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Eliah Drinkwitz
Eliah "Eli" Drinkwitz (born April 12, 1983) is an American football coach. He is the head coach of the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri, a position he has held since the 2020 season. Drinkwitz previously served as the head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers in 2019; prior to this, he was an assistant coach for the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the Boise State Broncos, the Arkansas State Red Wolves, and the Auburn Tigers. Coaching careerAuburnAfter coaching at Springdale High School (Arkansas), where he coached with Gus Malzahn in 2004, Drinkwitz moved to Auburn in 2009 to work on football operations as the quality control coach, and was on the coaching staff when Auburn won the 2010 National Championship under Gene Chizik.[2] Arkansas StateIn 2012, after two successful seasons with Auburn, he followed Gus Malzahn to Arkansas State, where he spent the 2011 and 2013 seasons as running backs coach, and in 2013 also served as co-offensive coordinator. Boise StateIn 2014, when Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin became head coach at Boise State, Drinkwitz joined his staff as the tight ends coach. In 2015, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. NC StateIn 2016, Drinkwitz was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at NC State. He served in this position for three seasons, during which he won two bowl games and won 25 games. The Wolfpack also finished at #23 in the AP Poll in 2017. Appalachian StateOn December 13, 2018, Drinkwitz was hired as the head coach at Appalachian State University.[3] In his one season as head coach of the Mountaineers, he finished 12–1, with a victory over Louisiana in the 2019 Sun Belt championship.[4][5] He did not coach their bowl game.[6] MissouriOn December 9, 2019, Drinkwitz was hired as the head coach of the Missouri Tigers,[7] replacing Barry Odom. In his first season with Mizzou, the Tigers compiled a record of 5–5, including a win over defending national champion LSU, who also finished 5-5.[8][9] In the 2021 season, Drinkwitz led Missouri to a 6–6 regular season record and an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, a 24–22 loss to Army.[10][11] In the 2022 season, Drinkwitz again led Missouri to a 6–6 regular season record.[12] Missouri qualified for the Gasparilla Bowl, where they lost to Wake Forest 27–17.[13] Drinkwitz led the Tigers to a breakout season in 2023, finishing the regular season 10–2 overall and 6–2 in the SEC. Missouri as a result would be selected to play the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl, which Missouri won 14–3.[14] On December 31, 2023, the University of Missouri announced a contract extension for Drinkwitz through the 2028 season which included a pay raise to $9 million for the 2024 season.[15] Personal lifeDrinkwitz was born in Norman, Oklahoma to Jerry and Susie Drinkwitz, but his parents and older siblings moved to the Alma, Arkansas area in 1984 when he was a year old. Being raised in Alma and playing football for the Alma Airedales is what led him to want to become a football coach, especially hearing the stories of his father playing for Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, during the 1960s. During his time at Alma, he was an All-Conference and All-State selection and was named FCA Huddle Leader of the Year.[16] He then chose to go to Russellville and received a bachelor's degree in education from Arkansas Tech University in 2004. Drinkwitz and his wife Lindsey have four daughters. Head coaching record
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