Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz balances defense, special teams despite all eyes on offense
While everyone focuses on how Missouri Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz plans to run his offense — and rightfully so — being Mizzou’s top guy comes with more responsibilities.
That’s where his one year at Appalachian State comes in, the head coach said. While Drinkwitz, 36, doesn’t have a long resume of head coaching experience, he still learned bits and pieces in leading the Mountaineers to a 12-1 record and Sun Belt conference title.
The obligations included recruiting, managing egos and — perhaps most importantly — two areas he had little experience with before his first head coaching gig: defense and special teams.
When Drinkwitz was formally introduced Tuesday as Mizzou’s coach, he had a firm vision of what he expected from every phase of the game. While he will be the offensive coordinator and play-caller, he plans to trust other coaches with the unfamiliar.
“When you’re the head football coach, it all ends up at your doorstep and at your desk,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s a lot of tasks. You gotta take it one bite at a time and work to achieve it — understand it takes what it takes to be successful.”
For the Mizzou defense, key pieces return for 2020. Linebacker Nick Bolton had an incredible year as a sophomore; he was chosen first-team All-SEC by the coaches, among other accolades. Kobie Whiteside figures to anchor the defensive line after Jordan Elliott declared for the NFL Draft.
Mizzou defended the pass well playing a bend-but-don’t-break style, keeping the Tigers in games where the offense struggled. The final result was a defense that allowed 19.4 points per game, 17th in the nation.
“On defense, we’re going to stop the run, we’re going to confuse, harass and hit the quarterback,” Drinkwitz said. “We’re going to be fundamentally sound with tackling and turnovers. We will do that every single day.”
When Mizzou athletic director Jim Sterk was on the coaching search, there appeared to be a theme in who he was looking at. While he eventually hired Drinkwitz, a list of candidates he informally discussed with school officials were all offensive-minded coaches.
But Sterk added he interviewed both offensive- and defensive-minded coaches, eventually landing on Drinkwitz. Sterk said he expects Drinkwitz to find the right coaches.
“If you’re a defensive guy, you gotta find the right offensive guy,” Sterk said. “If you’re an offensive guy you gotta find the right defensive guy. I love that Eli really stresses the special teams. ... I’m excited about that combination.”
Drinkwitz wasn’t shy of explaining how important special teams would be for the Tigers, going as far as calling it the “heartbeat” of his program. The coach added how one play on special teams can flip momentum.
“The best players play on special teams, that’s my commitment to it,” Drinkwitz said. “There are no, ‘Well, he can’t play (on special teams).’ Every player’s going to play.”
There are still open positions on Drinkwitz’s staff, which figures to be a mix of former coach Barry Odom’s assistants and those who follow him from Boone, North Carolina. Special teams will be led by Erik Link, who was the special teams coordinator at App State under Drinkwitz.
As for what he’s looking for in a defensive coordinator, Drinkwitz said he wants a “low ego and high output” coach. Odom’s defensive coordinator, Ryan Walters, has a solid chance to stick around, especially after the season Mizzou had.
Drinkwitz said he wants to give Odom’s former staff a chance to interview. When Drinkwitz was at Arkansas State and current Auburn coach Guz Malzahn departed, it left Drinkwitz unsure of his future. But when Bryan Harsin arrived, he kept Drinkwitz on staff as it was a crucial step on the Mizzou coach’s path.
“(Harsin) didn’t have to do that,” Drinkwitz said. “We didn’t know each other. But he gave me an opportunity to interview. I’m going to give some guys some opportunities to visit and see if there’s a connection. No promises, but I have an open heart and open mind.”