Razorbacks aware of Missouri QB Brady Cook

FAYETTEVILLE — Missouri is a different team when Brady Cook is healthy and when he’s out of the game replaced by Drew Pyne.

Cook has completed 173 of 269 passes for 2,080 yards, 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also has rushed 62 times for 106 yards and 4 touchdowns. Pyne has completed 49 of 82 passes for 391 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. What makes Cook so good?

“I think leadership and his competitiveness,” Pittman said. “And the team, I forget what game it was, I think it was Auburn, when he was hurt and then came back, and you could just see the team go (makes “swoosh” sound like Tigers taking off). He’s a really good player, but I think what he brings to the team with his legs, his arm, his leadership … He’s won a lot of games at Missouri. Certainly having him back for Missouri puts a lot more on his ability to run. We have to watch that. And of course he throws the deep ball and play action about as good as anybody.”

Arkansas’ defense has struggled most games against experienced quarterbacks. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman all had big games against the Hogs. Arkansas did a better job against Quinn Ewers. How is the best way to contain Cook?

“Athletic, can throw, knows the offense probably as good as he does,” Pittman said. “He’s a winner and those guys are scary. He’s a winner and you could just feel it through the TV when he came back for the Auburn game, certainly made a big difference in the game.”

Arkansas defensive tackle Cam Ball is very aware of what Cook brings to the game.

“Man, Brady Cook, he’s a good player,” Ball said. “He throws the ball well. He runs well. I remember we went there two years ago, he used his legs against us more than normal, and then last year he showed us more of his arm. He’s a very versatile quarterback. We have a plan for him, and we’re still planning for him, and I’m ready to face him.”

Doneiko Slaughter will face the challenge of facing some talented Missouri wide receivers such as Luther Burden and Theo Wease with Cook throwing to them.

“As Cam said, they’re a whole different offense with him in the game,” Slaughter said. “So, we’re preparing for him, for sure.”

Last year, Arkansas’ defense was embarrassed at home by Missouri in a 48-14 loss. Has that provided this year’s defense some motivation to pay Missouri back?

“We’ve motivated, I’ve done as good I can motivating,” Pittman said. “They’re going to get tired of me by the time of week’s end, but we can’t have that kind of performance again. But we have high respect because they’re a really good team. Physical team. But, we got all the motivation we need. We just got to go up there and play well.”

Pittman was asked why it’s so hard to win in Columbia?

“I wish I knew that,” Pittman said. “We’d have a couple more wins. You know? I think Eli has done a great job of cultivating the fans. When we play them, it’s usually cold, which, they’re probably a little bit more used to that than we are. I don’t know exactly. We’ve been playing on Friday.

“Maybe they did a better job of preparing their team than we have. But it’s always been, up there, it seems to me it’s been a close game and something happened like 2 years ago. We went up there and I kicked a field goal to put it within a one score game, and we never got the ball back. Hindsight, you probably should’ve went for it, you know, from the five or whatever it was at the time. And so there are always close games, and we’ve just got to figure out a way to win it.”

Ball is looking forward to trying and getting the win.

“I feel like we have a good chance, a good opportunity, this year to do so,” Ball said. “Like Coach Pittman stressed to us as soon as we won (against Louisiana Tech) this past weekend, we’ve never won up there in Columbia. So we plan to change history this coming weekend.”

If the Hogs can win on Saturday that would mark the second year in a row they have won at a place they had never previously gotten a victory. Last year, Arkansas defeated Florida 39-36 in overtime for the first win ever in Gainesville. How cool to do that a second year in row?

“Very man,” Ball said. “Anytime, any chance we get to put our names in the history books and make history is a good opportunity.”

Arkansas and Missouri will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.