Missouri and Eli Drinkwitz have agreed to a six-year contract that will push the football coach’s average compensation to $10.75 million annually and likely end any speculation that he could leave for one of the high-profile job openings elsewhere.
The new contract was announced Thursday, one day after the University of Missouri Board of Curators held a meeting in which they voted unanimously to approve the deal. It would keep Drinkwitz leading the Tigers through the 2031 season.
“My family and I believe deeply in the vision and leadership from our administration and are incredibly happy to continue calling Columbia our home,” Drinkwitz said. “I’m grateful for the unwavering support of President Mun Choi, the Board of Curators, led by chair Todd Graves and incoming vice chair Bob Blitz, along with our athletics director, Laird Veatch.
“We’re also incredibly thankful for the support of our generous donors and NIL partners,” Drinkwitz added in a statement released by the school. “I’m committed to continuing our work to build Mizzou into a championship program.”
Drinkwitz was hired by Missouri in December 2019 after a single season at Appalachian State, where he went 12-1 and finished the year ranked in the top 20. The Tigers had fallen on hard times, but Drinkwitz steadily built them into a contender in the Southeastern Conference, reaching a bowl game in each of his first five seasons with a record of 45–28 heading into Saturday’s game against Arkansas.
That success, which included an 11-2 record and Cotton Bowl victory two years ago, made Drinkwitz a hot commodity on the coaching carousel. Missouri has acted aggressively to keep him, and the deal given to him this week is the second in the last four months.
Missouri officials were no doubt worried about losing Drinkwitz amid a hot coaching market. SEC rivals LSU, Florida, Arkansas and Auburn have openings, while power programs such as Penn State, UCLA and Stanford also are looking for new coaches.
“Under his vision and leadership, Coach Drinkwitz has transformed the standard for Mizzou football and united our entire program and fan base behind a clear pursuit of excellence,” Veatch said. “We’re thrilled he will continue leading our team into the future.”
Missouri has invested heavily in its football program, building a robust NIL program and undertaking massive renovations to Memorial Stadium. That includes a $250 million rebuild of the north end zone that is expected to be completed for the 2026 season.
The Tigers have sold out 20 consecutive home games, breaking the school record set in 1978.
“It’s critically important that we continue providing Coach Drinkwitz with the resources necessary to build and develop championship rosters in the Southeastern Conference,” Veatch said. “This new contract reflects our commitment to further strengthening and enhancing those resources. Our will to win is clear. We’re fully aligned behind Coach Drinkwitz and eager to keep building with him as he leads this program forward in the pursuit of championships.”
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By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
