Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz rules out Florida State move
The 43-year-old head coach stated he is not a candidate for the Seminoles as his team prepares to face No. 10 Texas on Saturday.
By Tessa Cooper ·
College football coaching markets often generate noise before major matchups, but Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz has put his name out of the running for the Florida State vacancy. Speaking at his Tuesday press conference, Drinkwitz explicitly stated that he is not a candidate for the Seminoles job.
Drinkwitz made the announcement unprompted, citing a desire to remove distractions before his No. 19 Tigers travel to Austin to play No. 10 Texas on Saturday. He told reporters, "I want to clear that up," adding that the team needs to focus on the upcoming game and eliminate clutter. This clarification comes just days after Florida State fired coach Mike Norvell on Sunday.
The 43-year-old Drinkwitz initially emerged as a frontrunner when Florida State began its search, joining a list that included Duke's Manny Diaz and Wake Forest's Jake Dickert. However, his decision to stay put aligns with his recent contract extension, which was signed last November. That deal raised his average annual salary to over $10.7 million, making him the 11th-highest paid coach in college football according to USA Today's database.
Since taking the Missouri helm, Drinkwitz has compiled a 52-31 overall record, including 35-12 over the past four seasons. The Tigers currently sit at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. If they upset the Longhorns as 2.5-point road underdogs on Saturday, their chances of reaching the College Football Playoff rise to 15.9%, according to the CBS Sports CFP Forecaster. A win would also set up a gauntlet of tough November games, including a trip to No. 2 Georgia and home dates against No. 8 Kentucky and Oklahoma.
