After Missouri’s 13-7 loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl, head coach Eli Drinkwitz didn’t dwell on the disappointment for long. Instead, he pivoted quickly to what’s next - and in today’s college football world, that means the transfer portal.
With the portal set to reopen on January 2, the Tigers are bracing for a wave of roster movement. Departures are coming - that much is certain. But in the middle of his postgame press conference, Drinkwitz made sure to deliver a bit of good news that Tiger fans can hang their hats on.
“We’ve got a really strong foundation,” he said, before turning to linebacker Nick Rodriguez. “Nick’s going to be back. You’re going to be back, right?”
Rodriguez, smiling, gave the nod. “Yeah.”
“He already signed,” Drinkwitz added with a grin. “Just making sure.”
It was a light moment after a hard-fought, low-scoring loss - but also a telling one. In this era of constant roster turnover, even a player not leaving can feel like a recruiting win.
Rodriguez’s return is no small thing. The linebacker was one of Missouri’s breakout stars this season, and he capped it off with a 15-tackle performance in the Gator Bowl - the kind of game that cements a player’s name in the minds of coaches and fans alike. He’s not just coming back; he’s coming back as a core piece of what Drinkwitz hopes will be a reloaded defense in 2026.
And Rodriguez isn’t the only key piece sticking around. Defensive lineman Ahmad Hardy is also re-signed, and quarterback Matt Zollers has already put pen to paper. That trio forms the early spine of next year’s roster - a foundation Drinkwitz clearly values.
But beyond those names, the picture gets murkier. Drinkwitz acknowledged that more players are expected to hit the portal in the coming days, even if they haven’t gone public yet.
Between transfers, graduating seniors, and players declaring for the NFL Draft, the 2026 Missouri Tigers are going to have a much different look. That’s just the reality of modern college football.
Drinkwitz, to his credit, seems to be taking it in stride. He joked that these days, even players not transferring require a public announcement. That’s how fluid things have become - and how valuable continuity is.
So while the Gator Bowl didn’t end the way Missouri hoped, the offseason is already in motion. And with Rodriguez, Hardy, and Zollers locked in, the Tigers have something solid to build on. Now comes the hard part: navigating the portal, filling the gaps, and shaping a roster that can take the next step in 2026.