Sunday Sit-down with Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones caught up with Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz in this week's edition of Sunday Sit-Down.

You can watch ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones' full chat with Coach Drinkwitz on ABC 17 SportsZone at 10:30 on KMIZ.

You can also find a full transcript of the interview below.

Nathalie Jones: "Welcome back, everyone. It is Sunday Sit-down time. We are joined by Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz. Eli, thanks for hanging out. Busy summer, you got to go to the World Cup, I mean, just how the last few months been for you?"

Eli Drinkwitz: "Yeah, it's been extremely busy. Thankful to get some downtime starting this week. Our staff goes on vacation, our players get a little bit of time off for the Fourth of July and then get back to work. Man, I need a little bit of rest, gonna do some Montana some beach, but I went to the World Cup. It was tremendous. If I knew what they were chanting, it would have been even a little bit better, but to watch [Lionel] Messi score three goals is pretty special."

Jones: "I mean, my goodness, I was preparing for this interview here and I was kind of just looking at the roster. There's so much newness this year. I mean, in a year of newness, how much do you lean on some of the guys that people you know know and love? Returning guys like Jamal Roberts, guys like Marquis Gracial, names that people have come to know?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, Brett Norfleet. Yes, I think the biggest thing for us with the so much change, whether it's offensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, new players integrating the staff, it's really to go back to the basics and fundamentals of our core values and make sure we're teaching what has made this brotherhood so strong. What has made Mizzou have, the last three years, the fourth most wins in SEC? That's really what we're leaning into and preaching. Obviously, we've got guys who've been in this program for a long time: Curtis Peagler, Tristan Wilson, Cayden Green, Brett Norfleet, Jordon Harris, you got Jamal Roberts, Marquis Gracial, Jalen Marshall, you've got vets who know what it looks like. Those guys have been incredible in making sure guys understand the standard and play to that standard. Then, you've got guys who are coming in who've played a lot of football. Chris Graves Jr.'s played a lot of football, Cayden Lee's played a lot of football and so they're adding their elements of who they are, but buying into us as a team. So, it's been a lot of fun. It's been some good days, some bad days, some hard days on the bleachers, but we're where we need to be right now."

Jones: "Well, you talk about the brotherhood and that's something that's always so impressive about this team year-in, year-out. It's been amazing to see how the brotherhood has really surrounded Ahmad Hardy, this offseason. I mean, how proud of you of your team, of just how they surrounded him and embraced him as he's come back?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, I think both. I think I've been really proud of Ahmad, just focusing on what he needs to do in order to recover. He's in a really good place. He had a six week checkup and we're ahead of schedule, so that was positive news. We've got to take it day-by-day, but I've been impressed with him being at every team event, being at every walkthrough, being at every summer OTA and showing the guys that he is still invested. Then, conversely, [I've] been impressed with the number of guys that have taken Ahmad and showed up to the hospital and checked in on him. So, it's been great to watch the brotherhood continue to thrive and to be great teammates."

Jones: "Well, obviously, this season a new leader of the offense. Austin Simmons, you announced earlier, a few months ago, that he was gonna be the starter. What impressed you about him during spring ball that you were able to say, 'Hey, this is a guy that can lead our offense?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, I think natural talent was always there, but I just felt like his experience playing the game, understanding two-minute dynamics of just down-in, down-out, he was going to be our guy and it was really important for us to really allow the offense to rally around a leader, instead of postponing it. I've been really impressed with the rest of the group. I mean, Matt Zollers has had an incredible summer, which shows me he's still competing and he's still not giving in. Then, that keeps Austin fresh and on his toes. I think every time we've gone out to an OTA, Austin's improved. He's getting more comfortable, he's getting more aware of where the wide receivers are going to be and what the timing of the route is, and checking the plays that we need to check. So, I know that him and Coach [Chip] Lindsey and Coach [Garrett] Riley have worked really hard this summer with all the quarterbacks to get up to speed."

