The reality is, you鈥檇 root for Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook if he was from St. Paul, Minnesota, or St. Petersburg, Florida, or even St. Vincent and the Grenadines. But because he鈥檚 from 狐狸视频 鈥 where you live, where the locals root for Mizzou 鈥 it just adds to the admiration.
It鈥檚 rare for Missouri鈥檚 quarterback to even be from Missouri, let alone our town, yet here we are, entering the most anticipated season in years 鈥 and not only does the guy under center like Imo鈥檚 Pizza, but his family actually owns and operates some Imo鈥檚 locations.
There is a significance, aura and weight to being a 狐狸视频 QB for Mizzou. Cook is equipped to handle it all, cherish it all and rise because of it all (and avoid a fall).
鈥淵ou can see the team gravitate towards the energy and the juice that he brings to the position,鈥 said former Mizzou quarterback and 狐狸视频 native Blaine Gabbert, who played 12 NFL seasons, starting 49 games. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really been doing a great job, just (as I鈥檝e been) watching from afar 鈥 and then having the chance to be back in Missouri last year with the Chiefs. Just seeing the success that he鈥檚 had, kind of working his way up, becoming better year in, year out. And the way he plays the game, it鈥檚 been a lot of fun to watch. He plays hard; he plays it the right way.鈥
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Cook鈥檚 quest toward Mizzou immortality begins Thursday night against Murray State. The Tigers are the nation鈥檚 No. 11 team 鈥 and of course, 12 teams make the new College Football Playoff. I can鈥檛 recall this much anticipation for a Mizzou season 鈥 with the expanded CFP; so many key players back; the momentum from fans, boosters and NIL; the (relatively speaking) favorable schedule and the fact that with Luther Burden III, Mizzou has two of America鈥檚 better football players ... and both are from 狐狸视频.
Being Mizzou鈥檚 quarterback was the dream for Cook, a 狐狸视频 kid who played high school ball at Chaminade. The redheaded Red Devil arrived across state and, simply fought off competition and, amid growing pains, shooed away the boos. He enters this season unequivocally as Mizzou鈥檚 field general and leader.
From Cook鈥檚 courageous scrambles to his famous fourth-and-17 first-down pass, the quarterback electrified Columbia last season. The Tigers went 11-2, losing only to Georgia, the then-defending national champs, and LSU, who had the Heisman winner at quarterback. And Cook finished sixth in the SEC in passing yards per game (255.2).
鈥淚 would describe him as a warrior,鈥 Burden said of Cook during Mizzou鈥檚 media day. 鈥淪omebody who you鈥檇 love and go to (battle) with. I love being around him. He鈥檚 a good person 鈥 and he鈥檒l do anything it takes to win.鈥
Just how uncommon is it for Mizzou鈥檚 quarterback to also be a 狐狸视频an? The most recent starter is Gabbert himself (2008-10), who was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
As for being a two-fer to our area 鈥 the Mizzou quarterback and a 狐狸视频 native 鈥 Gabbert said: 鈥淵ou know, it鈥檚 fun 鈥 now, there鈥檚 pressure that comes with that, but ultimately, there鈥檚 always pressure playing football.
There are a lot of people that are counting on you to play at a high level, and ultimately, it makes everyone鈥檚 job a lot easier if the quarterback is playing well. So it鈥檚 a great position to be in. ...
鈥淲ith Mizzou being the state school, always selfishly, for me, you want to see a kid from the state play quarterback there. ... They鈥檙e personally invested. They grew up there. They grew up watching the school. And that鈥檚 a big thing, in my opinion.鈥
There haven鈥檛 been many, though. Starting signal-callers from the 狐狸视频 area are rare. Before Cook and Gabbert (Parkway West), there were the likes of 1999 starter Jimmie Dougherty (Edwardsville), 1996 split-starter Kent Skornia (St. Francis Borgia), 1986 option quarterback Ronnie Cameron (East 狐狸视频) and Mike Hyde (of Lindbergh) in 1981, from a list compiled by former Post-Dispatch writer Dave Matter.
But in the 1960s and 鈥70s, numerous locals followed in the scampering footsteps of arguably Mizzou鈥檚 greatest quarterback, Paul Christman (Maplewood-Richmond Heights), who had two top-five finishes in Heisman voting while starring for Mizzou from 1938-40.
In the 1960s, there was a pair of Garys 鈥 Gary Lane (East Alton-Wood River) from 1963-65 and Gary Kombrink (Township in Belleville) from 1966-67.
And in the 1970s, Mizzou had Chuck Roper (Brentwood) in 1970-71, John Cherry (Pattonville) in 1972-73, Steve Pisarkiewicz (McCluer North) in 1974-76 and Pete Woods (University City) from 1975-77. It was Woods who famously won at Ohio State in 1976 鈥 which was Mizzou鈥檚 most recent win over the Buckeyes until Cook cooked them in last season鈥檚 Cotton Bowl.
鈥淕rowing up in 狐狸视频 during the 鈥60s and early 鈥70s, I followed the Tigers during the highly successful Dan Devine era,鈥 Woods said via email. 鈥淢y father and I could travel two hours to the west and take in a game, where I would watch some of the Tiger greats 鈥 Johnny Roland, Roger Wehrli, Mel Gray and others.
鈥淭here is a much closer connection to a university that is in your backyard, compared to what I would have experienced had I gone to one of the other schools who had offered 鈥 whether that was Notre Dame, USC, Michigan or even an Ivy League school on the East Coast.
My decision to return to 狐狸视频 after playing in the NFL was also influenced by having played locally 鈥 why wouldn鈥檛 I return to a community where I grew up and was remembered fondly for having chosen to stay home and play for my state school? I continue to reap the benefits of that choice 鈥 as I practice law in my hometown where a few still recognize me for our great victories of the 鈥70s.鈥
And who knows, perhaps people will spot Cook around town in the 2070s.