Eli Drinkwitz answered the biggest question of fall camp on Tuesday night when he announced Brady Cook would start the season opener at quarterback. On Wednesday, Drinkwitz explained what led him to put Cook in charge of the offense so early in camp.
"He ran to the fight and he never shied away from the competition," Missouri's head coach said. "It matters to him to be the starting quarterback at the University of Missouri. And I'm excited that he's our starting quarterback. I know I can lay my head on the pillow knowing that he's going to give us and all these fans in this state everything he's got."
For his part, Cook came into camp with a lead on Jack Abraham, Tyler Macon and Sam Horn and did nothing to let them gain ground over the first eight days.
"My plan was to be here for the 2022 season and compete my butt off regardless of who they brought in," Cook said. "My plan never really changed, never really wavered and here we are."
Most of the talk on Wednesday was about Cook fulfilling a lifelong dream. Missouri used a picture of an elementary school-aged Cook in a Tiger jersey when it made the announcement. He said his memory goes back to watching from the stands as Chase Daniel directed the Mizzou offense.
"I can clearly remember being in the stands as a kid watching games and it kind of seemed surreal that I could do that one day," Cook said. "I'm in a position right now that I used to dream of and I've really worked my whole football career for this moment. It means so much. Just growing up watching the Tigers and being from St. Louis, it means even more.
"I kind of feel like I'm living the dream."
Not that it was easy or simple. The coach Cook committed to got fired before he even signed. He redshirted in 2020, sat most of 2021 and watched as Tyler Macon replaced an injured Connor Bazelak against Vanderbilt and started the game at No. 1 Georgia. But in the age of the transfer portal, Cook stuck around.
"We had another meeting this summer when it was public about all the different transfer opportunities that maybe we will get into," Drinkwitz recalled. "He just said 'Coach, it means nothing more to me than be the starting quarterback at the University of Missouri. So I'm here, I'm gonna fight for it. As long as you're telling me it's an open competition, regardless of what happens I'm gonna be here.'
"He's done everything we've asked him to do."
Now, he'll have to do more. Winning the job was one thing. Keeping it is another. That battle began on Wednesday afternoon.
"I think it's a job that you continuously have to work for and compete for every day and every practice," Cook said. "I'll do my best to do that."
"He's been working hard, like honestly, he's just so passionate about running the offense," starting left tackle Javon Foster said. "That's honestly what we want from a quarterback and he's just been doing it every day."
The biggest question of camp might have an answer. But there are still things to be settled in the quarterback room. Drinkwitz said the other three quarterbacks in the room made his decision difficult.
"It was a battle," he said. "I'll say this. I've got more confidence in our quarterback room than any point that I've had since I've been here. I think there's four or five solid football players that have competed every single day to be the best version of themselves. And so I'm excited about what they can do."
Ultimately, only one can start. That will be Cook. But Macon played some last year, Abraham is battle-tested and Drinkwitz said Horn is further along than he expected after hitting campus in June. Drinkwitz didn't name a backup on Wednesday and may not before the season starts.
"Tyler Macon has done everything we've asked him to do. And so has Jack," Drinkwitz said. "Both of those guys were disappointed and I told them if you weren't disappointed, you don't have the right kind of makeup to be the quarterback and so they are absolutely disappointed. But they both bounced back today with really good energy and understand that this team is on a bigger mission. And I know both of those guys, all three of those guys, will be ready if their number's called."
Cook's job now goes from beating those three out to getting them ready to play behind him.
"I'm going to do my best to lead that room and represent the quarterback room well," Cook said. "If it was the other way around and I wasn't right here right now after the announcement, I'd be pretty disappointed myself. I feel for those guys. I know they put in a lot of hard work, they competed their butt off just like me."
Camp will have questions every day. But the biggest one has been answered.
"I just felt like for us offensively this team to take the next step let's solidify the quarterback, eliminate the questions and the indecision," Drinkwitz said. "He's earned it. It's up to him to finish. It's up to him to finish the job."
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