Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz has agreed to a contract extension and raise, the university announced on Thursday. Drinkwitz has agreed to a new six-year deal with an average annual compensation of $10.75 million. It will run through the 2031 season.
This comes after Drinkwitz’s name appeared on numerous hot boards and was tied to job openings across the country. Some openings he’s been tied to have been filled, but other big-name programs are still hunting for their next coach. It seems like it won’t be Drinkwitz, though.
“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 in a statement. “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. I’m committed to continuing our work to build Mizzou into a championship program.”
Drink Inked ✍️@CoachDrinkwitz has signed a contract extension through the 2031 @MizzouFootball season!
🔗: https://t.co/bfhpewykQw#MIZ 🐯 | #WillToWin pic.twitter.com/JNXxIKdsMh
— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) November 27, 2025
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Drinkwitz coached one season as the head man at App State in 2019, going 12-1 (8-1 Sun Belt). He was promptly hired at Missouri, but was forced to begin his tenure with a 10-game SEC slate due to COVID-19. He finished 5-5 that season, but lost to Jeremy Pruitt’s Tennessee team that finished 3-7.
In 2021, he posted a 6-7 record with a loss in the Armed Forces Bowl. As a member of the SEC East, he hosted Josh Heupel’s first Tennessee team, but lost 62-24. In 2022, his team finished 6-7 again, losing in the Gasparilla Bowl. That year, his team lost 66-24 in Neyland Stadium.
2023 saw him take a significant step. His team finished 11-2 with a win in the Cotton Bowl. He got his revenge on Heupel and the Vols, though, defeating a 9-4 Tennessee team at home and awkwardly telling Heupel that ‘We’re standing on business, Josh’ before quickly retreating from the handshake.
In 2024, his team went 10-3 with a Music City Bowl victory. This year, Missouri sits at 7-4 (3-4 SEC) with just a trip to play last-place Arkansas to round out the regular season.
