Missouri’s rise under Eli Drinkwitz has put the Tigers’ coach right back in the center of the college football rumor mill.
The coaching carousel has been slow to spin so far, but the speculation is already building around which programs might make a change and which names could jump to a new job. Florida State, Maryland and NC State are among the schools facing decisions on their current head coaches, and as always, the financial side of those moves matters. Buyouts are a big part of the conversation, and the next wave of candidates is starting to take shape.
On3’s Pete Nakos included Drinkwitz among the coaches most likely to surface in the next round of movement. Missouri’s success under Drinkwitz is the reason his name keeps coming up. Heading into Week 4, he has posted a 61-30 record with the Tigers, and Nakos pointed to Missouri’s strong start and steady rise as reasons Drinkwitz is viewed as a possible flight candidate.
"Now in his seventh season with the Tigers, Drinkwitz has a 49-29 all-time record in Columbia with three consecutive winning seasons," Nakos wrote on Sept. 24. "Missouri is 3-0 to open the 2026 season and ranked in the top-25 again.
"His name was mentioned for multiple jobs last offseason, but he signed an extension on Thanksgiving Day."
That wasn’t the first time Drinkwitz had been tied to openings. Last offseason, he was linked to jobs at Florida and Penn State before ultimately staying put. Missouri rewarded him with a six-year, $64.5 million extension that runs through Jan. 15, 2032, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
The contract comes with a notable price tag for any program hoping to pry him away. Drinkwitz would owe Missouri a $5 million buyout if he leaves before Dec.
- After that, the number drops to $4 million, a figure that is often covered by the school bringing in the coach.
Drinkwitz isn’t the only name drawing attention as the next cycle approaches. Nakos also listed Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, Louisville’s Jeff Brohm, Houston’s Willie Fritz and Duke’s Manny Diaz among the coaches to watch.
That list does not include the top Power Four coordinators who could also enter the mix.
Drinkwitz has tried to cool the speculation before. Prior to signing his latest extension, he pushed back on the chatter and framed it as a reflection of Missouri’s success.
“Since I’ve been here I’ve signed multiple extensions," Drinkwitz said in Nov. 2025, per Fox 2 News. "In fact, I signed one this past summer. So all this speculation is really a tribute to them.
"And it’s really a tribute to our team’s success and their commitment to their team. That’s where my focus is going to remain, on our team and our current situation. And I’m not going to get into all that stuff, because, again, it’s just a distraction.”
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