Eliah Drinkwitz building Mizzou staff with three assistants, more hires to come
Missouri Tigers coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s football staff is starting to take form.
Mizzou announced the hiring of associate head coach Charlie Harbison and special teams coordinator Erik Link on Thursday. Both worked alongside Drinkwitz in their lone season at Appalachian State. A third assistant, D.J. Smith, is reportedly headed to Mizzou as well, according to Yahoo. Smith was the outside linebacker coach under Drinkwitz.
Harbison, 61, was the first hire and will focus on defense. Exact details of his contract or specific duties are to be announced as Harbison has to go through human resource requirements. Harbison was associate head coach and cornerbacks coach for the Mountaineers last season.
He brings 29 years of collegiate experience to Mizzou, including time in the NFL as cornerbacks coach with the Arizona Cardinals from 2018-19.
“I’m very excited to continue working with Coach Drink and grateful for the opportunity to join the Mizzou family,” Harbison said in a release. “He is a great coach to work for, he’s outstanding with the x’s and o’s, and he’s even better with the staff and the athletes on a personal level.
“He has this air about him that makes people want to play for him and coach for him. Coach Drink has been a blessing to me and my family, and I know he’ll be a blessing for Mizzou.”
Drinkwitz said Tuesday at his introductory news conference special teams will be the “heartbeat” of his team. It’s why he stressed he would hire someone to coach just special teams. Link is that guy. He was special teams coordinator at App State in 2019. He was also a quality control assistant at Auburn alongside Drinkwitz in 2010.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Mizzou family,” Link said. “I am humbled at the opportunity to work with the outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff at the University of Missouri. My family and I are grateful to Coach Drinkwitz and look forward to working every day to attack success and to embracing the Columbia community.”
Smith was the Mountaineers’ outside linebackers coach from 2018-19. He also played four years in the NFL after graduating from Appalachian State.
Drinkwitz has a $5.2 million pool for 10 assistant coaches as part of his contract with Mizzou. He still has seven spots remaining, though some coaches from former coach Barry Odom’s staff could return. FootballScoop reported defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, former interim coach Brick Haley and defensive backs coach David Gibbs are “expected to remain on staff.”
There are coaches who won’t return, however. According to PowerMizzou, special teams coordinator Andy Hill, running backs coach Cornell Ford and tight ends coach A.J. Ofodile will not be retained.
Hill was in his 24th season at Mizzou and was the longest-tenured coach on Odom’s staff. Ford wrapped up his 19th season at Mizzou, joining the school with former coach Gary Pinkel in 2001. Ofodile, a former Mizzou tight end, was in his fourth season after starting off as recruiting coordinator for Odom.