Eli Drinkwitz reflects on new revenue share era and changing landscape of college sports
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A new age of college sports will officially kickoff on July 1, when revenue sharing is set to begin as a result of the recent House v. NCAA settlement. Tiger football coach Eli Drinkwitz took some time to reflect on the era, as well as the changing landscape of college athletics with ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones.
Coach Drinkwitz said the key to this state of constant change is adaptability.
"But, also being present in the moment," he said. "There's all kinds of things out there, swirling around, about what the future is going is going to look like. But, as a coaching staff and a player, we know what the next six months are going to be."
These six months the Tigers will be honed in on making some program history, as Mizzou looks to record its third-straight 10-win season. Coach Eli said MU's success in achieving that feat will hinge upon their work this summer and throughout the season. However, the Tigers hope to get far beyond 10 wins.
The upcoming college football season will also mark the second year of the extended, 12-team College Football Playoff, which is an opportunity Mizzou missed out in in the 2024 season.
"We got to win non-conference, we've got to win our trophy games, we've got to compete in the SEC," Drinkwitz said. "If we do those things, then that will give us an opportunity to play in the playoffs."
While the season rages on, though, so will the ever-shifting landscape of college sports. Athletic departments are the nation will be adapting to the first calendar year of revenue sharing and all that means for each program.
Drinkwitz hammered home that he is incredibly grateful to Mizzou's administration, Athletic Director Laird Veatch and the Missouri legislature for putting his program and the state at the forefront of name, image and likeness and, now, revenue sharing.
"I look forward to continuing that process and now it's responsibility for us, as a staff, to make sure we teach [the team] the accountability principles that they manage that well," Coach Drink said.
With the landscape constantly changing around him, Drinkwitz is focused on the things he can control, which includes kickoff against Central Arkansas on Thursday, Aug. 28.
"We know who's going to be here and we can control being right here, right now. We also control what we do with our opportunity," he said.
