All Hogs

Drinkwitz doubles down on Mizzou offensive coordinator, Arkansas job rumor

Mullen may wants to be at UNLV for life supposedly, while SMU's Lashlee stands on business
Jacob Davis|
Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There is chaos taking place around college football and coaches don't seem to be advocates for it.

Just a few years ago, it was rare to see schools across the country decide to terminate a coach before November.

Now, especially in 2025, it's become a common standard with seven FBS openings and more jobs expected to open in what could be the most wide open coaching carousel in college football history.

Several coaches that have found their names on coaching hot lists or even being tied to certain jobs have shared their thoughts on being included, with some of them not being thrilled with the idea.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz blamed social media on the rise of rumors and rumblings when it comes to coaching searches.

While everyone has an inside scoop, or an idea of who's next up at their respective program, it is still too early to pinpoint who will be where in 2026.

Drinkwitz supposedly interviewed for the open Arkansas job that was ultimately filled by Sam Pittman in Dec. 2019. Six years later, the Tigers' coach has elevated the program to unforeseen heights and seems headed for a third consecutive 10-win season.

His success doesn't keep make him exclusively Missouri's either as he has been rumored as a potential candidate for the Penn State job due to his ability to build and sustain a program.

That doesn't mean he really likes what's being said, even when it comes to his offensive coordinator Kirby Moore.

"The number one issue right now amongst college football is the noise that's associated with people's programs at all points of the season, whether good, bad or indifferent, there's no such thing as journalistic integrity," Drinkwitz said.

"On social media, there's just wild, outlandish reporting and anybody's name. I'll bet every sitting head coach has been listed as a candidate for some job so far, and it you know, as a team, as a coach, we got to ignore the noise and focus on the things that we can control, which is winning and losing football games."

While it should be flattering to Drinkwitz seeing his staff being considered as potential head coaches, he dismissed Moore's interview with the Razorbacks during the team's off week.

Not only did he dismiss the meeting, but he went to the extent to double down that his assistant did not indeed interview for the Arkansas job.

"Last week, it was really unfortunate that Kirby [Moore's] name got associated to something that was complete lie," Drinkwitz said. "He never interviewed, didn't talk to anybody at Arkansas.

It's a bunch of bull crap put out there to try to create distractions in a narrative that then comes over after the fact, after the game, and it's really disappointing, all right, that this stuff happens because again, Twitter ain't real, and it's just a bunch of bull crap thrown on message boards."

Now, many of us college football media members and fans were born at night, but it certainly wasn't last night.

Coaching searches are wild and it's wildly possible coordinators are going to field calls through their agents to gauge interests for certain jobs.

UNLV Rebels coach Dan Mullen didn't proclaim his undying love for his current Mountain West Conference program, but we he did was try to quiet the noise surrounding his future.

"I'm gonna be the head coach at UNLV next year. I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere. You guys are stuck with me."

Mullen, who had plenty of success in the SEC at Mississippi State and Florida, is rumored to be in the running to replace Pittman.

While he said he will be with the Rebels next season, it could technically turn out true since his team currently sits at 6-0 on the season and is in the running as a Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoffs.

Of course, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee has been heavily linked to his alma mater Arkansas after taking the Mustangs to the ACC Championship and the College Football Playoffs in the programs first year in the Power Five.

It's believed SMU has committed the resources necessary to compete for national championships yearly along with paying the ACC membership fees ($20 million for nine years) like its the Augusta National Golf Club.

While Lashlee doesn't "stand anywhere on speculation and hypotheticals," that isn't going to keep his name off lists linking him to another job anyway.

Many fans enjoy plane tracking.

Others like to predict which job a fired coach might take based off the tie, I mean, hat he wears on a random Tuesday for a social media post.

Others, they just want to post their dream list of candidates for their favorite team.

That's part of being a [fan]atic. It's just what college football fans and media alike want to do and coaches need to just worry about their job at hand.

Unless, they are dilly dallying around looking for their next opportunity anyway.

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.

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