Jones: "How important do you think it is for Austin to have that whole fall where, you know, [he's] kind of building that continuity with the new faces on offense and coming into a new system with Coach Lindsey? How important do you think this fall is going to be for him?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, I think, obviously, building on the reps we had in spring, April walkthrough, summer OTAs and fall camp is going to be really important to play the game. There's no replica in football, you know, except playing like playing the game. So, we're going to have to do a lot of fall camp of just put the ball down, play it, understand the situation, make decisions and live with those decisions. So, that's going to be integral to our development. I think the best thing we have going for us is a really veteran offensive line combined with tight ends and running backs and if you can run the football in this league, if you can lean on the run game, it's going to take the pressure off the quarterback. I think Curt Cignetti said it, you know, the two best friends for a quarterback are a good run game and a good defense. I feel strongly about our run game and I know Coach [Corey] Batoon and those guys on that side of the ball are working really hard to be a good defense."

Jones: "Well, [you have] Coach Lindsey, coming in. It was cool to get to catch up with him during spring camp. What kind of idea do you get of what he wants to build with this offense at Columbia?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, you know, the thing about Coach Lindsay is he understands the fundamentals of who we want to be and the identity that we want to have, which starts with a run game. When they won the SEC, when he was at Auburn, it started with being able to run the football first and, for me, that's where it begins. But, he also understands in order to be explosive you have to push the ball down the field and whether it was with Drake Maye or Jarrett Stidham or any of the quarterbacks that he's had that were elite, Nick Mullins at Southern Miss, that he knows how to dial up the pass game. So, that's been fun to watch those elements come together and he's a great leader. He knows what it takes on day-in, day-out to hold people accountable, hold the staff accountable and embrace everybody's ideas."

Jones: "Your wide receiver corps, I mean, Coach [Jacob] Peeler does a heck of a job with them every season, but Donovan Olugbode coming back and Caleb Gooide [coming in] and you have Cayden Lee, a guy who knows Austin Simmons. What excites you about that group and what maybe they could bring you this offense?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, I think the three, you know, Caleb Goodie has got great speed. Donovan Olugbode, he's got great body presence and control. Cayden Lee's always been a dynamic slot receiver. For us, it's always about who are the other guys that can really step up for us. Shaun Terry II, Kenric Lanier, you know, DaMarion Fowlkes. How quickly can we get Jabari Brady and Devyon [Hill-Lomax] up to speed? You know, for us, that's really what it's going to be about, is how many of these guys can we get up to speed as quickly as possible and each of them have their own strengths and weakness. I think Naeshaun Montgomery has had an outstanding summer. That's a guy who didn't play a ton last year, but he's got all the tools, and you just need an opportunity to grow."

Jones: "Well, it's funny because we talked so much, obviously, about the flashy positions, right? But in the SEC, especially, the trenches are just so important. I mean, to have some steady presences like a Cayden Green be coming back and then, of course, a Dominick Giudice, right? What does it mean to have those kind of just sturdy guys that you know what they're going to bring you day-in, day-out?"

Drinkwitz: "Right, right. You got three returning starters with Curtis Peagler, Dominick and Cayden Green. Then, you got Tristan Wilson, who played for us last year, and Luke Work played a lot at right tackle and you've got Zach Owens, who transferred in, you got Logan Reichert, you got Jack Lange and it's almost his time. There's a lot of competitive spirit in that group. There's a lot of guys, Whit Hafer has been a guy who you can constantly count on, who can really play. So, excited about that group. Nobody outworks our offensive line, nobody, and as long as your o-line is setting the tone for your team, I think the team lives up to that. [Dominick] and Cayden, both being captains, have set the tone, and I'm excited about, you know, what this season looks like for those guys."

Jones: "On the other side of the ball, we've come to know 'Death Row Defense,' everybody knows and loves them in Missouri, right? I mean, with so many new faces [on defense], what has it been like rebuilding that when you had so many, you know, returning guys last year?"

