South Carolina has dealt with its fair share of injuries this season, so they can empathize with what the Missouri Tigers are currently facing. The Gamecocks are likely to avoid facing Missouri’s starting quarterback, Brady Cook, this weekend due to a hand/wrist injury he sustained during a game against Alabama a few weeks ago.
Cook missed Missouri’s narrow win over Oklahoma last week and is listed as doubtful on the latest SEC injury report. If Cook is unable to play, **Drew Pyne** will start for the Tigers.
Pyne, who has bounced around several programs during his college career, is no stranger to change. He began his career at Notre Dame, spent a season at Arizona State, and now finds himself at Missouri. In the game against Oklahoma, Pyne went 14-for-27, throwing for 143 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing eight times for 15 yards. However, he was sacked three times during the game.
What makes this matchup even more intriguing is the history between Pyne and South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer.
Before taking the job at South Carolina, Beamer was an assistant coach at Oklahoma and was involved in recruiting Pyne when he was a high school prospect. While Pyne ultimately chose Notre Dame over Oklahoma, Beamer’s familiarity with him could give the Gamecocks an edge when preparing for the backup quarterback.
On the injury front, South Carolina is entering this game relatively healthy, with only a few players ruled out early in the week. The Gamecocks will be without running back Matthew Fuller, offensive lineman Jakai Moore, and defensive tackle Nick Barrett. Moore has yet to play this season due to injury, and it seems unlikely that he will return this year.
However, there is good news for South Carolina, as defensive tackle DeAndre Jules is set to return after missing the last three games. Additionally, **safety DQ Smith** and **left tackle Josiah Thompson** are currently listed as questionable for the game.
The Gamecocks also had a few injury scares during their game against Vanderbilt when key defensive players Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart both left the field briefly. Thankfully, both players returned to finish the game and have not been given any injury designations this week, so they should be ready to play.
