Eliah Drinkwitz Named Finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award

Mizzou football coach named one of 12 finalists by the Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Sugar Bowl.

In the history of Mizzou football, here's the entire list of national coach of the year award winners: Warren Powers, 1978, from the Walter Camp Foundation. That's it, even though there are numerous national coach of the year honors. 

Some of the others include those by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Bobby Dodd Award, George Munger Award, Home Depot Coach of the Year Award and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.

However, on Tuesday, Eliah Drinkwitz, who has already been named the SEC Coach of the Year by the AP, was named a finalist for one of the most prestigious, the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. Presented by the Football Writers Association of America, in association with the Sugar Bowl, the award dates back to 1957. The winner will be announced Dec. 20. 

Per the FWAA, here's a closer look at the finalists:

David Braun, Northwestern: Braun is a first-time finalist after leading the Wildcats to seven wins, a plus-six improvement from last season that is the largest such mark in the FBS this season. Northwestern’s 5-4 mark in Big Ten play is its most wins by a first-year head coach in program history. The seven wins so far tie Coastal Carolina’s Tim Beck for the most by a first-year head coach in the FBS this season. Northwestern closed the regular season with a 45-43 win over Illinois to extend a now-three-game win streak, its longest since 2020. The Wildcats have had two previous Eddie Robinson Award winners in Gary Barnett (1995) and Alex Agase (1970).

Jamey Chadwell, Liberty: Chadwell has once again caught attention guiding an underdog into national acclaim, this time guiding No. 22 Liberty to its first-ever FBS conference title with a 49-35 win and the 2023 CUSA Championship. Liberty is on a school-record win streak at 13-0 and has the FBS’ top rushing game (302.9 ypg) as part of its FBS third-best total offense attack at 514.9 ypg. It fell 18 yards short of setting a school record with 712 total yards in the CUSA Championship Game. Chadwell was the 2020 Eddie Robinson Award winner during Coastal Carolina’s underdog run to the Sun Belt championship that season and is Liberty’s first FWAA finalist for a postseason coaching award.

Kalen DeBoer, Washington: DeBoer is a first-time finalist after guiding the Huskies to the College Football Playoff with an undefeated 13-0 record with one of the nation’s most dynamic players, Michael Penix Jr., at the helm of the offense. The 13 wins are a school record for a single season and make UW the first Pac-12 team since USC in 2004 to start a season 13-0. The Huskies have won 20 straight games dating to last season, now the FBS’ longest active win streak. The win streak is UW’s longest since winning 22 straight from 1990-92. Washington has a previous Eddie Robinson Award winner in Don James (1991) and a previous finalist in Chris Petersen (2016).

Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri: This is the second finalist nod for Drinkwitz, who earned his previous nomination in 2019 while at App State. Drinkwitz has Missouri at 10-2 heading into the postseason, only the sixth time for the Tigers to achieve 10 wins during the regular season. Seven of Missouri’s wins have been by double-digit margins. The Tigers had their best scoring output since 2020 in their most recent game, a 48-14 win over Arkansas two weeks ago. Missouri, runner-up to Georgia in the SEC East, has yet to trail at the half this season. The Tigers have never had an Eddie Robinson Award winner but have previous finalists in Gary Pinkel (2013 and '07) and Larry Smith (1998).

Jedd Fisch, Arizona: Fisch is a first-time finalist and has Arizona (9-3) riding a six-game win streak for the first time since 1998. Placing third in one of the Pac-12’s most competitive season ever, the Wildcats’ nine wins thus far are their most since going 10-4 in 2014. This is only the seventh time in program history for Arizona to win nine or more games in a season. Fisch and Arizona have been especially strong on the road where they have won four Pac-12 games away from home for the first time since 1998. Void of a winner in its past, Arizona’s only other Eddie Robinson Award finalist was Dick Tomey in 1998.

Rhett Lashlee, SMU: Lashlee is a first-time finalist and the coach of one of the country’s hottest teams. SMU has been dominant all season long on both sides of the ball and is among the FBS' top 20 in numerous categories after winning its first outright conference championship in 41 years. The Mustangs’ 528 points scored and 40.6 points per game are the second-highest in program history. SMU has scored at least 55 points four times this season, the most in program history for a single season, and posting an average margin of victory of 28.9 points (45.9-17.0) in AAC play, the season's largest margin for any team in conference play. SMU's only other Eddie Robinson Award finalist was Sonny Dykes in 2019.

Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio): Martin is a first-time finalist and the first coach at Miami (Ohio) to be an Eddie Robinson Award finalist after guiding the RedHawks (11-2) to the MAC title with an upset of once-beaten Toledo in the championship game. It’s Miami’s first MAC title since 2019 and 17th overall. Most recently the RedHawks beat No. 23 Toledo 23-14 for the conference title, ending Toledo’s 11-game win streak and defeating an AP-ranked team for the first time since 2012.

Mike Norvell, Florida State: A second-time finalist for the award, Norvell led the Seminoles through a 13-0 season to an ACC championship, yet were not selected for the College Football Playoff. The 13-win season is the third in school history. FSU has now won 16 ACC titles since joining the conference in 1992. The 'Noles enter the Capital One Orange Bowl on a 19-game win streak. Norvell was previously a finalist in 2019 at Memphis and is just the fourth Eddie Robinson Award finalist from Florida State. No FSU coach has been named the FWAA National Coach of the Year. Jimbo Fisher was a two-time finalist in 2013 and '14 and the late Bobby Bowden was a 1997 finalist.

Barry Odom, UNLV: The first-year coach has breathed new life into UNLV, earning a spot in the Mountain West Conference title game and entering the posteason with a 9-4 record. The Rebels have won nine games for the first time since 1984 and for just the sixth time in school history. After losing to Michigan, UNLV surged winning eight of nine games with only a seven-point loss at Fresno State. The Rebels are second in the nation with 37 rushing touchdowns. Odom is the school's first Eddie Robinson Award finalist.

Nick Saban Alabama: The most decorated coach among the finalists, Saban is an nine-time award finalist overall, an eight-time finalist at Alabama and two-time winner (2003 LSU, 2008 Alabama). His Crimson Tide (12-1) overcame an early-season home loss to Texas and regrouped to win the SEC West before ending Georgia's SEC-record 29-game winning streak in the SEC Championship Game and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. The SEC title is the Tide's 30th overall and ninth under Saban, who is in his 17th year in Tuscaloosa. Alabama's Playoff appearance will be its eighth in the format's 10-year history.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas: In guiding the Longhorns to the Big 12 title in their final season in the league, Sarkisian has earned his first finalist nod for the award. Texas will make its first appearance in the College Football Playoff with a 12-1 record having won the Big 12 title for the first time since 2009, also the last time they won 12 games in a season. The Longhorns powered through a midseason injury to starting quarterback Quinn Ewers to finish the regular season with six straight wins. Texas outscored opponents 470-228. Only Darrell Royal has won this award as a Texas coach, in 1961 and '63. Sarkisian joins Mack Brown as Texas' only other finalist. Brown was a three-time finalist in 2005, '08 and '09.

Jon Sumrall, Troy: Sumrall is a second-time finalist as the lone returning finalist from a year ago. The Trojans (11-2) are fresh off the school’s record eighth Sun Belt Conference title after defeating App State, 49-23. The win was Troy’s 10th in a row, marking a second straight season winning 10 straight games. Troy has outscored its opponents 303-101 over its past nine games. Troy will face Duke in the 76 Birmingham Bowl as the first-ever Sun Belt program to play a bowl game against a team from a Power Five conference.

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