Eliah Drinkwitz

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Eliah Drinkwitz
2019-0722-EliahDrinkwitz.PNG
Drinkwitz at 2019 Sun Belt Media Day
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Missouri
Conference SEC
Record46–28
Annual salary$9 million [1]
Biographical details
Born (1983-04-12) April 12, 1983 (age 42)
Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.
Alma mater Arkansas Tech (2004)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2005 Alma HS (AR) (assistant)
2006–2009 Springdale HS (AR) (OC)
2010–2011 Auburn (QC)
2012 Arkansas State (RB)
2013Arkansas State (co-OC/RB)
2014 Boise State (TE)
2015Boise State (OC/QB)
2016–2018 NC State (OC/QB)
2019 Appalachian State
2020–present Missouri
Head coaching record
Overall58–29 (.667)
Bowls2–2 (.500)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Sun Belt (2019)
1 Sun Belt East Division (2019)
Awards
1 SEC Coach of the Year (2023)

Eliah Walter Drinkwitz [2] (born April 12, 1983) is an American college football coach who is the head football coach for Missouri, a position he has held since the 2020 season. He previously served as the head coach at Appalachian State in 2019; prior to this, he served as an assistant coach for NC State, Boise State, Arkansas State, and Auburn.

Contents

Coaching career

Auburn

After coaching at Springdale High School (Arkansas), where he coached with Gus Malzahn in 2004, Drinkwitz moved to Auburn in 2009 to work on football operations as the quality control coach, and was on the coaching staff when Auburn won the 2010 National Championship under Gene Chizik. [3]

Arkansas State

In 2012, after two successful seasons with Auburn, he followed Gus Malzahn to Arkansas State, where he spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as running backs coach, and in 2013 also served as co-offensive coordinator.

Boise State

In 2014, when Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin became head coach at Boise State, Drinkwitz joined his staff as the tight ends coach. In 2015, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

NC State

In 2016, Drinkwitz was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at NC State. He served in this position for three seasons, during which he won two bowl games and won 25 games. The Wolfpack also finished at #23 in the AP Poll in 2017.

Appalachian State

On December 13, 2018, Drinkwitz was hired as the head coach at Appalachian State University. [4] In his one season as head coach of the Mountaineers, he finished 12–1, with a victory over Louisiana in the 2019 Sun Belt championship. [5] [6] He did not coach their bowl game. [7]

Missouri

On December 9, 2019, Drinkwitz was hired as the head coach of the Missouri Tigers, [8] replacing Barry Odom. In his first season with Mizzou, the Tigers compiled a record of 5–5, including a win over defending national champion LSU, who also finished 5-5. [9] [10] In the 2021 season, Drinkwitz led Missouri to a 6–6 regular season record and an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, a 24–22 loss to Army. [11] [12] In the 2022 season, Drinkwitz again led Missouri to a 6–6 regular season record. [13] Missouri qualified for the Gasparilla Bowl, where they lost to Wake Forest 27–17. [14] Drinkwitz led the Tigers to a breakout season in 2023, finishing the regular season 10–2 overall and 6–2 in the SEC. Missouri as a result would be selected to play the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl, which Missouri won 14–3. [15] On December 31, 2023, the University of Missouri announced a contract extension for Drinkwitz through the 2028 season which included a pay raise to $9 million for the 2024 season. [16]

Missouri enjoyed continued success under Drinkwitz in 2024. In the regular season, Missouri finished 9-3 and set a program record for the most home wins in a season by going 7-0 at Faurot Field. [17] After trailing 24-14 in the second half against Iowa, Mizzou scored the final 13 points to win the 2024 Music City Bowl [18] . Mizzou finished with back to back 10 win seasons for the first time since 2013/2014. [19]

On November 28, 2025, Drinkwitz signed a six-year, $64.5 million contract extension while he was rumored to be a candidate for the head coach openings at LSU, Auburn, Florida [20] , and being offered the head coach position at Penn State. [21]

