From Backup to Comeback: How Pyne’s Struggles Set the Stage for Cook’s Heroic Return

Oct 19, 2024 | Uncategorized

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Missouri quarterback Brady Cook (12) walks on the field after leading a game-winning drive against Auburn on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Faurot Field in Columbia.(CAL TOBIAS/ROCK M NATION)

How a backup quarterback made the legend of Brady Cook loom even larger.

“You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone,” is a quote from Joni Mitchell in her 1970s hit “Big Yellow Taxi.” When writing the song, I’m sure Mitchell didn’t know how perfect of a description her lyric would serve for the tale of Brady Cook on homecoming day October 19, 2024.

On the sidelines with a headset in hand, Drew Pyne didn’t expect to get any action ahead of No. 19 Missouri’s homecoming tilt against the Auburn Tigers (2-4, 0-3 Southeastern). Alas, starting quarterback Brady Cook went down on Missouri’s opening drive forcing Pyne to go from headset and clipboard to helmet and football in hand. Little did he know, that his performance would set up Brady Cook for a moment that would produce tears, cheers, and little room for jeers.

As expected the Tigers offense switched to a more run-centered approach, but that didn’t stop Pyne from getting his share of action through the air. Pyne threw eight-of-14 in the first half for 69 yards, which is about five yards per attempt.

Pyne did a good job of maintaining composure despite pressure being in his face and delivered some nice throws. However, the Tiger offense was just unable to generate consistent drive-extending rhythm throughout the first half.

“Really proud of Drew Pyne,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz sad. “Came into a very tough situation.”

A recurring theme was Pyne’s inability to connect on short throws to the sideline, as he sailed a few balls on first downs that created tough situations on later downs. The short to intermediate passing game is the backbone of offensive coordinator Kirby Moore’s offense, and that backbone was split with Pyne in the game.

Our own Quentin Corpuel described this predicament as Moore’s greatest test and the halftime numbers certainly corroborated that theory. With Nate Noel also out alongside Cook, the Tigers were in the sixth percentile of EPA/play per Gameonpaper. In addition to that, Missouri’s highest percentile on offense was 43rd and it was attributed to their EPA/dropback.

Noel’s injury was arguably even more of a set back than Cook’s injury, as it derailed the recurring custom that an offense can rely on the run in absence of their lead signal caller. Without the main producer in the backfield, the black and gold Tigers were effectively in offensive limbo. Subtracting Noel’s production and sack yardage, the offense was rushing at 2.1 yards per carry which isn’t a run offense you can rely on.

In a game where one loses their main signal caller, the offensive line is an even larger factor and in this game’s case it was a negative factor. Pyne’s questionable decisions in the backfield were also met with a slew of Auburn linemen in his face regularly. There were moments where the line looked as if it was creating good gaps for the run game and solid protection for the pass game, but the air in the line was drained after the Cook injury.

Sometimes, pressure makes diamonds. Pressure was aplenty after a 47-yard Cam Coleman touchdown was followed by a Luther Burden fumble into the end zone on a punt return to make Auburn’s lead 17-3 at the early moments of the third quarter. Noel returned to the game with desperation rampant, and on the backs of him and Marcus Carroll the Tigers were able to finally have a positive drive with Pyne at the helm.

Pyne’s night was done at that point, as Brady Cook returned despite multiple reports stating he was out for the rest of the game.

“We tried a lot of things to get me back in the game,” Cook said. “We had one final last gasp effort, and it worked.”

Pyne finished with him throwing 10-of-21 for 78 yards and accounting for 74 yards of total offense. The potency of the offense was drained in basically all facets without Cook. Routine throws were no longer routine, and staples of the offense were no longer stapled. A misleading headline could tell you that Pyne and the offense doubled Missouri’s points when he was on the field, but a more realistic one could tell you that his offense picked up just three points.

Pyne’s play really begs the question, would Cook have rushed his way onto the field if the offense was even moving slightly more? Likely not, and that would have deprived the Mizzou faithful of something that fans will remember for a long time.

Upon Cook’s reintroduction, the crowd roared as seemingly every ounce of excitement for this tilt and some more was restored with one slow and simple trot onto the field. Two plays later on third and 10, Cook found Mookie Cooper for a 78-yard completion that led to a touchdown on the ensuing play. Cook then ran in a two-point conversion on an ankle that looked just fine to bring the Tigers back to within three.

“On the field, the pain was pretty much gone,” Cook said. “Once the game ended, all that pain came surging back.”

After some less than ideal drives in the fourth quarter, Missouri and Cook were tasked with marching 95 yards down the field down three to pick up a heroic victory with 4:36 left. With the passing game being stagnant since the big play from Cooper, it was up to Cook’s legs to generate a jolt. A nine-yard scramble starting in the end zone and a 14-yard carry on third and long, powered a crucial drive forward.

“For him to put his body on the line for us,” Drinkwitz said. “Is incredible and ought to be inspiring to everybody that watched it.

On fourth and five from the Auburn 41-yard-line, Cook and the Tigers needed a big play that erased three quarters of struggle. They got it in the form of the classic Cook-Burden connection, as Brady found the highly-touted wideout for a 16-yard pickup. Like clockwork, on third and 10 the man on a mission hit Wease for a 10-yard gain to the 15-yard-line.

Cook’s heroism was capped by two successive runs by Jamal Roberts, who punched it in for the Tigers first lead since the first quarter with 46 seconds left to go. 17 plays. 95 Yards. 3-of-4 on third down. One-of-one on fourth down. Seven points, and most importantly of all, a heroic Homecoming victory that moves the Tigers to 6-1.

“The number one characteristic of an elite quarterback is toughness,” Drinkwitz said. “And Brady’s got it written all over him.”

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