NASHVILLE, TN – Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz said he didn’t have too much familiarity with his Missouri counterpart Eli Drinkwitz. The pair are 28 years apart in age, hail from different regions of the country, and compete in different conferences. The 2024 Music City Bowl will mark just the second time the two programs have met since 1910.
Nevertheless, the duo are united in a more conservative view of college football, where continuity has to be valued in an age of constant player movement. As for non-playoff bowl games like the Music City Bowl, the pair make no mistake that while it’s undoubtedly an exhibition, the contest maintains importance. The two programs have a combined four players opting out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft.
“There has to be a foundation of trust and respect to build a brotherhood, so that guys will go out there and compete and finish,” Drinkwitz said in his press conference on Sunday.
Drinkwitz opened his remarks with a ringing endorsement of Ferentz, calling the Hawkeye head coach “the gold standard of college football.” He said they both understand the allure of professional futures, but added that one more game of college football should be seen as an opportunity and not a burden.
“I was talking to Coach Ferentz last night, when you look across college football, I think our two programs have done a really good job,” Drinkwitz said. “The rest of these senior classes are going to play, and they want to play together for the brotherhood.”
For the Hawkeyes, these include defensive backs Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte, linebackers Nick Jackson, Jay Higgins, among others. For the Tigers, then-junior and NFL prospect Kris Abrams-Draine started last season’s bowl matchup against Ohio State. In 2024, defensive end Johnny Walker Jr., defensive tackle Kristian Williams, and quarterback Brady Cook continued the trend.
“The good of the [bowl] game is the chance to be together, compete together, and go through the work leading up to competition,” Ferentz said. “If you don’t like that part of football, you’re probably in the wrong sport.”
Ferentz explained how unlike baseball and basketball, where games are greater in number and frequency, football requires more practice than competition.
“The nature of being part of a team, all those types of things,” Ferentz continued. “Talk to any former player … that’s what you miss when you’re done playing.”
Drinkwitz explained that his program has two goals: to develop players and win championships. However, these goals may come into conflict with the transfer portal offering immediate eligibility and instant roster upgrades. The Tigers have already made plans for Cook’s departure, acquiring Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula in the transfer portal, beating out the Hawkeyes as potential suitors.
When asked about Pribula, Drinkwitz declined to comment, preferring to focus on the game at hand and the players on the field – especially Cook, who has spent five seasons with the Tigers and has sights set on an NFL future.
“What a wonderful example of sticking to it, right?” Drinkwitz said. “Fighting through adversity, ignoring the outside noise, and just focusing on getting better as a young man who from day one wanted to be here.”
Cook started 35 straight games for the Tigers before suffering a right wrist injury against Alabama on Oct. 26. After sitting out the following contest, X-rays still showed damage in his throwing hand, Drinkwitz said. The team said it was Cook’s call if he wanted to play the rest of the season and the quarterback answered with three starts, 673 passing yards, and two consecutive victories to close out a 9-win season.
“That’s rare these days, and for him to be out there this week with such a bright future ahead of him, he wouldn’t miss it,” Drinkwitz said. “Because it means something to play for his teammates. It means something to put that Missouri Tiger uniform on. That’s the college football we know and love and believe in and are excited about.”
Drinkwitz was quick to clarify that Cook has benefitted from the new era of college football. The coach said his starting quarterback “drives a really nice Ford Bronco” and his fair share of NIL money. Nevertheless, Cook is profiting in “the right way,” where loyalty and commitment will eventually pay off.
Likening college football to the journey of a country music writer trying to make a name for themselves in the Music City – talent is just the start of a player’s evolution from backup to star.
“You gotta keep pressing forward. And so I hope that our players will continue to embrace that and learn from it and understand that just because you’re not where you want to be right now doesn’t mean that door is closed. It just means you’ve got to keep knocking.”