Mizzou offense shines again as impressive numbers keep growing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brady Cook didn’t need to be told the last team to intercept one of his passes was Vanderbilt.

When he read on Twitter before Saturday’s football game that he had a chance to break an SEC record for most consecutive passes without throwing a pick, you can bet it prompted a flashback.

After setting the record in Missouri’s 38-21 win over the Commodores, Cook admitted that moment from 2022 is etched in his memory.

“I remember it very clearly,” he said. “I was rolling out to the right on a little zone read play. I was between throwing the ball away and giving Cody Schrader a chance, it was just an awful, bad interception.”

Cook completed 33 of 41 passes for a career-high 395 yards and four touchdowns at FirstBank Stadium and stretched his run of passes without an interception to 347 as the No. 23 Tigers improved to 5-0 by winning their conference opener.

His receivers played a significant role as Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. both went over 100 yards with the help of well-placed passes and explosiveness for yards after their catches.

Cook recorded the third consecutive 300-yard passing game of his career – the only three – and improved his passing efficiency, which ranked 10th in the country before the game.

“I think I’m becoming a lot more confident,” Cook said. “I know the receivers are and the offensive line is. The offense as a whole is confident, and if we get over that hump of getting stopped halfway through the game and make the next leap to put games away, we’ll be in a really good spot.”

Mizzou had to keep pushing in the fourth quarter when Vanderbilt fought back with a pair of touchdowns. Cook and the receivers responded.

Burden had 11 catches and 140 yards along with touchdowns of 18 and 17 yards, and Wease had 10 catches for 118 yards and a 12-yard TD. Mizzou receivers were credited with adding 129 yards after catches.

Cook’s last three games have resulted in 1,092 passing yards. Burden has three straight 100-yard games. But coach Eli Drinkwitz brushed aside talk of them needing to receive more wide recognition for performances.

“Our locker room doesn’t care,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s all about going out and proving it on the…