Missouri football appears prepared to make a strong move to secure head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s long-term future in Columbia. While national attention has centered on major coaching storylines at USC, Florida, LSU, and Penn State, the Tigers are quietly working to eliminate any doubt surrounding their own leadership.
The university’s Board of Curators is set to meet Wednesday to review the framework for a new contract for Drinkwitz — a procedural signal that Missouri is prepared to increase his compensation and extend his stay beyond his current agreement.
Talks of a potential raise picked up steam after reports surfaced indicating Missouri was actively discussing ways to retain their head coach. On3’s Pete Nakos wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that insiders had confirmed a meeting to discuss a proposed contract, noting that Drinkwitz has been linked to searches at Penn State, Auburn, and LSU during this coaching cycle.
These updates follow earlier reporting from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, who stressed that the Wednesday meeting is simply an authorization step that allows negotiations to progress. It is not a contract-signing session, and the process still has several stages left before anything becomes official.
Missouri already extended Drinkwitz this past July, securing him through 2029 and increasing investment in the program’s staffing and infrastructure. That deal also added resources to the salary pool for assistants and support staff, aiming to stabilize the program amid recurring outside interest.
With new contract parameters now being formally reviewed by the Board of Curators, Missouri is signaling its desire to prioritize stability and continuity.
On the field, the Tigers (7–4) will have another chance to strengthen their résumé and close the regular season on a high note when they face Arkansas (2–9) on Saturday.
