University of Missouri-Columbia Football

The Eliah Drinkwitz File Hometown: Alma, Arkansas Education: Arkansas Tech, 2004 (education) Wife: Lindsey Children: Addison, Emerson, Ella and Parker Lynn Birthday: April 12, 1983 Coaching Career 2020-pres. Mizzou Head Coach 2019 Appalachian State Head Coach 2016-18 NC State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2015 Boise State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2014 Boise State Tight Ends 2013 Arkansas State Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs 2012 Arkansas State Running Backs 2011 Auburn Offensive Graduate Assistant 2010 Auburn Offensive Quality Control Assistant 2007-09 Springdale High School [Ark.] Offensive Coordinator 2006 Springdale High School [Ark.] Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator 2005 Alma Middle School [Ark.] Head Coach 2004 Springdale High School [Ark.] Offensive Assistant Coaching Awards • 2023 SEC Caach of the Year (AP & Coaches) • 2023 Eddie Robinson Award Finalist • 2019 Eddie Robinson Award Finalist • 2019 North Carolina Coach of the Year (North State Journal) • 2018 Broyles Award Nominee Eli Drinkwitz was named the University of Missouri’s 33rd head football coach on December 10, 2019. In six seasons at the helm, he has compiled a 46–29 (.613) record, earned 2023 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Coach of the Year honors and established himself as one of the most successful starts to a head coaching tenure in program history. With more than 20 years of coaching experience, Drinkwitz has coached in 13 bowl games, including the 2011 BCS National Championship

Al Pogue joined the Tigers football program in February 2022 and serves as the assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach. He spent his first season as the c...

Alex Atkins, the former offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Florida State, joined the Mizzou staff as tight ends coach in January of 2026. At Mizzou, Atkins will oversee the continued development of a deep and talent tight end corps that includes Brett Norflett, Jordon Harris and Jude James. Atkins spent the 2025 season at LSU as the Tigers tight ends coach and run game coordinator. He tutored tight end Trey’Dez Green who finished fourth on the team with 33 receptions for 433 yards and a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Atkins joined LSU after nearly five years at Florida State where he helped the Seminoles to a 13-1 mark as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2023. Florida State finished the 2023 season ranked No. 5 in the final CFP Poll and played in the Orange Bowl. He joined the Seminoles in 2020 as offensive line coach for two years. He added offensive coordinator duties in 2022 and in his first season directing the Florida State offense, the Seminoles won 10 games and ranked No. 10 nationally in total offense with 484 yards per game. During his time with the Seminoles, Atkins produced three first-team All-ACC selections on the offensive line along with the 2023 ACC Player of the Year in quarterback Jordan Travis. Prior to joining the Seminoles, Atkins spent the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Charlotte where he helped the 49ers to the first bowl game in program history. The 49ers won seven games in 20

A veteran of college football administration since 1991, Andy Lutz is in his second year serving as Mizzou’s Director of Football Operations, and his third s...

Former Mizzou standout and NFL defensive lineman Atiyyah Ellison joined the football staff as Director of Player Development in July, 2021. A Show Me State n...

Brandon Jones joined the Tigers football program in April 2023, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with the offensive line. Jones, entering his 20th year of coaching, is a veteran of the coaching industry – spending time on the staffs of Sonny Dykes, Dana Holgorsen, Kliff Kingsbury and Lincoln Riley. He has coached in 13 bowl games and played in four more as an offensive lineman at Texas Tech from 2003-06. In just three years, Jones has coached three Tiger offensive linemen that have gone on to be selected in the NFL Draft, including first round pick Armand Membou in 2025. After being chosen seventh overall, Membou tied former Tiger Aldon Smith (2022) as the third-highest NFL Draft pick in Mizzou’s history. Membou, a second team All-SEC honoree, helped Mizzou to 27 wins and three consecutive bowl game appearances during his career. Jones also had a hand in the development of Keagen Trost, who earned All-America honors in his only season in Columbia in 2025. He has also overseen the growth of Cayden Green at left tackle, who returns for his senior season in 2026 along with a talent group of incoming transfers. He also tutored the likes of Javon Foster (2024) and Marcus Bryant (2025), who were selected in the fourth (114th overall) and seventh (220th overall) rounds by the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots, respectively. Foster was a three-year starter, third team All-America recipient and third team All-SEC honoree during his final season in 2023,

FootballSkip AdBognar, Brendan Abraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

Brian Early joined the Tigers football program in February 2024, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with edges. In 2026, head coach Eli Drin...

