Missouri announces extension for football coach Eli Drinkwitz following Cotton Bowl win
Two days after a program defining win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Missouri football’s head coach has gotten rewarded.
Missouri athletics has announced a contract extension for Eli Drinkwitz through the 2028 season on Sunday.
This rewards Drinkwitz for his breakthrough 2023 season where MU finished 11-2 and with a top-10 ranking in the nation.
“With Coach Drinkwitz’s innovative leadership, MizzouFootball has taken major steps to become a championship contender on college football’s national stage,” Reed-Francois said in a written statement. “Coach Drinkwitz and his staff have done a tremendous job in this modern era of intercollegiate athletics. Continuity is important in implementing a championship culture, maximizing student-athlete potential and recruiting future Tigers. Our program is positioned to continue our momentum into the future. I want to thank our fans and our entire state for the powerful support they’ve shown our team during this magical season and cannot wait to see them back at Faurot in 2024.”
This year, Drinkwitz was honored as one of the best in the nation.
He was one of five finalists for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. Drinkwitz also finished third in voting for the Associated Press’ national coach of the year award.
Drinkwitz was named the SEC Coach of the Year by SEC coaches and the Associated Press.
Not only did Drinkwitz have a breakthrough season, he set himself up for the future, too.
The Tigers signed a Top-25 recruiting class in December for the third time in the last four years. This included signing five-star defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri from Lee’s Summit, the top-ranked player in the state.
In November 2022, Drinkwitz signed a contract extension that was a sign of MU’s confidence in him.
That confidence paid off in dividends this fall.
“My family and I want to thank the Board of Curators, President Mun Choi and Desireé Reed-Francois for their faith in me as the head coach," Drinkwitz said in a written statement. "You can't do this alone, and our players, coaches and staff have worked tirelessly and believed in the process of building a championship program. The passion of our fan base, alumni and donors is awesome, and we are proud to represent them. We are extremely grateful for the resources they provide and the continued investment from our administration in Mizzou Football. All of it has allowed us to get to where we are. Why stop now!”
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri announces extension for football coach Eli Drinkwitz
