It won’t be for a starter, but there will be somewhat of a quarterback competition in Columbia, Missouri, this upcoming fall.

No, Brady Cook will not be involved. The Missouri football starting QB is back for a third straight year, and he is running essentially uncontested. But the Tigers do still have to settle on a backup, with one transfer, a walk-on, a freshman and an in-house option in the running, for now.

Cook recovered from offseason shoulder surgery after the 2022 season, won Missouri’s starting job for the second year running and proceeded to throw for 3,317 yards and 21 touchdowns over the course of the 2023 campaign, which he capped by securing Cotton Bowl offensive MVP honors in a win over Ohio State.

The main question this fall camp, as Cook returns as the unchallenged starter in his final year of eligibility, is about the depth behind him.

Here is how Missouri’s quarterback room looks heading into preseason practices. Every scholarship player and any notable walk-on is mentioned:

The options for Missouri football at quarterback

Starter: Brady Cook, sr.

Reserves: Drew Pyne, so.; JR Blood, sr.; Brett Brown, so.; Aidan Glover, fr.; Sam Horn (out), so.

Drew Pyne transferred to Missouri in the spring from Arizona State, where he began the 2023 season as a starter before suffering an injury. He started his career at Notre Dame, where he started 10 games in 2022 and threw for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.

That’s a good backup to have on the roster, if he goes ahead and secures the No. 2 spot. He did not go through spring camp with the Tigers, which is a setback, but he is by far the most accomplished QB not named Brady Cook on the roster and available to play.

Last season’s backup, Sam Horn, is likely sidelined for the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring.

JR Blood, the older brother of promising sophomore MU wide receiver Daniel Blood, transferred in as a preferred walk-on from Southern, joining fellow walk-on Brett Brown and freshman recruit Aidan Glover, who is a three-star prospect out of Tennessee and in camp looked more like a long-term project than a serviceable SEC backup as a rookie.

The upside

Cook has two full years of starting experience at the same team under his belt, which not many teams in the league can boast. Indeed, here is who can: Ole Miss (Jaxson Dart); Texas (Quinn Ewers); and Mizzou.

That’s a good recipe for offensive success.

Here’s another couple: Cook has all seven of his top pass-catchers from last season, including the likely future NFL first-rounder Luther Burden III. Mizzou has three starters back from last year’s offensive line and added two top-200 available transfers, SMU’s Marcus Bryant and Oklahoma’s Cayden Green, to plug the remaining gaps.

If you could draw it up, that’s about what it would look like.

One question or concern

Are the Tigers prepared if Cook is forced to spend time on the sideline?

It’s the doomsday scenario, but one worth discussing. In the interest of hypotheticals: The Tribune expects Missouri to turn to Pyne if Cook does spend any time off the field. 

With Horn, Missouri had a player who had at least gone through a season under offensive coordinator Kirby Moore’s scheme. Now, it would be forced to turn to a player without a live snap in a Mizzou jersey.

Pyne has plenty of experience in college football, but it would still be a season-altering change if his number is called.

Needs for team success?

The schedule, talent level and the expanded format of the College Football Playoff all make a meaningful December game very possible for Mizzou.

To get there, Cook has to take the next step. A costly fourth-quarter interception against Georgia, when the Tigers were at midfield, driving and in a one-score contest, may have cost MU a shot at heading to the SEC Championship game. Similarly, some untimely picks against LSU midseason didn’t help as Mizzou suffered its first loss of the year.

The starter has shown he can get it done. You need only look at Missouri’s last quarter of competitive football — a 14-point, Cotton Bowl-clinching 15 minutes against Ohio State in which Cook was picture perfect — to see that he can.

Now, it has to be Texas A&M; or Alabama; or Oklahoma in the regular season.

More: Missouri football preseason preview: What Oklahoma will bring when old foes reunite

More: Three transfers who could help define Missouri football’s success in 2024 season

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3)—You’re seeing several political ads for candidates running for Attorney General of Missouri. One of our viewers wants to know if these guys are taking money from out of state.

We’ll look at them in alphabetical order. Republican Andrew Bailey’s July quarterly campaign report became public on Monday. He’s received $274,000 this quarter. Bailey has numerous donors from Missouri, but he also has donors from New York, Florida, Illinois, and other states. Bailey’s campaign manager says 95 percent of our support comes from inside the state.

Elad Gross is the Democratic candidate for Attorney General. His July quarterly report indicates he raised close to $69,000 this quarter. He also received donations from out of state, including Texas, California, and New Jersey. “Out-of-state money is flowing into Missouri’s race for Attorney General,” Gross says “…over 90% of donations to… my campaign have come from here at home.”

Republican candidate Will Scharf’s July report indicates he took in $530,000 this quarter. He has donors in Virginia, California, and Indiana. Scharf tells me, “We’re proud to be supported by outstanding conservatives here in Missouri and around the country.” Scharf says his campaign does not track the percentage of donations that come from in-state.

Of course, there are Political Action Committees supporting candidates in this and other races. This year, the attorney general’s race includes the Club for Growth Action-Missouri Federal Committee, and the Liberty and Justice PAC.

Returning to the viewer’s question, are these guys taking money from out of state? The answer is yes.

If you have a question for Fact Finders, email us at factfinders@ky3.com

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Copyright 2024 KY3. All rights reserved.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. (KFVS) – The Military Trails of Missouri Passport Program, an initiative aimed at honoring and preserving Missouri’s rich military history, announces a transition as it concludes its last round of site coins.

According to a release from Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial, the program will continue with stamps and completion coins to mark participants’ journeys across these historic sites.

The Veterans Memorial says that the Military Trails of Missouri Passport Program has been instrumental in educating and engaging visitors about the significant role Missouri played in various military conflicts throughout history. Through partnerships with historical sites, museums, and cultural institutions across the state, the program has allowed participants to explore firsthand the legacies of bravery, sacrifice, and resilience that define Missouri’s military heritage.

The decision to transition from site coins to stamps and introduce completion coins reflects the program’s commitment to evolving with the changing needs and preferences of participants.

Stamps will serve as a way for visitors to commemorate their visits to each site, while completion coins will offer a reward for those who complete the entire passport journey.

The last round of site coins will be available for collection while supplies last. Participants are encouraged to visit the program’s website for more information on participating sites. In the Heartland, this includes the National Stars and Stripes Museum and Library in Bloomfield, and Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial in Perryville.

This program is made possible in partnership with several participating locations, including the Battle of Athens State Historic Site, Battle of Lexington State Historic Site, Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial, Museum of Missouri Military History, National WWI Museum and Memorial, The National Stars and Stripes Museum and Library, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, Veterans Memorial Museum, Wentworth Military Academy Museum, and Wilson Creek National Battlefield.

Copyright 2024 KFVS. All rights reserved.