Since we have had some debate about the performance of the QB, I wanted to call out both good and bad from what can be seen in the game, not including the running game unless it was Cook keeping it.
Good Plays:
Quarter 1 -
1:20 - Cook keeps the ball for a run showing off some speed for a first down.
0:46 - Cook finds a wide open Bannister and throws a slightly high pass for a first down.
Quarter 2:
2:00 cook rushes for 10 yards on 3rd and 12, doesn't get the first down but made about the only play available.
0:17 Cook finds Dove with an on time and on target pass for a first down. Gained around 20 yards.
0:12 Cook finds Dove again for 15 more yards. Pass is a bit high but Dove makes a good catch.
Quarter 3:
15:00 Cook scrambles on 2nd and 6 for near a first down, went out of bounds too early even though he had room but made the right play.
9:30 Cook shows amazing pocket presence, hits Stephens over the middle who is wide open despite pressure in his face.
6:30 Cook makes the correct read and checks the ball down to Peat for the first down when primary target was initially covered. There was a big play down the field that was open however.
4:30 Cook evades unblocked defensive player, turns and throws a great ball to Lovett on the run.
0:45 Cook escapes a collapsing pocket to rush 20 yards for the TD.
Bad Plays:
I'm going to skip the opening to throws. They weren't good and probably could've been picked but no one did their job on them.
Quarter 1 -
3:30 - Cook stares down Burden and throws a deep ball that is knocked down. Lovett is open on the play.
0:59 - Cook stares down Burden who is open, underthrows a wobbly ball that's knocked down.
0:51 - Cook makes no reads, throws the ball to Dove who is well covered prior to the pass and it is knocked down.
Quarter 2 -
11:45 - Cook stares down Burden, throws the ball late and Burden luckily catches it and breaks the tackle. Dove was wide open in the middle of the field. It was a first down, but only because of Burden. Should have been picked.
5:53 - Cook immediately throws the ball to Burden who is open but the ball is off target making it difficult to catch. Would've required a one handed catch because it was thrown a bit far.
Quarter 3:
5:44 - Cook doesn't make a read. Ball is to Peat out of the backfield. Cook throws early but the target is covered. Should have been picked.
3:24 - Cook throws the ball slightly ahead of Burden with a bit too much on it causing burden to hit it up into the air. This one is also on Burden who should be able to catch a ball like that but neither play executed correctly. Pass was intercepted.
Quarter 4:
13:42 - Cook throws a ball very high to a wide open Lovett in the middle of the field. debated where to put this, but had Lovett not made a great catch and wasn't wide open this would not have ended well.
I believe I got everything included in here. There were other short tosses to the receivers but mostly things in the backfield or really short passes.
Looking at this and watching the game again, a couple of things stuck out to me. Cook stares at the primary target on nearly every play and often throws to them whether or not they are open.
Cooks passes to the sidelines are very dangerous. He throws the ball late and often with nowhere near enough velocity to get it there. Drink is playing with fire doing this.
Cook mostly does well throwing on the run, escaping the pocket, and having a good pocket presence. He doesn't get happy feet and took the hit a few times to get the job done.
He obviously is an asset running and it appears he knows when to run and when not to. I don't believe he was ever tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the game.
He made a few really good check down plays and missed a couple but I think he was better than not.
I'm not sure he has the strength to hit the deep ball against SEC opponents. It's also hard to tell if it's arm strength, timing or ball placement or any combination of the 3 but it didn't look good and after a few tries Drink basically gave up on it.
All that said, he did some good things and some bad things. Needs to get better passing the ball and making reads. We can't have staredowns against p5 talent.
I think some of the miscues in the passing game are going to get better but some of the tendencies are concerning.
There, I think that's a pretty fair and objective tale of the tape. We will know more next weekend. He did a great job running the ball, I'd call it a below average passing game.
Good Plays:
Quarter 1 -
1:20 - Cook keeps the ball for a run showing off some speed for a first down.
0:46 - Cook finds a wide open Bannister and throws a slightly high pass for a first down.
Quarter 2:
2:00 cook rushes for 10 yards on 3rd and 12, doesn't get the first down but made about the only play available.
0:17 Cook finds Dove with an on time and on target pass for a first down. Gained around 20 yards.
0:12 Cook finds Dove again for 15 more yards. Pass is a bit high but Dove makes a good catch.
Quarter 3:
15:00 Cook scrambles on 2nd and 6 for near a first down, went out of bounds too early even though he had room but made the right play.
9:30 Cook shows amazing pocket presence, hits Stephens over the middle who is wide open despite pressure in his face.
6:30 Cook makes the correct read and checks the ball down to Peat for the first down when primary target was initially covered. There was a big play down the field that was open however.
4:30 Cook evades unblocked defensive player, turns and throws a great ball to Lovett on the run.
0:45 Cook escapes a collapsing pocket to rush 20 yards for the TD.
Bad Plays:
I'm going to skip the opening to throws. They weren't good and probably could've been picked but no one did their job on them.
Quarter 1 -
3:30 - Cook stares down Burden and throws a deep ball that is knocked down. Lovett is open on the play.
0:59 - Cook stares down Burden who is open, underthrows a wobbly ball that's knocked down.
0:51 - Cook makes no reads, throws the ball to Dove who is well covered prior to the pass and it is knocked down.
Quarter 2 -
11:45 - Cook stares down Burden, throws the ball late and Burden luckily catches it and breaks the tackle. Dove was wide open in the middle of the field. It was a first down, but only because of Burden. Should have been picked.
5:53 - Cook immediately throws the ball to Burden who is open but the ball is off target making it difficult to catch. Would've required a one handed catch because it was thrown a bit far.
Quarter 3:
5:44 - Cook doesn't make a read. Ball is to Peat out of the backfield. Cook throws early but the target is covered. Should have been picked.
3:24 - Cook throws the ball slightly ahead of Burden with a bit too much on it causing burden to hit it up into the air. This one is also on Burden who should be able to catch a ball like that but neither play executed correctly. Pass was intercepted.
Quarter 4:
13:42 - Cook throws a ball very high to a wide open Lovett in the middle of the field. debated where to put this, but had Lovett not made a great catch and wasn't wide open this would not have ended well.
I believe I got everything included in here. There were other short tosses to the receivers but mostly things in the backfield or really short passes.
Looking at this and watching the game again, a couple of things stuck out to me. Cook stares at the primary target on nearly every play and often throws to them whether or not they are open.
Cooks passes to the sidelines are very dangerous. He throws the ball late and often with nowhere near enough velocity to get it there. Drink is playing with fire doing this.
Cook mostly does well throwing on the run, escaping the pocket, and having a good pocket presence. He doesn't get happy feet and took the hit a few times to get the job done.
He obviously is an asset running and it appears he knows when to run and when not to. I don't believe he was ever tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the game.
He made a few really good check down plays and missed a couple but I think he was better than not.
I'm not sure he has the strength to hit the deep ball against SEC opponents. It's also hard to tell if it's arm strength, timing or ball placement or any combination of the 3 but it didn't look good and after a few tries Drink basically gave up on it.
All that said, he did some good things and some bad things. Needs to get better passing the ball and making reads. We can't have staredowns against p5 talent.
I think some of the miscues in the passing game are going to get better but some of the tendencies are concerning.
There, I think that's a pretty fair and objective tale of the tape. We will know more next weekend. He did a great job running the ball, I'd call it a below average passing game.
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