Show-Me State talent drives the success of Mizzou football

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

You couldn't have written it any better if you tried.

Two football players from the heart of St. Louis, who grew up watching their hometown team, have now helped revitalize that same team.

After a couple of years of finishing the season at or below the .500 mark, Mizzou football stormed back onto the scene in a big way in 2023. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company finished the year with 11 wins, including a Cotton Bowl victory against one of the blue bloods of the game.

At the heart of all of that success was two kids from the St. Louis area: quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden.

"No one's going to be talking about the Cotton Bowl versus Ohio State anymore," Cook said.

You heard QB1. The page has turned. No one on this Tiger football team will be talking about the triumphs of the 2023 season anymore. The page has turned to 2024, which is a season that feels like the pinnacle of the vital role Cook and Burden have played in bringing this team back into the fight.

The St. Louis duo is entering their third and final season playing in the black and gold together and their contributions on the field speak for themselves. In 2024, Cook emerged as Mr. Reliable for Coach Drinkwitz, as he tallied a career-best 3,317 passing yards, completing 244 passes for a career-high eight touchdowns. One of his go-to targets was Burden, who led MU in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions during his sophomore campaign.

However, their role in the success of Tiger football reaches far beyond the box score. In fact, it simply lies in their roots.

“Me and Luther don’t even need to say it to each other," Cook said. "We know the impact we’re making on St. Louis and the fanbase and recruiting and the future Mizzou teams to come.” 

The impact of Burden's commitment to the Tigers in 2021 cannot be understated.

“His decision to come to the University of Missouri made it okay for all these other great recruits to do it, too," Drinkwitz said.

Burden came to Mizzou as the third-ever consensus five-star recruit to sign with the program. He was listed near the top of every national ranking and even given the nod as the best receiver in the class. Needless to say, he could have gone anywhere. However, he chose to stay home.

"That was my goal coming here, you know, to change the program and I’m still trying to do that," he said.

There had always been a connection between St. Louis and Faurot Field. For years, players from the Gateway City have made their way to Columbia to play for the Tigers. But, a player like Burden committing opened the flood gates.

Suddenly, Mizzou built on that commitment and had the option of not just getting top players from the St. Louis area, but getting the right players from the St. Louis area.

"It shocked the world that [Luther] wanted to say home," cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. said. "Everybody thought he was a fool for it, but now look at him."

More than 15 guys on the roster for the No. 11 Mizzou football team hail from St. Louis, including some of the team's biggest impact players. Tight end Brett Norfleet, wide receiver Mookie Cooper, safety Marvin Burks Jr. and so many others chose to represent their hometown team.

Burden and Cook's play has even inspired other players to return home. Pride Jr. originally chose to play at Clemson out of high school. However, after watching what the team comprised of Show-Me-State talent did in 2023, he decided to come home.

"They got a lot of moment," Pride Jr. said. "Coach Drink has got a lot of good things coming. He's on the right track and I just wanted to be a part of it."

Drinkwitz's recruiting success in St. Louis has also bled into other areas, though. He's recruited the Kansas City area really well, with talents like offensive linemen Cayden Green and Armand Membou and wide receiver Mekhi Miller all deciding to become a Tiger. He's also dipped into the rural communities, as well, picking up a commitment from four-star edge Daeden Hopkins, who hails from Hermann, Missouri.

From the Gateway Arch to Union Station in Kansas City, if you're a high-level football player, playing at home is becoming popular option.

"It gets everybody excited," Cook said. "Whether we go home or I go home, you know, fans are just excited because they have people to root for."

Locking down the borders all started with one goal when Coach Drink arrived on campus, ahead of the 2020 season.

"We were adamant and are still adamant about recruiting the local areas as hard as we possibly can," Drinkwitz said. 'We probably over-extended ourselves."

But in 2024, that goal has evolved.

"It's to the point now where we're recruiting the right players."

To watch the full story on Mizzou's connection to St. Louis, tune into a special edition of ABC 17 News at 6:30. Our ABC 17 Sports team will bringing you live coverage from Faurot Field in our third-annual Thursday Night Kickoff at the Zou special.