Why Missouri fans shouldn't worry about QB Brady Cook's injury stats
Missouri quarterback Brady Cook starred in the Tigers' upset win over No. 15 Kansas State on Saturday.
Cook threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for an additional touchdown in the Tigers' wild win, which was capped off by a 61-yard field goal from Harrison Mevis.
Cook's performance was even more impressive given he was playing on an injured knee for the entire second half after he hurt it in the second quarter.
Despite powering through to help the Tigers improve to 3-0, Cook now turns his attention towards recovering in time for the Mizzou's next game against Memphis in St. Louis.
According to PowerMizzou.com, Cook missed the Tigers' practice Tuesday with a hyperextended knee and remains day to day.
While missing a practice can be a worrying sign, Cook sitting out Tuesday is likely a smart precaution by Missouri. This isn't the first time he's dealt with an injury.
He played through a torn labrum in his shoulder last season and threw for over 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns before getting surgery in the offseason.
Given Cook was able to continue playing at a high level against the Wildcats, Mizzou is unlikely to leave him on the bench for its next game, especially given the elevated hype around the rest of the Tigers season.
Cook has made plays both throwing and running the ball for Missouri throughout his career. While his running ability was clearly limited Saturday after he got hurt, Mizzou offensive coordinator Kirby Moore was able to scheme around it. He opened up the offense and let Cook use his arm to find open receivers.
If Cook remains less mobile than usual, Moore will likely approach the Memphis game with a similar air-raid style, allowing Cook to stand in the pocket and deliver deep strikes to the Tigers' playmakers.
Missouri's rush attack struggled as a whole Saturday. It's reasonable to expect better production from running backs Cody Schrader and Nathaniel Peat against Memphis.
This will give Mizzou's offense better balance and take some pressure off of Cook as he continues to recover.
In an ironic twist, should Cook be a surprise scratch for Saturday's game, Mizzou fans will finally have a chance to see redshirt freshman QB Sam Horn see significant action for the first time in his Missouri career.
Many fans were clamoring for Horn to take over the starting job last season and head coach Eli Drinkwitz even went into the 2023 campaign without naming a starter.
Cook quickly proved he was the guy in Missouri's first two games as Horn saw very limited action. Fans criticized the way Drinkwitz handled the QB battle voicing that Horn wasn't given a fair shot. However, Cook's play on Saturday likely alleviated any doubt many of the MU faithful had left in his ability.
If Cook is a no-go on Saturday the fans who were once begging for the backup will finally get their wish, at the very moment when many of those same fans finally came around to Cook leading the offense.
It's unlikely that will be the case assuming Cook doesn't aggravate the injury this week. He will be eager to show out in St. Louis where he played high school football and build off of a performance that gained him national attention and possibly placed the Tigers on a path to success for the rest of the 2023 season.
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