My Coaching contract with the Mizzous will End soonest and I’m glad I made an impact in…

Eli Drinkwitz, the head coach of the Missouri Tigers, experienced a remarkable transition from being in the hot seat to becoming a successful coach. In his fourth season in Columbia, Missouri, during the fall and winter of the past year, Drinkwitz led the Tigers to an impressive 10-2 regular season record, culminating in a victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.

Before the 2023 season, Drinkwitz had a relatively modest record of 17-19 in his first three years as head coach, taking over from the previously dismissed Barry Odom. The unexpected 10-win season by the Tigers in 2023 took many by surprise.

Under the leadership of quarterback Brady Cook and running back Cody Shrader, a transfer from Division II, the Tigers exceeded expectations and emerged as one of the top teams in the SEC. They finished second in the SEC East, trailing only the Georgia Bulldogs.

Remarkably, Drinkwitz’s Tigers only suffered defeats against the aforementioned Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers throughout the season.

As for Eli Drinkwitz’s contract at Missouri, he received a contract extension and a salary increase on December 31st of the previous season. The new contract will pay him a total of $46 million until 2028, with an initial salary of $9 million in 2024.

Prior to the extension, Drinkwitz was earning the 12th highest salary among SEC coaches, with an annual income of $6 million, according to The Tennessean. With the new deal, he is projected to earn a salary that places him in the middle of the pack among conference coaches, behind notable names such as Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, and Brian Kelly.

What is Eli Drinkwitz’s recruiting performance for the Missouri Tigers?

Eli Drinkwitz has demonstrated impressive recruiting abilities for the Missouri Tigers. Despite a slow start, he has managed to attract top talent to the program. Notably, the Tigers recently secured commitments from Luther Burden and Williams Nwaneri, both highly regarded prospects in their respective positions.

Burden, a five-star recruit, is the first of his caliber to join the team since 2021, while Nwaneri is recognized as the nation’s top edge rusher in the class of 2023 according to On3. In terms of overall recruiting rankings, Drinkwitz’s classes have achieved respectable finishes of 19th, 36th, and 21st in his first three full recruiting cycles for the Tigers. As the team’s performance improves, it is reasonable to expect further enhancements in recruiting under Drinkwitz’s leadership, provided he remains at Missouri.