Missouri reached an agreement on a 6-year contract extension with head coach Eli Drinkwitz on Thursday that will bump his pay and keep him in Columbia through 2031.
The move comes amid rumored interest from schools like Auburn and Florida, which are both in the market for proven head coaches after firing underperforming figures earlier this season. Few are as proven as Drinkwitz, who has gone 28-9 since the start of the 2023 season.
In a release announcing the decision, Mizzou said the Board of Curators at the school unanimously approved the contract, which will pay Drinkwitz an average of $10.75 million a year. Athletic director Laird Veatch said in a statement that Drinkwitz has “transformed the standard” of the football program.
Drinkwitz said he hopes to keep elevating.
“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.”
The Tigers are 45-28 under Drinkwitz. Entering the regular-season finale against Arkansas, Mizzou is 7-4. A win would ensure at least 8 regular-season victories in 3 consecutive seasons, something that has not been done at Mizzou since the school joined the SEC in 2012.
Drinkwitz led back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2024. The Tigers entered the 2025 season hoping to make a College Football Playoff push, but injuries at quarterback and kicker have left the offense disjointed throughout the season.
Still, Drinkwitz’s winning percentage over the last 3 seasons is the 12th-best in the FBS.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
