What Does Success Look Like For Missouri QB Brady Cook?
Missouri quarterback Brady Cook isn’t looking for a 300-yard passing game when he takes the field Thursday night. He’ll accept it, but he’s looking for more.
No, more doesn’t mean 500 passing yards, four touchdowns and a clear-cut path to way-too-early Heisman odds. Individual accolades mean little to him if the Tigers begin the year 0-1 against Louisiana Tech.
"We just need to come off the field and see a W on the scoreboard," Cook said Monday evening. “That’s what success looks like.”
Cook looks to be the next St. Louis great to make a name for himself at the collegiate level. Players from the Arch City like running back Ezekiel Eliott, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and offensive tackle Terron Armstead all have found success since graduating high school.
Is Cook next?
Since Feburary, Cook has consistently made strides to earn the title of QB1. Beating out prospects like Tyler Macon, Jack Abraham, and freshman phenom Sam Horn, the sophomore made third-year coach Eli Drinkwitz pay attention throughout the summer.
Last season, Cook considered entering the transfer portal for a fresh start. Now, he’ll lead the team he’s dreamt of playing for since the second grade.
“I spent my whole football career up to this point working to get here,” Cook said. “I just wasn’t ready to throw in the towel and give up this opportunity I had. I knew it would be hard, and it didn’t always go my way, but I’ve known for a long time I wanted to be the starting quarterback at Mizzou, so I wasn’t gonna let that opportunity slip.”
The nerves have come and gone for Cook as the countdown to Thursday is in motion. This time last week, he said the jitters were still high. It’s now a breeze working with the first-team offense as gameday approaches.
Perhaps part of the leisure approach comes from the chemistry with his receivers. Redshirt sophomore Mookie Cooper has been a constant since the start of fall camp after missing most of the 2021 season.
True freshman receiver Luther Burden is the headliner entering the regular season. It’s expected that the East St.Louis native will become the team’s top target by midseason.
"He's still a freshman but I do think he has the talent and is ready to go compete in this conference right now," Cooper said. "He's got it in him, it's just if he's going to bring it on game day."
Cook said the last time against Georgia, the game moved a bit too fast. Things slowed down in the Armed Forces Bowl loss to the Army last December. Now, play concepts have become second nature for him entering Year 3 in Columbia.
Attention turned from a bowl game in Fort Worth, Texas to hours spent inside the playbook, film room and on the practice field. Cook credits his work ethic with helping him earn the starting job.
Now, he simply wants to start his Tiger career off 1-0, regardless of how the scoring comes.
“Just throw it when they’re open and if not, find a running lane,” Cook said. “I’ll run the ball as many times as we need to. I’ll throw it as many times as we need to. Whatever play comes in, I’ll run it.”
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