Eli Drinkwitz: Officiating thoughts would 'cost me money,' will keep to self

Officiating across college football has been a hot topic this season. From dubious replay review decisions to some outright objectionable calls, there’s been no shortage of ire.

And while Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz might hold some ill will toward a few decisions that he feels have gone awry and hurt his team, he wasn’t going to expound on them on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday.

In swatting away the question, Drinkwitz directly alluded to his desire to keep his pocketbook whole.

“Um, you know I really don’t have anything to add to that conversation that wouldn’t cost me money. So, I appreciate the question but I don’t think I’m going to comment,” Drinkwitz said.

Drinkwitz, during his time as a head coach, has demonstrated he can be as opinionated as the next coach and has a bit of a strident streak. His Star Wars back-and-forth with then-Florida coach Dan Mullen is a prime example.

But on Wednesday, no matter what he did think, Drinkwitz took the high road — or at least a quiet one.

Missouri is gunning to get its starting quarterback healthy

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook entered the Alabama game with an ankle injury and left it with a hand/wrist problem. Combine both injuries and Cook watched most of the contest from the sideline, cheering on Drew Pyne. Thankfully, the Tigers have a bye week before facing Oklahoma on Nov. 9, giving him an opportunity to rest up.

Even so, Drinkwtiz is being careful with how Cook is brought back. Drinkwitz was asked if Cook would be out for the rest of the season but said the quarterback should be at Wednesday’s practice and should be back at some point.

“Brady has been in here every day, getting treatment,” Drinkwitz said during the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Absolutely expect him back this season. Right now, I have no update that would tell me I don’t expect him for today’s practice.”

When asked which specific injury is nagging Cook at the moment, Drinkwitz says it’s the whole body. Missouri has been through a challenging schedule to this point of the season and seemingly is using the break to fully recover.

“Whole body,” Drinkwitz said. “Mentally, physically. Everything has been beat up for eight weeks of the season. So we’re focused in on trying to treat the whole body and getting getting healthy. Spirit, soul, mind, body. All of it.”