Drinkwitz: "I was actually having a conversation with a coach checking in yesterday, you know, trying to get the information on our team, and I said, we're like an old school defense from like eight years ago. Where you didn't have the portal coming in, you just had guys who had played, but now it's their turn to start. There's a lot of teams that have built some really good teams that way, you know. Darris Smith is a really good player, now it's his turn to start. Langden Kitchen is a really good player, it's his turn to start. Marquis Gracial, Jalen Marshall, both really good players, their turn to start. Robert Woodyard started at Auburn. You know, Nick Rodriguez is a good player, it's his turn to start. Chris Graves Jr. started a lot. Santana Banner is a really good player, it's his turn to start. Elijah Dotson, it's his turn to start. So, you know, we've got...Trajen Greco, it's his turn to start. There's a lot of pieces and a lot of guys who've played, but now it's their time to take on full-time roles and that's that to me is what's exciting. There's not the deficiencies that you know about, it's okay, let's let this guy live up to his maximum potential."

Jones: "Well, I want to talk about special teams. Obviously, it was sad to see Blake Craig last season missing out on his season, but to have him come back. What did you like about just how he attacked the rehab process and came back is where he is right now?"

Drinkwitz: "You know, he spoke to our team. We do attitude and gratitude on Wednesday and have four different players get up and talk about, you know, what are they grateful for and their mindset. Blake just got up and talked about how hard it was last year to have football taken away and how grateful he was just to be able to work out again. To hear somebody have that kind of passion to play the game, not for anything else other than just he loves the game and he loves this university, was really, really powerful, and excited about it. He's ready to roll. I know he's got a lot of confidence. We got a lot of confidence in him, and you know, he's got a deep snapper in Brett LeBlanc, who you got a ton of confidence in. We've got [Brunno Reus], who's going to handle our punting duties and can handle kickoffs for us. So, it's an exciting time for our specialists. Feel really good about where we're at, and you know, we got to play better on special teams. Obviously, Coach Papuchis knows that and look forward to continuing to elevate there. That's an area that, if we can make a significant push there, I think it really helps our team."

Jones: "To see that north end zone just go up like it has. What's the excitement to get in there on that first game and just finally play with it, right?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, we're to the point in the stadium where, it's not quite finished, but you can't really, you know, in the past you could see it all. You know, it was big things taking place, and now it's all the little stuff inside, so it's like, man, this is taking forever. It's unbelievable. It's changed the atmosphere, it's changed the look, it's changed the look of our campus. I think it's going to change the way people perceive us as a program in the SEC. It's going to give us a real opportunity to have - we've always had great fans and great home field advantage and I think the noise is going to be turned up to a level that we can't anticipate. So, I'm very, very excited. I'm asking the fans to do their part. We've sold out 20-straight home games. We have got to keep it going for night at Como and then that 100th anniversary when we play Troy, like we have to keep that. We've worked too hard, just come this far and so I'm begging the fans to show up and show out. Let's keep this sellout streak going."

Jones: "Need the energy of those fans, right, when you come with this season. A nine-game SEC schedule, a tough November, what's just the reaction of just this new-look schedule for you guys?"

Drinkwitz: "Yeah, just saw where Sporting News ranked us the No. 1 hardest schedule in the SEC. Everybody's got hard schedules, it's all hard in this league, there ain't no off weeks and so you know it is what it is and it's what we signed up for. It's like somebody said in attitude and gratitude this week, this is what you dreamed about doing, so don't complain about how hard it is, right? You dreamed of being here, this was the dream, you just didn't realize how hard it was gonna be. So, don't complain about it and so for me, man, I always dreamed of coaching in the SEC, and this is what it is, so you got to embrace it and look forward to the challenge. I think our team is well aware of what the noise is, and it just reminds us that we have something to prove."

Jones: "Well, with the advent of the 12-team [College Football Playoff], how different has it felt over the years? There's more teams in the mix for longer during the season and more teams kind of have this opportunity."

Drinkwitz: "I think the last two years, I think for us, we've been there at key moments, and you know, whether it was the South Carolina game two years ago or the Vanderbilt game last year, we controlled our opportunities to get it done. That's what you want and, you know, you can't get discouraged by it, you got to get yourself, pick yourself back up and go back into the fight. That's what we're going to do, so I look forward to this team getting in and getting into their fight."

Jones: "Well, you, I appreciate you making time and hanging out with us. Hope you enjoy the little break you get before the season."

Drinkwitz: " Appreciate y'all and M-I-Z."

Jones: "For the rest of you guys, we'll be right back after the break."