The Missouri Tigers passing offense had a strong debut for the 2024 season, but it certainly wasn’t perfect. In the 51-0 win over Murray State, quarterback Brady Cook threw for 228 yards and a touchdown, completing 31 of his 20 attempts. However, he was innacurate on each of his four failed attempts on throws over 20 yards.

But the deep-ball accuracy is not what head coach Eli Drinkwitz is concerned about. Cook, now in his third year as Missouri’s starter, has proven in games and in practice that he can connect with receivers down in the field.

Drinkwitz is more worried about the passing attack’s execution on key plays.

 “We do need to be more consistent in the throw game,” Drinkwitz said in his weekly press conference Tuesday. “The third downs that we missed were concerning for me. There’s plenty for us to work on, plenty for us to be concerned with that we need to correct, and we need to really do a good job.” 

Missouri attempted a pass on seven third-down plays throughout the game. Only three were enough to move the chains. This led to the Tigers punting on two drives and having to settle for field goals on two others, leaving plenty of potential points on the board.

When Drinkwitz was asked what is needed to improve in this area, he put an emphasis on both the quarterbacks and receivers having better timing and focus on the details.

“It starts with fundamentals, route depth, timing, the quarterback setting his feet when he makes throws, mot drifting after he throws the ball to get ready to go do a celebration,” Drinkwitz said. “Finish the throw, have your feet set in the pocket. Wide receivers gotta run their routes at the correct depth. They have to explode out and the quarterbacks have to make the throws.”

Drinkwitz added that these have been key focuses of practice early on this week in individual, walk through and team sections.

Missouri will get their next chance to improve in this area Saturday, when it hosts Buffalo at 6 p.m. for week two of the college football season.

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BONNE TERRE, Mo. – Authorities arrested a Missouri man over the weekend in connection with a 35-year-old cold case murder investigation.

Wesley P. Marler, 69, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, was arrested Friday. He is accused in the death of Jimmie Wade Martin from Oct. 14, 1989, also in Bonne Terre, Missouri.

Investigators say Martin died after he was found beaten and wounded in front a home near the Coal Bin Tavern. While a suspect was reportedly charged at the time, the case never went to trial.

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In December 2020, the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri Highway Patrol began a review of the investigation into Martin’s death. In a statement announcing that the case would be reopened three years ago, authorities say they hoped technologies that didn’t exist in 1989 can help bring resolution.

On August 22, 2024, a St. Francois County Grand Jury indicted Marler with one count of first-degree assault in connection with Martin’s death. A warrant was issued for Marler’s arrest last Friday, leading to his arrest, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Marler was sent to the St. Francois County Jail, where he is being held on a $500,000 bond.

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