After year off, why Mizzou defensive coordinator Steve Wilks chose Drinkwitz, Tigers
Steve Wilks had some continuity in the NFL, a rare occurrence for both coaches and players. After spending six seasons with the Carolina Panthers — rising from position coach to defensive coordinator — he was hired to lead the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.
But after a 3-13 season, he was “one-and-done,” he said. Then Wilks landed with the Cleveland Browns in what he billed as a great opportunity, hired as defensive coordinator under coach Freddie Kitchens. Then Kitchens was fired, and again, Wilks was one-and-done.
Wilks, 51, said he “didn’t really want to put my family in that situation again,” so he paused his career in 2020. Instead of prowling the sidelines, he stayed home, studying film with his good friend Alonso Escalante.
The plan was to always return to coaching, Wilks said, but he was able to “recharge” and “refocus” in his time off. He was able to be picky, too, looking for the right situation.
Wilks said he believes he found that in Mizzou and coach Eliah Drinkwitz. MU officially announced Jan. 21 that Wilks was joining the Tigers as defensive coordinator.
“When I talk about longevity, Coach Drink just got here last year,” Wilks said Monday at his introductory news conference. “He’s going into his second year. When you look at what he’s put in place, the direction in which his program is going, I just felt in line with his vision and his expectation.”
Armed with years of NFL experience, Wilks said he had multiple options this offseason. But Drinkwitz was persistent, and his lone recruiting trip was to convince Wilks to join him in Columbia. Wilks agreed to a two-year, $2.4 million contract with Mizzou to become the highest-paid assistant in program history.
The two met when Drinkwitz was in his lone season at Appalachian State in 2019. Wilks, a former Mountaineer player, immediately connected with the up-and-coming coach. Wilks said he planned to visit coaches like Drinkwitz in his year off, though the pandemic canceled those plans.
It doesn’t hurt either, Drinkwitz said, that Wilks has head coaching experience. They’ve already discussed non-football topics, like scheduling, to maximize efficiency in practice and other avenues. Wilks said there’s a lot more than football that goes into being the head of a program or organization, which is where Drinkwitz said he believes Wilks will help him personally down the line.
Wilks already has some connections with the MU defensive staff. Secondary coach Charlie Harbison was under Wilks in Arizona. Wilks and MU linebackers coach DJ Smith, another former Mountaineer, were in the same fraternity.
While Wilks hasn’t coached in the college ranks since 2005, Drinkwitz said he views his wealth of NFL experience as a positive, if anything.
“There’s a lot of coaches who are selling out there that, hey, if you want to go to the NFL, this is what you need to do,” Drinkwitz said. “But they haven’t coached in the NFL. They haven’t coached in Super Bowls and NFC championships. They’re saying what they think it is. He’s going to be able to say what it is, this is how you do it.”
Drinkwitz said they’re in the final stages to hire Jethro Franklin as MU’s new defensive line coach. MU and former coach Brick Haley parted ways; Drinkwitz cited going in a “different direction.”
Wilks said he’s known Franklin for years, dating back to their college recruiting days in what used to be the Pac-10. Franklin most recently coached with the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant defensive line coach. Franklin will also bring a heavy dose of coaching experience, both in college and the pros.
“Tremendous leader,” Wilks said of Franklin. “Great communicator. Great teacher. He’s developed players over the years. … He is a guy that I feel like is a guy that’s going to be a lot to the program just with his mere fact of being a fundamentalist.”
There will be plenty of adjustments Wilks will need to make in the coming months. For starters, he’ll coach on Saturdays instead of Sundays. And instead of coaching multi-millionaires in the NFL, he’ll be in charge of young men looking to make the next step.
Wilks said he hasn’t been able to get down to the finer details of his roster and scheme. He pointed out defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat, a first-team all-SEC selection by league coaches, as a guy he can “build around.”
“The one assessment is we have some talent on the defensive side of the ball,” Wilks said. “I feel like we can trend in the right direction for us moving forward. Trying to fill some pieces. Everything we do starts up front. That’s what I believe on this system.”
Wilks will also need to hit the recruiting trail once again, an adjustment to the NFL where players are signed to contracts via the draft or free agency. But Wilks said he views that as another form of competing, going up against other programs.
Once he gets those players on campus, Wilks said their responsibility as “teachers” is to harness their ability to get to the next level. He said he wants every one of his players to finish, not just on the field but in the classroom and weight room.
“We may not always get the five star players, alright,” Wilks said. “But the thing about it is we want to shoot for them. But if we get a four-star, we’re going to make them a five. If we get a three-star, we’re going to make them a five. That’s our job as coaches.”
After taking a season off, Wilks said he feels ready for the new but familiar challenge of coaching in college again. Wilks added Drinkwitz has already laid the foundation of his culture, now it’s building off that for what he hopes is the long haul.
“I never allowed what I do to identify who I am as a person,” Wilks said. “Meaning I didn’t really need the NFL shield to say, ‘OK, I’m coaching in the league.’ I wanted a great situation. I wanted a situation where I thought I was going in the right direction from the standpoint of culture. Standpoint of leadership.”