FootballSkip AdHamilton, BrianAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

FootballSkip AdAbraham, BrysonAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

Mizzou head football coach Eli Drinkwitz hired of Chip Lindsey as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator in December of 2025. Lindsey brings 28 years of coaching ...

Chop Harbin joins Eli Drinkwitz staff at Mizzou as the Tigers defensive line coach spent after five seasons at Tennessee, including the 2025 campaign as the outside linebackers coach. Harbin, nicknamed “Chop,” joined the UT staff in 2021 as a defensive analyst before being promoted to senior defensive analyst in 2022. Harbin served in the analyst role for four seasons and was promoted again in February 2025 to outside linebackers coach. He was a fixture with the defensive line and LEO position. Harbin played a significant role in the development of the edge rushers during the Volunteers’ 2024 College Football Playoff season. The disruptive group paved the way for a Tennessee defense that ranked in the FBS top 10 in six different categories, including fourth-down conversion defense (third – 31.8), yards per play allowed (fifth – 4.56), third-down conversion defense (sixth – 30.3), total defense (sixth – 293.2), scoring defense (seventh – 16.1) and tackles for loss (eighth – 7.7). The edge rushers made their presence known in meaningful victories over rivals Florida and Alabama as the Vols racked up a combined six sacks, 21 tackles for loss and three interceptions in those contests. Edge rushers James Pearce Jr. and Joshua Josephs led the team in tackles for loss with 13 and nine, respectively. Pearce Jr. also ranked 10th in the SEC in sacks with 7.5, while ranking second in the SEC and 12th in the FBS in total pressures with 55 according to Pro Football Focus. Harbin’s protégé

FootballSkip AdBall, ChrisAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

Cole Vertz joined the University of Missouri Sports Medicine staff in Spring 2020 as the Director of Rehabilitation and Associate Director of Sports Medicine...

Corey Batoon joined the Mizzou football program in February of 2024 and serves as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. His two seasons in Columbia have resulte...

Curtis Luper joined the Tigers football program in December 2019, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with the running backs. Mizzou marks th...

David Blackwell joined the Tigers football program in March 2023, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with defensive tackles. He spent his fi...

Derek Nicholson joined the Tigers’ football program in January 2025 and serves as Mizzou’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Nicholson comes to...

Former University of Missouri offensive lineman and NFL veteran Evan Boehm joined the Mizzou Football support staff in July 2013 as assistant director of rec...

Garrett Riley, the former offensive coordinator at Clemson, TCU and SMU, joined the Mizzou staff in January of 2026 to coach the Tigers quarterbacks. His first season in Columbia he inherits a quarterback room that features transfers Austin Simmons and Nick Evers along with Matt Zollers who returns after making three starts as a true freshman and incoming true freshman Gavin Sidwar. Riley arrives in CoMo after serving as Clemson’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for the past three seasons, overseeing the development of QB Cade Klubnik. In 2025, Clemson ranked 22nd nationally throwing for 267.8 YPG. Klubnik threw 16 touchdowns and 2,943 this past season and 9,426 yards and 71 touchdowns during his three years with Riley. Riley produced one of the nation’s most balanced offenses in 2024 when Clemson tied for the national lead with six games reaching both 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards. Clemson, who won the ACC and made the CFP, produced a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and four 500-yard pass catchers in a season for the fourth time in school history. Klubnik threw 36 touchdowns against only six interceptions and 3,639 yards. A season earlier, Klubnik completed 290-of-454 passes in his first full season as a starter in 2023. Riley Joined Clemson from TCU, where he served as the team’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2022, helping lead the Horned Frogs to a 13-2 record, a Fiesta Bowl title and a berth in the College Football Playoff National

