If you walked into a Columbia coffee shop five years ago and told Mizzou fans that their head coach would soon be one of the ten highest-paid people in college football, they probably would’ve laughed you out of the building. Back then, the program felt stuck. It was a "middle of the pack" kind of place. But today, the coach of Missouri football, Eliah Drinkwitz, has basically rewritten the script for what’s possible at Faurot Field.
The guy just signed a massive six-year extension that keeps him in town through 2031. We’re talking an average of $10.75 million a year. That is serious "don’t leave us for Penn State" money. Honestly, the rise of "Coach Drink" is one of those stories that shouldn't make sense on paper, yet here we are, watching Missouri become a legitimate factor in the SEC.
The Drinkwitz Era: From "Who?" to the Cotton Bowl
When Missouri hired Drinkwitz from Appalachian State in late 2019, he was only 36. He was the young, quirky offensive mind who looked like he’d be more at home in a tech startup than a locker room. But he brought this "shoot for the moon" energy that the fan base desperately needed.
His first few years were... fine. He went 5-5 in the 2020 COVID year, then posted back-to-back 6-7 seasons. It was okay, but people were starting to wonder if he was just another guy. Then 2023 happened. The Tigers went 11-2, smashed Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, and suddenly Drinkwitz was the SEC Coach of the Year.
That 2023 season changed everything. It proved that Missouri didn't have to be a stepping stone. Drinkwitz used that momentum to go 10-3 in 2024, giving the Tigers back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time in a decade. You’ve gotta realize, only Gary Pinkel had done that before in Mizzou history.
What Happened in 2025?
Now, if you followed the most recent season, you know it wasn't all sunshine and Gatorade baths. The 2025 campaign was a bit of a reality check. The Tigers finished 8-5, ending with a tough 13-7 loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
The offense, which used to be Drink’s calling card, struggled. He even admitted in interviews that the unit "wasn't fun" to watch. They had talent—Beau Pribula at quarterback and a superstar running back in Ahmad Hardy—but they just couldn't find the end zone when it mattered most. They lost all five games against ranked opponents in 2025. That’s a stat that keeps fans up at night.
Despite the 8-5 record, the University of Missouri Board of Curators didn't blink. They saw other big-name programs like Penn State and Florida sniffing around and decided to back the truck up. They signed him to that $64.5 million deal on Thanksgiving Day. Why? Because even an "off" year for Drinkwitz ended in a bowl game and a winning record. That stability is worth its weight in gold in the modern SEC.
Breaking Down the $64.5 Million Contract
The new deal for the coach of Missouri football is a fascinating look at how college sports work in 2026. It’s not just about his base pay. It’s about the "arms race" of resources.
- The Salary Bump: His pay for the 2026 season sits at roughly $10.25 million. It climbs every single year, eventually hitting $11.25 million in 2031.
- The Staff Pool: This is the big one. Drinkwitz now has a $16 million budget just for his assistant coaches and support staff. If you want to keep a guy like offensive coordinator Kirby Moore or a top-tier defensive mind, you need that cash.
- The "Win 8" Clause: There’s a cool incentive where if the Tigers win eight regular-season games, his contract automatically extends by another year. It’s a built-in "stability" trigger.
- The Buyout: If a blue-blood program tries to poach him before December 1, 2026, they’ll have to cough up $5 million.
It’s a massive investment. But with the $250 million Memorial Stadium renovation set to open for the 2026 season, the school is clearly all-in on the Drinkwitz brand.
Recruiting and the "Mizzou Brand"
One thing you can't deny about Drinkwitz is that he’s a closer. He’s brought in some of the highest-rated recruits in school history, including names like Luther Burden III in the past and keeping local stars from St. Louis and Kansas City at home.
He’s also been a master of the transfer portal. He’s used it to patch holes in the defense and find playmakers when the high school ranks didn't provide them. In 2026, the focus is squarely on the quarterback room. With Pribula and young guns like Matt Zollers in the mix, Drinkwitz is betting that he can fix the "un-fun" offense and get back to that 10-win standard.
Facing the Critics
Is he worth $10 million? That’s the question everyone asks.
Critics will point to his 6-19 record against ranked teams. They’ll mention that Missouri hasn't beaten a top-10 team under his watch. There’s a feeling that while he’s raised the floor of the program, the "ceiling" might still be a little lower than the fans want.
But proponents argue that before he arrived, Missouri was trending toward irrelevance. He’s kept them in the Top 25 conversation for three straight years. He’s winning the games he’s "supposed" to win, and in a conference that just added Texas and Oklahoma, that’s harder than it looks.
What to Watch for in 2026
As the coach of Missouri football enters this new phase of his career, the pressure is higher than ever. The "honeymoon" period of the Cotton Bowl win is officially over.
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- The New Stadium: The North Concourse renovation is a game-changer for the game-day experience. If the team doesn't perform, that $250 million project starts to look like a lot of empty seats.
- The QB Battle: Drinkwitz has already hinted that the starting job is an open competition. Watching how he manages the personalities in that room will be key.
- The Schedule: The SEC doesn't get easier. The Tigers need to prove they can knock off an "elite" opponent to justify that top-10 salary.
Drinkwitz has the personality, the bank account, and now the facilities to make Missouri a perennial playoff contender. Whether he can actually push them over the hump remains the biggest story in Columbia.
If you want to keep an eye on the program's progress, track the 2026 recruiting rankings and the early-season offensive efficiency stats. Those are the best indicators of whether the "un-fun" era is truly in the rearview mirror. You can also monitor the official Mizzou Athletics staff directory for any major changes to the $16 million assistant coaching pool, which often signals a shift in tactical philosophy.