Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz Named SEC Coach of the Year

Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz won the prestigious SEC Coach of the Year award after receiving the most votes by the league's head coaches.

Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz won the prestigious SEC Coach of the Year award on Wednesday after receiving the most votes by the league's head coaches.

There haven't been many other teams this season that have shocked the college football world more than the Missouri Tigers. Drinkwitz pulled the strings to the Tigers' best season since 2014, and their 10-2 record helped them gain the No. 9 spot in the AP, Coaches Polls and College Football Playoff rankings.

Missouri will be facing No. 7 Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic later in the month, but before the season kicked off, the Tigers weren't even expected to finish in the top half of the SEC.

Drinkwitz has helped boost several of his players' NFL Draft stock, as the All-SEC Coaches First Team included five Tigers on it. Additionally multiple players are up for/have already won individual awards, including quarterback Brady Cook, who was named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, and running back Cody Schrader, who won the Burlsworth Trophy.

Nevertheless, the honors may keep pouring in for Drinkwitz, as he's already been named the SEC Coach of the Year by the AP, and is also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award. 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.

2023 SEC Honorees

Offensive Player of the Year - Jayden Daniels - LSU

Defensive Player of the Year - Dallas Turner - Alabama

Special Teams Player of the Year - Will Reichard - Alabama

Freshman of the Year - Caleb Downs - Alabama

Scholar Athletes of the Year - Brady Cook - Missouri

Jacobs Blocking Trophy - Sedrick Van Pran - Georgia

Coach of the Year - Eli Drinkwitz - Missouri

Five Missouri Tigers Named to All-SEC Coaches First Team