From diapers to Nutcracker, Drinkwitz discusses how Mizzou coaching search unfolded
Eliah Drinkwitz was set to embark on what was shaping up to be a life-changing 24 hours. It was Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, and Drinkwitz was preparing for at least one interview, with Missouri officials set to fly to Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to speak with him.
But in the hours before that visit, at about 4:15 p.m., his youngest daughter, Parker Lynn, needed a diaper change.
“My wife is like, ‘Hey, it’s your turn to change it,’” Drinkwitz during in an appearance on the livestream platform Periscope with former Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel Wednesday night. “I’m sitting there thinking to myself, ‘This is the biggest day of my professional career as a head coach and I’m changing dirty diapers.’ At the end of the day, that was way more important than calling third downs. That day worked out anyway. It keeps you humble.”
Then there was the infamous “Nutcracker” performance Drinkwitz needed to attend for another one of his daughters, which he tweeted about during the thick of the coaching search. He got down to business eventually, but not before attending to those family matters first.
“My wife, she keeps me grounded. She said, ‘You’re not missing that,’” Drinkwitz said. “’You can do whatever the crap you want after that, but you’re going to that.’ So I went to ‘The Nutcracker,’ and then after that, drove down to Wilkesboro and interviewed.”
Drinkwitz and Daniel spoke for roughly 40 minutes. Daniel is set to speak with former Missouri coach Gary Pinkel via Periscope on Friday.
As part of Wednesday’s conversation, Drinkwitz shed a little more light on how Missouri landed its new football coach. It’s been reported that Missouri officials, including athletic director Jim Sterk, MU president Mun Choi, then-chancellor Alexander Cartwright and a few others, flew down to speak with Drinkwitz in person.
Drinkwitz said another school in the running also visited to interview him. Of course, he ultimately chose the Tigers and was introduced as the successor to Barry Odom on Dec. 10.
“I was strategic in exactly what opportunities might intrigue me,” Drinkwitz said. “It wasn’t until the later part of the week like Thursday where the search at Mizzou got a little bit different. All of a sudden, they were a little more interested in me and kind of things that we had done. On Friday, I had gotten word they were interested.”
Drinkwitz also outlined what his daily routine looks like right now. He said the Mizzou staff usually sends players a non-required workout at 8 a.m. via YouTube. Then, based on the day, coaches and players might “meet” virtually as part of their four hours’ of remote training allowed per week by the NCAA. That number will jump to eight hours per week starting Monday and lasting through May 31, the NCAA announced Thursday.
“The thing I’ve challenged our staff is: Don’t text,” Drinkwitz said. “Pick up the phone and call. It’s such an easy deal to use our thumbs. It’s just words popped up on the screen. Pick up the phone and voice-to-voice, let’s call and connect with our guys.”
CoMo delicacies
During the chat and some ensuing questions from viewers, Daniel asked Drinkwitz about his opinion of Shakespeare’s Pizza and if the coach has a favorite restaurant in Columbia.
When it comes to the local pizza joint, Drinkwitz broke it down: He said Shakespeare’s is “unbelievable” … as long as it’s at the downtown location.
“The ones at the other locations, they don’t taste the same,” Drinkwitz said. “I made this big deal about how good Shakespeare’s was. Then I take my family to the one, now I’m not gonna name the location, but they’re like, ‘What’re you talking about?’ It’s not even the same pizza.”
When it comes down to a favorite restaurant, though, Drinkwitz was cautious and didn’t want to name any names.
“I’m trying to get fans in the stands,” Drinkwitz said. “I’m smart enough to know that if I tell you my favorite restaurant in Columbia, I’m going to piss off a lot of people. I ain’t kind of doing that.”
He did name a few specific local spots he’s enjoyed. There’s a certain vibe to Booche’s, he said. Las Margaritas and Murry’s are a couple other solid locations, Drinkwitz continued. CC’s City Broiler, Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie and D Rowe’s wings rounded out the list of shout-outs the coach shared.
“If there’s one thing I know, it’s food,” Drinkwitz said. “I know sweets. I know desserts. There’s plenty of great spots. We’ve gotta do a great job of going and eating at all those places.”