. Tiger fans will have to accept that.

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