Eli Drinkwitz explained Tuesday that he is forever indebted to Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin ahead of Missouri’s battle against the Auburn Tigers Saturday.

Drinkwitz went on to say it was Harsin who gave him his coaching opportunity in the first place. Harsin retained Drinkwitz as Arkansas State’s running back coach in 2013.

“Coach Harsin gave me an opportunity and believed in me when not very many other people did and really kept me in college football in 2013,” Drinkwitz said Tuesday, via AL.com. “So, I’m very appreciative to him for that and will always be indebted to him and the opportunity he gave me and my family to stay in college football. So, I have a lot of respect for him as a football coach and as a person.”

To see where that move has gotten Drinkwitz now – as head coach at Mizzou – is pretty neat looking back.

Both Missouri and Auburn need a win Saturday in a desperate way. The 2 Tigers programs are looking for win No. 3 on the year, as well as their first SEC win of the season.