Jacob Peeler joined the Tigers football program in January 2022 and coaches Mizzou’s wide receivers. He is also in charge of Mizzou’s recruiting efforts. He has over 15 years of coaching experience, including three as an offensive coordinator at Texas State (2020-21) and Ole Miss (2019). In four years of managing Mizzou’s recruiting presence, Peeler has taken the Tigers from securing the No. 32 signing class in 2023 to back-to-back top 25 finishes at No. 21 (2024) and No. 14 (2025) before a top 30 finish in 2026. He also helped sign three of the Tigers’ all-time top-rated prospects including in-state, five-star recruit Luther Burden III and Williams Nwaneri. In 2025, Peeler oversaw the development of transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. who transferred in for his senior season and led the Tigers with 66 receptions for 732 yards. True freshman Donovan Olugbode exploded on the scene for MU with 30 catches for 401 yards and two scores. Marquis Johnson (28 rec., 340 yds 2 TD) and Joshua Manning (29 rec., 318 yards, 2 TD) were also a big part of the Tigers’ passing attack. Peeler continued to have a hand in the development of Burden III after he arrived in Columbia, coaching him to two-time first team All-SEC honors (2023 and 2024) and second team All-America recognition in 2023. The Biletnikoff Award semifinalist concluded his three-year career registering 192 receptions for 2,263 yards (11.79) with 21 touchdowns in 38 career games (33 starts). Burden finished his career riding a 34-game c

Jacob Yoro joined the Tigers football program in February 2024, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with safeties. He spent his first season ...

Mizzou head football coach Eli Drinkwitz hired Jake Breske at the Tigers' President of Player Personnel and Recruiting in December of 2025. Breske, a native of Webster, South Dakota, will manage the overall football recruiting strategy in collaboration with the head coach and staff while identifying, evaluating and prioritizing prospective student-athletes from both high school and the transfer portal. He will coordinate and execute official and unofficial visits, plan recruiting events and collaborate on messaging and branding along with a myriad of other responsibilities. Breske spent the last six years as Tennessee's director of player personnel. He played a key role in helping the Volunteers secure six top-15 recruiting classes during his tenure in Knoxville, including multiple top-10 classes. Breske previously spent five years on Mizzou's staff, including as director of recruiting for the Tigers from 2018-21. He excelled in the director's role, helping direct recruiting efforts for a Class of 2021 that at the time tied for the highest finish ever in school history at No. 21 nationally by Rivals.com. Breske joined the Tiger staff prior to the 2016 season as a recruiting assistant and served in that role for two seasons before stepping into the lead role prior to the 2018 campaign. He came to Mizzou after spending three seasons at Valley City State University (North Dakota), working with the quarterbacks in 2013 and picking up offensive coordinator duties in 2014 and 2015.

FootballSkip AdRussell, JaredAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

John Papuchis was named Mizzou’s special teams coordinator and defensive assistant coach in January of 2026 after six seasons as Florida State’s special teams coordinator along with coaching defensive ends and linebackers. Papuchis’ players have earned 55 all-conference recognitions, four conference Player of the Year awards and one Rookie of the Year. He has coached 16 NFL Draft picks, highlighted by Jared Verse’s selection at No. 19 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, and seven All-Americans, including the first defensive player to earn Associated Press Player of the Year honors. Papuchis won the 2007 national championship as part of the staff at LSU and has coached in seven conference title games. Papuchis’ six years Tallahassee saw his special teams units excel with multiple first team All-America honors while his defensive ends produced at a rate few others could match. This past season, placekicker Jake Weinberg connected on 12-of-19 field goals and all 46 extra-point attempts in 2025 while punter Mac Chiumento averaged 44.0 yards per punt. The Seminoles led the nation in kickoff return defense (8.5 ypr) while the punt return unit was 30th nationally averaging 11.58 yards per return. Punter Alex Mastromanno (2021-24) and placekicker Ryan Fitzgerald (2021-24) proved to be two of the best in the nation during their four years starting for the Seminoles. In 2024, Fitzgerald joined Mastromanno as an AFCA first team All-American to become the first punter and kicker duo

FootballSkip AdRutledge, JonathanAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

FootballSkip AdAshby, KyleAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

Ladaria Jackson is the Assistant Director of Recruiting Operations at the University of Missouri. She previously served as Assistant On-Campus Recruiting Coordinator at Wake Forest University from 2023-2025 and as On-Campus Recruiting Intern at Wake Forest Football from 2022-2023. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2022). She was selected as part of the Class of 2025 NFL Women's Forum, which focuses on inspiring, educating, and connecting women candidates for Football Operations positions in professional and collegiate football programs. Her father, Ralph Jackson, was a standout running back at Fayetteville State University from 1995 to 1998 and earned a spot in the university's "1000-Yard Club." Her brother, RJ Jackson, is a former wide receiver for the Campbell Camels.

