Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz argues a call during the second half of a game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 30-23.
COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 Transparency is not exactly trendy when it comes to the Missouri football program and injuries these days these days.
Once again, starting quarterback Brady Cook鈥檚 status is an unknown for the No. 24 Tigers鈥 upcoming game at No. 23 South Carolina. Once again, coach Eli Drinkwitz declined to share availability updates during his weekly news conference. And once again, to shroud player statuses in secrecy, he barred reporters from the traditionally open period of the team鈥檚 Tuesday practice.
鈥淚鈥檒l refer back to the SEC injury policy (and) reporting procedure, which will be out Wednesday night,鈥 Drinkwitz said in a blanket statement to open his conversation with media.
Cook, recovering from separate injuries to his ankle and throwing hand/wrist, seems likely to begin the week listed as questionable on the Southeastern Conference鈥檚 mandated injury reports. Those reports will come out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings before a game-day version issued 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.
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Last week, Cook was listed as questionable on the report before being ruled out of MU鈥檚 win against Oklahoma the night before the game. He was on the field in street clothes, notably not wearing a visible cast or brace on either his right arm or ankle.
Backup Drew Pyne started against the Sooners and played well in the second half, throwing for three touchdowns en route to Missouri鈥檚 victory. His performance washed away the bitterness of a three-interception outing against Alabama and may influence the coaching staff鈥檚 ultimate decision around whether to play Cook. If the alternative is serviceable, they may not need to rush the starter back.
On the other hand, Cook鈥檚 remaining opportunities to play in a Mizzou uniform are dwindling, so the motivation will be there for him to return.
Injured Missouri quarterback Brady Cook talks with teammates on the sideline during the first half of a game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
What still remains unclear regarding Cook 鈥 in addition to his status for Saturday, which looms largest 鈥 is whether the high ankle sprain suffered in the Tigers鈥 Oct. 19 win over Auburn or the bone injury to his throwing hand suffered in their Oct. 26 loss at Alabama is the primary concern. Drinkwitz has previously called Cook鈥檚 health concerns a 鈥渨hole body鈥 issue.
The MU coach did confirm Tuesday that starting center Connor Tollison will miss the rest of the 2024 season with a leg injury stemming from the win over OU. Tollison was hurt while blocking on a screen play touchdown and left the field without putting weight on his injured leg.
鈥淰ery tough news for us as a program and as a team,鈥 Drinkwitz said. 鈥淐onnor was Mr. Consistent 鈥 as good of a center as we鈥檝e had here.鈥
He added that Mizzou expects to have Tollison back for the 2025 season despite his eligibility for the spring NFL draft.
Among the other injuries to monitor:
- Left guard Cayden Green also left the Oklahoma game with an injury. He鈥檇 had a short outing at Alabama after getting rolled up on early in that contest, which limited his ability to generate power from his leg. Green seemed to suffer something similar against the Sooners, though he did walk off the field under his own power.
- Wide receiver Mookie Cooper has now missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
- Running back Nate Noel, who returned to action against OU after missing time with a foot injury, isn鈥檛 perfectly healthy but is 鈥済etting closer and closer to 100%,鈥 he said.
