Yes, Missouri football likely needs Brady Cook back and healthy to be consistently successful down the stretch.
But plenty of the teams left on the Tigers’ schedule — beginning this Saturday against Oklahoma — are plenty flawed if they need to go to a backup plan.
Mizzou listed Cook, the team’s third-year starting quarterback, as questionable on its Wednesday availability report, which means his participation is in doubt for the second straight game. Cook is likely to be questionable to play all the way up until kickoff Saturday evening, as he was at Alabama.
Without their starter, the Tigers (6-2, 2-2 SEC) have struggled to maintain drives and avoid giveaways. Backup Drew Pyne has led 13 drives from start to finish in his past two relief appearances, with five possessions resulting in turnovers and one drive — a field goal versus Auburn — ending in points.
OU (5-4, 1-4) has just one win in conference play — which Auburn coughed up with late turnovers back in September — as offensive struggles have hit the Sooners in their first year as an SEC member. OU, after facing Mizzou in Columbia for the first time in 13 years, must face Alabama at home and LSU on the road to close the season.
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But Mizzou could be up against it if availability remains an issue at quarterback.
Cook or no Cook, here are three other areas that are important to success heading into the Tigers’ game against the Sooners:
Will RB Nate Noel return, restore variety to Missouri football run game?
Alabama schemed it up perfectly. With Cook out of the game, no passing attack to speak of and Missouri’s top running back (and most versatile rusher) not on the field, the Crimson Tide loaded the box and cut off the Tigers’ only remaining option: Run it up the gut.
Nate Noel is again questionable to play in missing MU’s next game, as he was listed as questionable on Mizzou’s Wednesday availability report. If he can’t return, Missouri is in real danger of becoming one-dimensional, a la its showing in Alabama.
The Sooners will eat that up. Danny Stutsman is among the better linebackers in the league. Defensive tackle Damonic Williams, a TCU transfer who Mizzou chased in the offseason, has been a heavy presence up front. OU’s primary edge rushers Mason Thomas and Ethan Downs have combined for 40 backfield pressures this season, per PFF.
Missouri needs Noel’s shiftiness to hit the off-tackle runs and zone reads that made MU’s run game so effective. Marcus Carroll has been sporadically effective, but has mostly been what he was billed: MU’s downhill, bruiser back.
The Tigers need to establish the run for any shot of win Saturday. And they won’t get there by being predictable.
Bring the house — and then some — in pass rush
No team has been worse this season than Oklahoma at keeping their quarterback upright.
The Sooners rank dead last in the FBS — by a margin of six — in sacks allowed this season, as they’ve given up 38 in nine games. That’s an astounding total, checking in at more than four sacks per outing.
Mizzou has looked incrementally better at generating pressure on the quarterback as the season has gone on. Johnny Walker Jr. got to Jalen Milroe twice at Alabama in the first half to keep MU in the game until the break. Zion Young has been good for a pressure or two per game from the field end spot.
The Tigers may need more. And they should get chances.
The Sooners will be without at least one starting offensive lineman, per their availability report. The Tigers are a bit banged up at defensive end and outside linebacker due to injuries, but with what they have available, there’s good reason to try and bring some extra pressure this week.
Mizzou has struggled to create turnovers this season, ranking tied for 107th in the FBS with eight in eight games. Saturday would be a good time to force the issue.
If it’s going to be a rock fight, throw your biggest rocks.
Push the Luther Burden button
Luther Burden III has two more games on Faurot Field.
Make ‘em count.
It’s an increasingly concerning trend on the offense that Burden has only eclipsed 100 receiving yards once this season. If he plays all five of Missouri’s remaining games, including a bowl matchup, he’s on pace for a 731-yard year. That would be 400 fewer yards than his electric 2023 campaign.
Burden had a career-low 18 all-purpose yards against Alabama, and was a deep-shot target on two picks thrown by Pyne.
So, push the easy buttons.
At best, it seems like Cook will be banged up on Saturday. At worst, Cook doesn’t play at all.
In either case, getting the ball to your best playmaker — to one of college football’s best playmakers — in easy-access situations seems like a wise course of action. Quick screens; jet sweeps; wildcat; pitches; … anything to get the ball in Burden’s hands.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Missouri football can beat Oklahoma with or without Brady Cook