FootballSkip AdGray, Liam Abraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

FootballSkip AdMeadows, Luke Abraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

Mike Kurowski is in his second season handling the vast and varied needs of the Mizzou Football program as its Director of Equipment Operations. Kurowski came to Mizzou prior to the 2017 season after spending the previous eight years in a similar role at Louisville, where he was the equipment manager for 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. Kurowski oversees Mizzou's multi-million dollar partnership with Nike for all sports, and is the day-to-day manager of football equipment operations. One important aspect of his role will be to work with the coaching staff to develop new uniform and helmet concepts to the program in the future. Prior to Louisville, he spent eight years in the National Football League as an assistant equipment manager with the Dallas Cowboys, and one season with the Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL. With the Cowboys, he served the equipment needs of NFL greats such as Emmitt Smith, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo and Jason Witten, among many others. Kurowski spent the 1998 season as an intern for the NFL's Miami Dolphins. He began his career in the equipment industry while serving for three years as a student assistant at Oklahoma State. A native of Dallas, Texas, Kurowski graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in marketing. He and his wife, Valerie, have two sons, Garyt and Madden.

Olivia Ohlsen joined the University of Missouri football program as Director of On-Campus Recruiting in January 2022. Prior to her arrival at MU, Ohlsen was ...

Rick Jones joined the Mizzou staff as special assistant to head coach in February, 2020. He coached at the collegiate and high school levels for 40+ years, including 16 seasons at Greenwood High School in Arkansas. Jones’ high school coaching stops include Del City, Edmond Memorial, Tulsa Union and Broken Arrow High Schools, all in Oklahoma, and Greenwood High School, in Arkansas. He spent three seasons as an assistant to Jesse Branch at Missouri State. In his 31 seasons as a high school head coach, Jones accumulated a record of 317-74, with a winning percentage of 81%, and is an 18-time coach of the year honoree. He was named the 2012 National Federation of High Schools National Football Coach of the Year, was named the 2018 AFCA Power of Influence National Coach of the Year, was inducted to the Oklahoma High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2013), and was inducted to the Harding University Athletic Hall of Fame (2016). A walk-on linebacker at Division II Harding University in Searcy, Ark., Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in education. He remains in the Bison single-season record book, tied for third all-time in blocked kicks with two (1974), and tied for third all-time with three fumbles recovered (1975). Jones is a former member of the Arkansas Activities Association Football Advisory Board, and an active member of the American Football Coaches Association and Missouri High School Football Coaches Association. He has bee

Rico Cason joined the University of Missouri sports medicine staff in spring 2022 as a staff athletic trainer, working with the football program. Before join...

Ryan Russell joined the Mizzou staff in February, 2021 as Assistant Athletics Director and Executive Director of Athletic Performance. He arrived in Columbia from Auburn where he served as Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Performance under highly-successful head coach Gus Malzahn from January, 2018 through January, 2021. With Russell on staff, the football programs he has worked with have combined to win one national championship (Auburn, 2011 BCS National Champions), six conference titles and play in 20 bowl games. In his new position at Mizzou, he will provide leadership and administrative oversight of all areas with the football program that directly impact the Tigers' development on the field, including the areas of nutrition, strength and conditioning, equipment and athletic medicine. Russell first connected with Malzahn as a member of his Arkansas State staff in 2012 as Director of Athletic Performance, then returned to Auburn for his third tour of duty in 2013 as the Tigers' Director of Strength and Conditioning from 2013-20. From 2010-11, Russell served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Auburn, working with the football program, before moving to Arkansas State. He was also football's Director of Sports Nutrition. Russell was an associate strength and conditioning coach for the Boise State football program from 2007-09. He served strength and conditioning internships at Pitt (2005) and Louisville (2004-05) before joining the Auburn staff - for t

FootballSkip AdJoseph , SabbathAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

FootballSkip AdRussell, TravisAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne

FootballSkip AdYounger, WayneAbraham, BrysonAshby, KyleAtkins, AlexBall, ChrisBatoon, CoreyBlackwell, DavidBoehm, EvanBognar, Brendan Drinkwitz, EliEarly, BrianGray, Liam Hamilton, BrianHarbin, ChopJones, BrandonJoseph , SabbathLindsey, ChipLuper, CurtisMeadows, Luke Nicholson, DerekPapuchis, JohnPeeler, JacobPogue, AlRiley, GarrettRussell, TravisRutledge, JonathanYoro, JacobYounger, Wayne