As the college football coaching carousel keeps spinning, one name making serious waves is Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz. According to reports, Drinkwitz has emerged as one of the top contenders for the vacant head coaching job at Michigan - a program with national title aspirations and a fanbase hungry for stability after a turbulent stretch.
For now, Drinkwitz remains focused on the task at hand: preparing his 8-4 Tigers for Saturday night’s Gator Bowl clash against Virginia in Jacksonville. But there’s a growing sense that this could be his final game on the Mizzou sideline.
Since taking over at Missouri in 2020, Drinkwitz has quietly built one of the more consistent programs in the SEC. He’s guided the Tigers to a 46-28 record, including back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2023 and 2024 - a feat that hasn’t gone unnoticed by programs looking for proven leadership. His ability to develop talent, navigate the transfer portal, and compete in the brutal SEC landscape has made him a hot commodity.
Michigan, which parted ways with Sherrone Moore two weeks ago, is now deep into its coaching search. According to reports, the Wolverines are zeroing in on a small group of candidates they believe are both attainable and capable of leading the program into its next chapter. Alongside Drinkwitz, Washington head coach Jedd Fisch and longtime Utah leader Kyle Whittingham are also in the mix.
Whittingham, who officially stepped down from his post at Utah on December 12 after a remarkable two-decade run, brings experience and a strong culture-building pedigree. Fisch, meanwhile, has elevated Washington into a Pac-12 powerhouse with an innovative offensive approach and a strong recruiting presence.
As for the timeline, Michigan isn’t expected to rush its decision. The sense around the program is that a hire likely won’t happen before Christmas, and could stretch into the days following the holiday. That gives Drinkwitz time to finish what he started this season with Missouri before any potential move.
So while all eyes will be on the Gator Bowl this Saturday, there’s a bigger story simmering beneath the surface. If this is indeed Drinkwitz’s final act with the Tigers, it could mark the end of a transformative era in Columbia - and the beginning of a new chapter in Ann Arbor.