Hochman: How QB Brady Cook used ‘Doc Holliday’ flair to lead Mizzou to Music City Bowl win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brady Cook has suffered so many injuries, they could teach a course at the University of Missouri School of Medicine just about him.

Broken wrist, high ankle sprain, torn labrum, knee hyperextension and who knows what else that was never revealed.

So when an Iowa opponent crunched his helmet into Cook’s — and the Mizzou quarterback was sprawled midfield on the Music City Bowl logo — it sure seemed like this was the poignant and painful end to his college career.

Cook cooked by a terrible injury, yet again.

“You ever see the movie ‘Tombstone’?” Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz said after Monday’s game at a news conference, seated alongside Cook. “Where Doc Holliday is laying and acting all (in pain)? And then he gets up and it’s like — yeah, I may not have been quite as injured as I appeared. That’s pretty much Brady’s story. When he got hit, I was like — he’s just faking it, he likes to play it up.“

At that moment in the news conference, Cook slyly said aloud: “We got the flag.”

For once, Cook was able to use an injury to his benefit.

On that late first-quarter play, Iowa’s player got a targeting penalty ... and Cook marched his team down field for a touchdown pass. And a resilient, if not cunning Cook led the Tigers to a 27-24 bowl win in his final start. Now, perhaps there was a little karma — later in the game, Drinkwitz said Cook’s ankle was in pain.

“But,” Drinkwitz said, “I just kept telling him, ‘You’re a finisher. You got to finish.’”

He indeed did. Cook led Mizzou on five scoring drives — including one late for the lead-securing field goal by Blake Craig.

As for Cook’s legacy, it was already secure in Columbia, but Monday’s win over an eight-win Iowa team was a fitting finish. No, it wasn’t the ending they dreamed of this past spring and summer, when many, including myself, thought Missouri would crack the 12-team College Football Playoff. But for all intents and purposes, it was a dream ending — the senior Cook winning a bowl in a gritty way with some big plays and, ultimately, a final snap in victory formation.

And so, let it be said: It’s been a pleasure to watch Cook. To witness him play perfectly and, at times, imperfectly — and sometimes, the imperfect plays are the good stuff. The St. Louis kid — a red-headed Red Devil from Chaminade — finished 26-13 as a Mizzou starter. That’s the second-most wins by a quarterback in school history.

Last season, of course, Cook led the Tigers to an 11-2 finish and Cotton Bowl win over a Big Ten opponent (Ohio State). This season, Cook led the Tigers to a 10-3 finish and a Music City Bowl win over a Big Ten opponent.

Cook’s legacy is stitched into Drinkwitz’s legacy. After the bowl win, the coach spoke of Cook’s part in Mizzou’s “revival” (it’s only the third time in Tigers history the team had back-to-back seasons with 10 wins). As we move forward, any success Drink has in the future is, in part, due to Cook’s success at the most important position in team sports.

And then, consider how many times, especially early on, Drinkwitz brought in other QBs to challenge Cook for the job!

But Brady is just.

So.

Tough.

So much so, he even fooled the bowl game refs.

“It’s been a hell of a journey,” Drinkwitz said. “I’ll always be indebted to him for what he’s done for my family, what he’s done for this program. But, you know, journeys aren’t always meant to be together forever. And so he’s going to go start his own path and his own career, and I have no doubt he’ll be successful in the NFL. He’s going to get a chance, and just like we all found out — don’t ever count him out. ...

“It’s time for him to go chase his journey now. And what’s that old saying, like, don’t cry because it you’re sad, be excited because it happened? I’m just fortunate that it happened.”

For the day, Cook finished 18 for 32 for 287 yards (a season high). And two touchdowns. And a team-high 54 rushing yards. And he did so with some receivers who casual fans may not have heard of (like, who in the world is Logan Muckey?).

Mizzou played without Luther Burden III (NFL-bound), Mookie Cooper (injured) and tight end Brett Norfleet (injured). Then, after an explosive first half, standout receiver Theo Wease Jr. was ruled out with an injury.

And sure, there were some pass plays Monday during which the offense looked somewhere between “off” and “awful.” But Cook ultimately got the job done, notably with his connection to Marquis Johnson. It was Johnson who hauled in a deep 44-yard heave from Cook late in the third quarter (Mizzou, down 10 at the time, cut the lead to three shortly after the big throw).

“I look back to 2021 and 2022,” Cook said. “That’s not fun leaving the bowl site and going out with a loss. Not at all. You think about it for a long time. That sits with you for a long time. I definitely didn’t want that to be the case with my last game in a Tiger uniform.

“I’m proud of the team.”

Cook plans to relocate to Kansas City to work out in preparation for the NFL draft. He’ll participate in a pro day and work toward reaching his goal.

Regardless of what happens, for the kid who grew up going to Mizzou games and idolizing Tigers quarterbacks, this journey for his state school has been one of local lore.

After the bowl game, Drinkwitz and Cook stood on a makeshift stage on the Nissan Stadium field. As Drinkwitz spoke live to an ESPN reporter, the camera for the stadium’s big screen zoomed in on the quarterback. There was his famous face, some “eye black” paint smeared down his cheek.

Cook looked up and saw himself.

He then looked back at the camera — and winked.