🏈 🔵 Why I'm Buying Stock In Missouri This Spring
Behind quarterback Brady Cook's lead and an extensive transfer portal haul, the Tigers have all the tools to compete for an SEC title in 2024.
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Why I’m Buying Stock In Missouri This Spring
Hey friends,
Ahead of last fall’s campaign, Missouri was pegged to finish second-to-last in the SEC behind incoming fourth-year head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s lead.
The Tigers finished sixth in the SEC East under Drinkwitz in 2022, winning just three conference matchups and only one road contest.
Behind home-state gunslinger Brady Cook, Missouri’s potent play style helped the program surge to an 11-2 campaign, including a Cotton Bowl victory over No. 7 Ohio State.
With eight returning starters on offense, including Cook, Missouri enters spring ball as a viable threat to steal a College Football Playoff bid and a conference crown this time around.
Just after conference championship weekend last fall, I talked with Cook on my Podcast about the locker room culture cultivated under Drinkwitz, his star-studded room of outside weapons, and how Missouri plans on continuing its winning ways.
Let’s dive into why Missouri’s stock will be sky-high when the season kicks off in about five months:
Firm Direction Under Eli Drinkwitz
Following the 2019 slate, Missouri’s administration decided to let go of fourth-year coach Barry Odom.
The former Tigers’ linebacker turned head coach compiled a 25-25 record, two bowl appearances, and zero postseason wins during his stint at the helm.
In Odom’s last campaign, Missouri’s recruiting class ranked No. 13 in the SEC (second to last).
When program spark plug Brady Cook committed and signed under Odom, most veterans failed to adhere to former Appalachian State head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s mission as Odom’s replacement.
“When [Coach Drinkwitz] showed up, I showed up, it was just like a mix and match team, man,” Cook told me in December. “We had some five, six-year [guys] that were super loyal to Coach Odum, and [Drinkwitz] kind of had his first class. But, I wasn’t even his real recruited quarterback, so I think it was just a mix-and-match team for a couple of years. The culture wasn’t really there… It just took a couple of years.”
Now, four years removed from Drinkwitz’s arrival, the Tigers signed the No. 21 recruiting class nationally in 2024, per 247Sports.
Drinkwitz’s success on the trail has been spearheaded by a concentrated effort to keep top in-state talent home.
Take Williams Nwaneri, for example.
The five-star defensive tackle resided as the sixth-best player at all positions and is graded as a 99-overall prospect by all major recruiting services.
Despite warranting offers from Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, and Ohio State, Nwaneri picked Missouri as a Lees Summit, Missouri native.
“The guys who stuck it out and the guys who really bought in when Coach [Drinkwitz] had the opportunity to recruit and bring his dudes in, the biggest difference has been the buy-in from the players. We truly believe in the coaching staff. We’re a real team now, and the culture has taken a full 180 [degree turn].”
Aside from the monstrous defensive game-wrecker in Nwaneri, Drinkwitz has signed a plethora of blue-chip talent from the Missouri area.
In 2022, Drinkwitz received pledges from six of the state’s top 10 prospects.
Now, Missouri boasts a top-25 group in 247Sports’ Team Talent Rankings, thanks to 22 blue-chip players in total.
The combination of coaching stability, talent acquisition, and on-field growth behind eight SEC victories last campaign should make the Tigers a feared test for any opponent moving forward.
Proven Playmakers In Brady Cook & Luther Burden
As a St. Louis native, quarterback Brady Cook grew up a Missouri football fanatic.
Despite being a Class of 2020 high school commodity, Cook committed to the Tigers in 2018.
Once he received a verbal offer from the black and gold, he knew it was where he wanted to be.
“My biggest goal in high school was ‘Let’s go get an offer from Mizzou,’ and then I was able to do that at the end of my sophomore year in high school,” Cook told me. “I waited a couple months, tried talking to a couple other schools, but ultimately, I was like I don’t know why I’m waiting, all I’m doing is giving another quarterback a chance to take my spot.”
Cook entered the Tigers’ locker room as an overlooked passer.
247Sports rated him as the No. 28 pro-style quarterback in his class, sitting at No. 745 nationally among all positions.
However, when Drinkwitz finally declared Cook the starter two years ago, the head coach’s spread attack began to flourish.
In 2023, Cook completed over 66% of his throws for 3,317 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.
Cook’s favorite target proved to be second-year wideout Luther Burden III. The former five-star prospect hauled in 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns as one of the SEC’s most prolific downfield threats.
Just like Cook, Drinkwitz was able to keep Burden close to home as an East St. Louis native. Burden, who’s slotted as a future first-round NFL talent, chose the Tigers over Georgia, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
While former Mizzou running back and 2,300-yard career rusher Cody Schrader set the framework for putting on for your home state as the third St. Louis product of the trio, Cook and Burden plan on continuing that standard.
“I think it has a different feel to it than if we all went our separate ways and played out-of-state because we all take a lot of pride in making people back home proud,” Cook told me. “Everyone back home is pretty much a Mizzou fan, right? You kind of get this Columbia sense of pride, you feel backed and supported by St. Louis, and you feel like you’re putting on for your hometown.”
Aside from Burden returning at Cook’s disposal on the outside, Missouri’s skill-position makeup will be one of the SEC’s most potent.
All starting receivers, including Burden, Theo Wease Jr., and Mookie Cooper are returning for another season.
Additionally, both tight ends in the first rotation, Tyler Stephens and Brett Norfleet, will be back to aid Drinkwitz’s attack.
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Lost Production Replaced By Historic Transfer Portal Haul
Heading into 2023, Missouri brought 78% of its returning production back from the previous campaign.
The familiarity resulted in an 11-win output, and this year, the ascension could be similar behind eight returning starters on offense.
Missouri is losing starters at left tackle, left guard, and running back, with well-documented flair coming back to attend to unfinished business in Columbia.
However, defensively, the Tigers are returning just four playmakers who started a season ago.
In today’s era, coaches must adapt and retool missing pieces through the transfer portal.
Drinkwitz and his staff did just that in their latest transfer portal cycle.
Per 247Sports, Missouri holds claim to the No. 13 transfer class nationally, ahead of other portal titans including Georgia, USC, Florida, Tennessee, and Oklahoma.
Early season reports suggest the Tigers will plug and play six portal products into its starting lineup in 2024. Three will come from the current class.
Zion Young, Chris McClellan, and Toriano Pride are expected to instantly contribute at defensive end, defensive tackle, and cornerback, respectively.
The three components are proven Power Five centerpieces that previously competed at competitive programs.
Young started at Michigan State, McClellan previously played for Florida, and Pride contributed for Clemson.
Overall, Drinkwitz and company picked up three four-star portal prospects while gaining the services of seven additional three-star commodities.
Behind Missouri’s savvy recruiting model and growing NIL capacity behind a strong community backing, the Tigers’ recent run of success should remain sustainable in the new-look SEC.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email at adam@brenemanmedia.com.
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Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
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