Personal life

Drinkwitz was born in Norman, Oklahoma to Jerry and Susie Drinkwitz, but his parents and older siblings moved to the Alma, Arkansas area in 1984 when he was a year old. Being raised in Alma and playing football for the Alma Airedales is what led him to want to become a football coach, especially hearing the stories of his father playing for Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, during the 1960s. During his time at Alma, he was an All-Conference and All-State selection and was named FCA Huddle Leader of the Year. [22] Drinkwitz graduated from Alma in 2001 and was nominated by his high school to the Arkansas Times Academic All-Star Team. [2]

In 2004, Drinkwitz graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a bachelor's degree in education. Drinkwitz and his wife, Lindsey, have four children. [23]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
Appalachian State Mountaineers (Sun Belt Conference)(2019)
2019 Appalachian State 12–18–11st (East) New Orleans*1819
Appalachian State:12–18–1*Departed Appalachian State for Missouri before bowl game
Missouri Tigers (Southeastern Conference)(2020–present)
2020 Missouri 5–55–53rd (Eastern) Music City [n 1]
2021 Missouri 6–73–5T-4th (Eastern)L Armed Forces
2022 Missouri 6–73–5T-4th (Eastern)L Gasparilla
2023 Missouri 11–26–22nd (Eastern)W Cotton †88
2024 Missouri 10–35–3T–4thW Music City 2022
2025 Missouri 8–44–4T–8th
Missouri:46–2826–24
Total:58–29
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 Music City Bowl was canceled due to COVID-19 issues.

References

  1. ↑ DeArmond, Gabe (January 8, 2024). "Details of New Contracts for Eli Drinkwitz and Kirby Moore". Rivals. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Brantley, Max (April 27, 2001). "A galaxy of stars". Arkansas Times . Archived from the original on June 2, 2001. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  3. ↑ "2010 Depth Chart & Coaching Staff". AU Football Forum. August 23, 2014. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  4. ↑ Joyce, Ethan (December 13, 2018). "App State hires N.C. State offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz as head football coach". Winston-Salem Journal . Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  5. ↑ "2019 Appalachian State Mountaineers Schedule and Results". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. ↑ "2019 Sun Belt Conference Year Summary". Sports Reference . Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  7. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam; Schlabach, Mark; Low, Chris (December 11, 2019). "Sources: App State promotes Clark to head coach". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Report: Mizzou to Hire App State's Eli Drinkwitz". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. December 8, 2019. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2020 Missouri Tigers Schedule and Results". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  10. ↑ "2020 Southeastern Conference Year Summary". Sports Reference . Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  11. ↑ "2021 Missouri Tigers Schedule and Results". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Armed Forces Bowl - Missouri vs Army Box Score, December 22, 2021". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ "2022 Missouri Tigers Schedule and Results". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Gasparilla Bowl - Wake Forest vs Missouri Box Score, December 23, 2022". Sports Reference . Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  15. ↑ Hawkins, Stephen (December 30, 2023). "Schrader runs for 128 yards and a TD as No. 9 Missouri beats No. 7 Ohio State 14-3 in Cotton Bowl". AP News. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  16. ↑ DeArmond, Gabe (January 8, 2024). "Details of new contracts for Eli Drinkwitz and Kirby Moore". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  17. ↑ "No. 21 Mizzou finishes regular season undefeated at home for first time since 2010". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  18. ↑ "No. 23 Missouri rallies from 10 down, beats Iowa 27-24 in the Music City Bowl". Associated Press. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Bowl season winners and losers: Mizzou's late 4th-down stop in Music City Bowl gives the Tigers consecutive 10-win seasons". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Mizzou signs Eli Drinkwitz to new contract, keeping football coach in place". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Commentary: Eli Drinkwitz sends a message by staying at Mizzou". 247Sports. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  22. ↑ "ASU Redwolves Program" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Eliah Drinkwitz". MUTigers.com. University of Missouri. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
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