Mizzou QB Brady Cook: 'Tough to Replace' WR Dominic Lovett vs. Wake Forest

Like many teams this time of year, the Missouri Tigers will have to prep for bowl season without multiple standout players that were key contributors throughout the regular season.

"Everybody's down players this time of year," Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

But arguably no player will be missed more than former Mizzou receiver Dominic Lovett, who entered the transfer portal on Nov. 27. Tigers quarterback Brady Cook didn't hesitate to admit that replacing his talent ahead of the Gasparilla Bowl against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Tampa Bay on Friday will be easier said than done.

"Obviously he's a great player," Cook said of Lovett. "Obviously tough to replace a guy like that. But we got dudes and we'll come ready to play and we'll come ready to attack vertically."

Even in a Mizzou offense that was sluggish and lacked explosiveness for most of the season, Lovett still emerged as one of the best receivers in the SEC. Despite having a few performances where he went invisible, Lovett still finished fourth in the conference in receiving yards (846), sixth in receptions (56) and hauled in three touchdowns.

In terms of receiving yardage, the next-closest receiver was Barrett Banister, who had 408 yards during the regular season. This shows how pivotal Lovett's connection with Cook was to the offense.

Lovett ended his Mizzou career in style, as he posted six catches for 130 yards in the win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the regular-season finale.

But now in his absence, the Tigers will rely on the skillful youth of receivers like Luther Burden III and Mekhi Miller.

"We're just gonna have one less really good receiver," Cook said. "But we got guys that can step up. Pretty confident in that."

Mizzou (6-6) and Wake Forest (7-5) kickoff from Tampa on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT.