The Auburn Tigers can officially cross one of their nightmare outcomes off the College Football coaching carousel list.
On Thanksgiving Day, Missouri announced a contract extension for head coach Eli Drinkwitz, who has led the program since late 2019. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the new deal raises Drinkwitz’s average salary to more than ten point seven million dollars and expands the program’s commitment to staff support and the salary pool. Drinkwitz has compiled a forty five to twenty eight record in six seasons in Columbia.
It is a strong move for Missouri. They were unlikely to find an upgrade, so locking in their coach, even at a bold price, was the right call.
Why Eli Drinkwitz staying at Mizzou is great news for Auburn
Missouri appears content to hover around eight or nine wins each year while taking a swing at the College Football Playoff when the stars align. That approach fits the expectations in Columbia, but it is not remotely acceptable for every program.
One team that cannot afford that kind of ceiling is Auburn. Five years removed from parting ways with Gus Malzahn, the Tigers are still searching for a clear identity. They gambled with Bryan Harsin, who looked like a solid hire until he failed to build important relationships with Alabama high school coaches. They gambled again on Hugh Freeze, whose skeptics were ultimately proven right.
Bringing in Drinkwitz, who once worked with Malzahn on Auburn’s 2010 national title staff, would have felt like dragging the program backward. Harsin and Freeze, for all their flaws, were at least aggressive swings: Harsin was viewed as a rising program builder, and Freeze had a history of beating Nick Saban. The problem was in the vetting, not in the ambition. Both hires collapsed under character concerns that were visible by the end.
But there was at least a reason Auburn made those choices. They believed they were pushing forward.
If Jon Sumrall ends up struggling as the season wraps for Tulane, Auburn can still say they took another bold swing. They chased upside, hoping it would lead to wins over Alabama and Georgia. Hiring Drinkwitz, by contrast, would have been a conservative choice for a fanbase that prefers high risk if it increases the chance of big rewards.