Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz dropped a bomb during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, November 3, flat-out stating, “I’m not a candidate at Florida State.” This public declaration shuts down the swirling rumors that had his name all over “hot boards” and national media lists for the recently opened Florida State head coaching job.
Drinkwitz Tries to Shut Down the Noise
Look, it’s ’tis the season for coaching carousel drama, and Florida State just fired head coach Mike Norvell on Sunday. Naturally, Drinkwitz’s name popped up immediately as a possible target for the Seminoles. But the Mizzou coach wasted no time trying to clear the air, saying he wanted to “clear that up” and get his team to “focus on the main thing, which is Texas” to “eliminate all the distractions and clear the clutter.” It’s a classic move: control the narrative, especially when you’ve got a critical game coming up.
Deja Vu All Over Again? Drinkwitz Is No Stranger to Rumors
If this feels familiar, you’re not wrong. Drinkwitz is absolutely no stranger to head coaching rumors. This guy’s name was thrown around like crazy during the wild coaching carousel just last year, in 2025. He was reportedly a candidate for multiple vacancies, including Penn State, Florida, Auburn, and LSU. So, for the now-seventh-year Mizzou head coach, this FSU talk is just another Tuesday. But this time, he’s taking a proactive stance, which you gotta respect. He’s got a pretty sweet deal in Columbia, too. Mizzou extended Drinkwitz last November with a contract worth $64.5 million over six years, running through the 2031 football season. Plus, he’s got incentives: he can snag a one-year extension every time he hits eight regular-season wins. Right now, the Tigers are sitting at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. If they can pull off two more wins in November, not only does he hit that eight-win mark, but he also earns a $200,000 raise and an extension through 2032. That’s a strong incentive to stay put and keep building in Missouri.
So, for now, the message from Drinkwitz is clear: he’s not looking anywhere else. His focus, and his team’s, is squarely on Texas. He’s trying to keep his guys locked in and finish out November strong, potentially adding another year to his already lucrative contract.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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