Eli Drinkwitz Details Mizzou's Search for Next Offensive Coordinator

Drinkwitz outlined what he'll be looking for in Missouri's next offensive play caller.

Aug 28, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz on field against the Central Arkansas Bears during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz has a list, and he'll surely be checking it at least twice.

Drinkwitz is in the early stages of finding a new offensive coordinator to replace Kirby Moore, who accepted the head coaching job at Washington State after three seasons at Missouri.

"I've had a lot of people reach out, recommend a lot of people that are great candidates and great people," Drinkwitz said of the search in a press conference Tuesday. "... I've got a group of names."

Drinkwitz outlined what a few of those priorities will be from a schematic and experience standpoint.

One of the items at the top of that list is prior experience as a play caller.

"This league doesn't allow for training wheels," Drinkwitz said. "There's not a lot of first-time play callers having a lot of success in this league. Gotta have an understanding of who you are, what your identity is, and so for me, that's going to be a priority in this thing. It's going to be somebody who I feel like has been in the fire before and understands it, knows what they're getting into."

Before joining Missouri's staff, Moore had spent one season as the offensive coordinator and play caller at Fresno State in 2022. Moore was the first offensive coordinator Drinkwitz hired at Missouri.

Drinkwitz is also looking for someone who can improve what the offense has been over the last two seasons.

Specifically in the passing game. In 2025, Missouri's offense averaged the most rushing yards per game (234.1) in the SEC, but the Tigers ranked dead last in the conference in passing yards per game (195.3). Drinkwitz also highlighted third downs as an area where improvement is needed for the offense.

In Missouri's four losses in 2025, the Tigers averaged 169 passing yards and converted just 30% of their third and fourth downs.

"Look at our four losses this year, look at our three losses last year, look at our two losses the year before that — our inability to consistently convert third downs in critical games or throw the ball has been a major factor in our losses," Drinkwitz said. 'We got to get that corrected and cleaned up."

The run game, however, has been elite for Missouri in almost every season under Drinkwitz. The Tigers have produced two consensus All-American running backs across the last three seasons, with Cody Schrader earning the recognition in 2023 and Ahmad Hardy in 2025.

"We have a pretty strong run run game here," Drinkwitz said. "I think we've got a pretty strong foundation of how we run the football."

Under Moore, Missouri meshed the passing concepts Moore developed at Fresno State under Jeff Tedford and Kalen DeBoer with the wide-zone run concepts Drinkwitz had built.

In the next offensive coordinator, Drinkwitz will want to maintain the outside zone running, but won't let that narrow what he's looking for schematically in candidates.

"We'll still have an identity in running the outside zone," Drinkwitz said. "But if somebody comes in and they want to emphasize the counter, the inside zone or power, or something like that, so be it, fine. I'm not going to put any restrictions on the offensive coordinator. As long as it fits into the offensive identity of who we are, which is rhythm, attack, execute, being able to play with an offensive rhythm and control the tempo, have a dominant downhill run, vertical pass game and being able to execute crucial situations."

Missouri is yet to determine who its offensive play caller will be in the Gator Bowl. Several members of Missouri's current offensive staff have previous coordinating experience.

Wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler was the offensive coordinator at Texas State in 2020 and 2021. Assistant quarterbacks coach Sean Gleeson has had stops as an offensive coordinator and play caller at Princeton, Oklahoma State and Rutgers. Offensive line coach Brandon Jones was the co-offensive coordinator at Houston in 2019 and 2020, and running backs coach Curtis Luper held the same role at TCU from 2017-2019.

Drinkwitz said the offensive staff is working together to form the game plan, then will decide who will call the plays.

"Staff collaboration is probably one of the best things we do here," Drinkwitz said. "We'll work through that the rest of the week as we're going through who's calling (plays), talking to the quarterback and all that stuff."

But, Drinkwitz re-iterated that the team and staff's focus is on preparing for the Gator Bowl, a game Drinkwitz thinks could be another important statement for the program's growth. A win would mark Missouri's 30th over the last three seasons, the most in a three-year span in program history.

Once Drinkwitz feels confident in the offensive game plan for Virginia, he'll turn his full focus to the future of the unit.

"I've been adamant with this, with our team, with our players, everybody who's in this building's focus has to be what we got to do to win the bowl game. And with Kirby getting his opportunity, my entire focus for the last 72 hours has been preparing and getting this offense into the best position possible for us," Drinkwitz said. "Once that's finalized, I feel confident in that, then I'll move on to the hiring an offensive coordinator."

Missouri will take on Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 27. Drinkwitz will likely look to hire his next offensive coordinator before the transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2.