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Welcome back to the Tigers Football Insider, where we bring you the latest news and analysis from The Daily Memphian’s Frank Bonner II and Tim Buckley each week.
The University of Missouri might be without its starting quarterback against the Memphis Tigers this weekend.
Next game
Tigers (3-0) vs. Missouri (3-0)
At: The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis
Time/date: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23
TV/radio: ESPNU, 98.9 FM
Brady Cook threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns to help Missouri beat then No. 15 Kansas State, 30-27, last week. The 6-foot-2 and 205-pound quarterback also had a rushing touchdown.
Cook, however, is dealing with a hyperextended knee he suffered during the game and is questionable to play when Missouri kicks off against Memphis at 6:30 p.m. Saturday inside The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz told reporters on Tuesday that the staff will be monitoring the swelling and bruising. He said Cook is day-to-day and did not practice on Tuesday.
Redshirt freshman Sam Horn would likely be the starter if Cook is unavailable this weekend. Horn is a former four-star prospect who was ranked by ESPN as the No. 164 player in the country and the No. 8 quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class coming out of high school.
Not having Cook, a junior who is in his second season as the starter, on the field would be a significant blow to the Missouri offense and raise the likelihood of a possible Memphis upset. Throwing a redshirt freshman into the fire against a Memphis team that is looking to make a statement against the only SEC opponent on the schedule would be a tough situation for Missouri.
Even if Cook does play, he is not expected to be 100% healthy. That gives Memphis defensive coordinator Matt Barnes an opportunity to dial up some extra pressure knowing Cook’s mobility will be limited.
The quarterback situation also impacts Missouri’s biggest playmaker in receiver Luther Burden. He had seven catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas State and his 109 receiving yards per game is the 11th best in FBS. Not having his starting quarterback on the field could impact Missouri’s ability to get him the ball. Kickoff is three days from now and we’ll see how Cook’s recovery has progressed by then.
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