Missouri Tigers Sign Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz To Contract Extension

The Missouri Tigers and head coach Eliah Drinkwitz have agreed to a contract extension ahead of the matchup vs. the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Missouri Tigers have been on a hot streak in recent weeks, winning two consecutive SEC games over Vanderbilt and South Carolina. 

Not only that, but the program has seemingly been on an upward trajectory throughout the entire season, with the Tigers nearly upsetting the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs, and falling just short of a third SEC win against Auburn.

And now head coach Eliah Drinkwitz is reaping the rewards, after agreeing to a 2-year contract extension ahead of the Tigers' matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday. 

The extension will keep Drinkwitz in Columbia through the 2025 season.

“My family and I want to thank the Board of Curators, President Choi, and AD Reed-Francois for their faith in me as a coach and leader,” Drinkwitz said. “You can’t do this alone, and our players, coaches and staff have worked their tails off and stuck with the process as we’ve built this program. We feel strongly about our trajectory and are proud to represent our state’s flagship institution. We are grateful for the investment in our program from the administration and excited about the future of Mizzou Football!"

The news comes just days after the announcement of an extension for defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who has helped the Tigers put one of the top defenses in the SEC on the field in 2022. 

"Coach Drinkwitz and his staff have created great momentum in our football program." University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “You can feel the excitement and you see it in the fans as they have turned out in great numbers at Faurot Field. Coach Drinkwitz’s program is a key part of the results-driven, championship culture that AD Reed-Francois is building to help support our student-athletes. Like so many of our fans, I am excited to see what the future holds for Mizzou Football."

In three seasons with the Tigers, Drinkwitz has accumulated a 15-16 record (10-13 SEC), and has led the Tigers to two-straight bowl games. In Columbia, Drinkwitz has won more than 70 percent of his games. 

The Tigers have also put together back-to-back top-25 recruiting classes under his leadership.

“We are appreciative of the support from our Board of Curators and President as we continue to build a championship-level program,” Reed-Francois said. “Our football team is on the right trajectory, and we are seeing results in recruiting and on the field. Coach Drinkwitz is a dynamic leader who brings people together and we believe in our football staff's combined commitment to excellence in the classroom and in the community. We are looking forward to him continuing to lead our program into the future.”

The Tigers and Wildcats are set to kick off at 11am CT at Farout Field at Memorial Stadium. 

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