Eli Drinkwitz named a finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Just one day after being named the AP SEC Coach of the Year, Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz made another, prestigious list. The fourth-year head coach is officially a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
It will be Drinkwitz's second-career finalist nod for the honor. His first came in his time at Appalachian State, in 2019.
Coach Eli led his football team to the best season he's had in his time in Columbia. The No. 9 Tigers captured 10 wins for the first time since 2014 and also punched a ticket to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 7 Ohio State, on Dec. 29.
2023 was the corner that fans had been waiting to turn. In his first three seasons at the helm, he finished 5-5, 6-7 and 6-7. However, through those years, he recruited at a high level. He brought on some of the best recruiting classes the program ever has seen, including onboarding one of the most highly-touted recruits in the land, five-star wide receiver Luther Burden.
Mizzou's two losses in 2023 came against a couple of Top-15 teams, in LSU and Georgia. In both of those losses, MU came within 10 points of a win.
MU has never had a coach win the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, but the program has had finalists. Tiger legend Gary Pinkel was a finalist in both 2007 and 2013 and then Larry Smith was a finalist for the award in 1998.
Former Mizzou football coach Barry Odom also joins Drinkwitz on the 2023 finalist list. He led UNLV to a 9-4 record and a trip to the Mountain West Conference Championship in his first season in Las Vegas.
The winner of Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award will be announced on Dec. 20.
