Mizzou hires Aaron Fletcher from Tulsa to serve as team’s new defensive backs coach
Missouri has hired Aaron Fletcher from Tulsa to serve as a defensive backs coach, Eli Drinkwitz announced on Tuesday.
Fletcher was part of two bowl teams in his six seasons at Tulsa, where he oversaw cornerbacks.
Drinkwitz announced several other staff positions:
- Ryan Russell will serve as the program’s director of performance, overseeing nutrition, strength and conditioning, equipment and athletic medicine. Russell previously served as Auburn’s strength and conditioning coach.
- Brett Whiteside has been named the TIgers’ chief recruiting officer. He also comes from Auburn where he served as that program’s director of recruiting operations. Both this position and Russell’s are new ones for Missouri.
- Additionally, L’Damien Washington has been elevated to director of player development. Washington is a former Tigers wide receiver and captain on the 2013 team that won the SEC East.
Spring practice opens Friday
Missouri will open spring football practice on Friday. The Tigers are coming off a 5-5 season and third-place finish in the East.
Quarterback Connor Bazelak returns to lead the offense.
“I want to see him be aggressive this spring,” Drinkwitz said. “I want him to challenge himself and continue to improve as a quarterback.”
The biggest loss is linebacker Nick Bolton, who will next play in the NFL.
“We’re establishing a new edge for who we are, what we’re trying to create this coming season,” Drinkwitz said. “Everything starts over. Nothing we accomplished last year, other than the confidence we have in what we’re doing, is going to affect what we do this year.”
Players who won’t participate in spring practice while recovering from offseason surgery include: defensive lineman Kobie Whiteside, linebacker Cam Wilkins, linebacker Jatorian Hansford and safety Jalani Williams.
An NFL first for Drinkwitz
Drinkwitz said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend a Super Bowl. He took in the Chiefs’ 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this month.
“Got an opportunity to watch the greatest of all time against the hometown team,” Drinkwitz said.
And there’s this: Drinkwitz said the Super Bowl was the first NFL game he’s ever attended.