Mizzou football announces hiring of new offensive coordinator
There’s going to be a new play-caller in Columbia in 2026.
On Sunday, Mizzou football announced the hiring of its new offensive coordinator, as head coach Eli Drinkwitz brought former Michigan OC Chip Lindsey onboard, after he spent one season in Ann Arbor.
The hiring comes after former Tiger offensive coordinator Kirby Moore took the head coaching job at Washington State. He had been the head of the MU offense for three seasons. In that time, Mizzou complied a 29-9 overall record and won back-to-back bowl games, including the 2023 Cotton Bowl. Since Moore took the reins in 2023, the Tigers have averaged about 32 points per game and have consistently boasted one of the top rushing attacks in the nation.
But now, with new life making its way to Columbia, Coach Drinkwitz put out a clear goal for his new OC: improving the passing game.
Lindsey has experience mentoring NFL-caliber quarterbacks to success in his day, including current Patriots starter and former North Carolina star Drake Maye, Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens.
In total, MU's new OC brings in 28 years of coaching experience, including offensive coordinator gigs at Michigan, North Carolina, Auburn, Arizona State, UCF and Southern Miss. He also served as the quarterbacks coach at Troy from 2019-21.
"We are excited to welcome Chip Lindsey to Mizzou to lead our offense," Drinkwitz said in a press release. "He does a tremendous job of not only coaching and developing players but organizing and implementing the offense. He is an excellent offensive mind with wide range of experience from high school to offensive coordinator to college head coach. Chip is a tremendous addition to our coaching staff and someone who can seamlessly transition into the job."
In his one season with the Michigan Wolverines, Coach Lindsey helped rebuild the offense in Ann Arbor. Led by up-and-coming quarterback Bryce Underwood, the Michigan offense averaged 213.2 rushing yards per game (No. 15 nationally), while also averaging 185.8 yards in the passing game.
Before he joined the folks in Ann Arbor, Lindsey found success in North Carolina, where he worked with th Tar Heels from 2023-24. In that time, his unit averaged 32.3 points per game and 423.4 yards of total offense per game. UNC led the ACC in rushing offense with an average of 189.5 yards per game, while also averaging 233.9 yards through the air per contest.
"I could not be happier to have the opportunity to work with Eli Drinkwitz in Columbia," Lindsey said in a press release. "What Coach Drinkwitz has done at Mizzou over that past six years is remarkable. You couple that with the commitment the University of Missouri has made to the football program, this is one of the most attractive coordinator jobs in the country. The commitment and infrastructure in place from an organizational standpoint and the talent on the field is truly exciting."
His 2023 season with the Tar Heels was by far one of his most successful, as his offense ranked No. 7 nationally in yards per contest with 491.2, while scoring 34.5 points per game. That was the year that Lindsey got mentor Maye, who ended up as the third overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, that team also boasted a Doak Walker Award Finalist and First Team All-American in running back Omarion Hampton.
Lindsey will also come to Columbia with head coaching experience. He spent three seasons at the helm at Troy, posting a 15-19 overall record. His offense ranked 21st nationally in passing yards in his second season, along with Pro Football Focus' third-ranked offensive line in pass-blocking efficiency. In that season, the Trojans finished No. 9 nationally in passing (313.2), No 25 in scoring (33.8) and No. 18 in total offense (456.3).
His Southeastern Conference experience will also prove critical, as he joins Coach Drinkwitz's staff. In his time at Auburn, he was both the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In 2013, he was also an offensive analyst for the Tigers, when the team won the SEC Championship and appeared in the BCS National Championship Game.
