You can let your worst fears go.

Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz, during the SEC Football Coaches Teleconference on Wednesday, said he expects starting quarterback Brady Cook to return from injury and play again this season. That doesn't mean, however, that the coach is providing any updates for the Tigers' next matchup, which comes against Oklahoma next Saturday.

"Brady's been in here every day," Drinkwitz said. "He's getting treatment and absolutely expect him back this season. And right now I have no update that would tell me I don't expect him for today's practice."

Added Drinkwitz: "SEC protocols have an injury report that's released on Wednesday evening, and I look forward to filling that out and giving everybody the information then. But (I) don't plan on updating any injury information which would be a competitive advantage to another team until then."

Cook left the Tigers’ loss at Alabama in the second quarter with what appears to be an injury to his throwing hand. He left the field and went to the locker room on the Alabama side of the field and had an X-ray, but the team was waiting for further tests to be done before disclosing any additional information.

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It was the second injury Cook had sustained in as many games, as a high-ankle sprain that caused him to leave MU’s game and get an MRI at a nearby hospital — before making an unlikely return to lead an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback — put his status for the ’Bama matchup into question all the way until kickoff.

Entering the final third of the season, what's the primary concern with Cook's health?

All of the above ... and then some.

"Whole body," Drinkwitz said. "Mentally, physically — everything's just been beat up for the eight weeks of the season. So, we're focused in on trying to treat the whole body and getting healthy. Spirit, soul, mind, body — all of it."

Mizzou has 10 days until it returns to the field, as it is currently undergoing its second idle week of the season and does not play until hosting Oklahoma on Saturday, Nov. 9 on Faurot Field.

Missouri’s offense struggled with backup Drew Pyne in the game against both Alabama and Auburn, as the first-year transfer went 16-of-33 for 120 yards and three interceptions while leading no touchdown drives over the course of the two games.

The Tigers are currently 6-2 on the season with a 2-2 mark in SEC play. With four games left on the calendar, all against conference opposition, that puts records from 10-2 to 6-6 on the table.

The soonest Missouri is required to give Cook an availability status is next Wednesday, Nov. 6, when SEC availability reports are required from all member organizations in the week leading up to a conference matchup. The possible designations, from most likely to play to least likely, are: available; probable; questionable; doubtful; out.

Missouri’s reports will be released at approximately 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and then a final report will be submitted 90 minutes before the Tigers are scheduled to kick off against the Sooners.

Talking to Frank Cusamano of KSDK News on Sunday, Cook said, “We’ve looked at it, and all I can say right now is we’re gonna keep figuring out a good plan and the bye week’s gonna be really important. But, outside of that, let’s just get through the bye week, let's rest it, let’s get healthy and get ready to push through.”

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Eli Drinkwitz updates Missouri football QB Brady Cook injury status