Eli Drinkwitz Speaks on Recently Hired Offensive and Special Teams Coordinator

Drinkwitz discussed his two new coordinator hires for the first time.

Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey watches warmup ahead of the Washington game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers brought on two new coordinators in the offseason to fill vacancies left by offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and special teams coordinator Erik Link.

 Those are two crucial spots that needed to be filled, given the success, or lack thereof, in both of those phases of the game. Those were important hires for Drinkwitz to make with the goal of ensuring more consistency and stability. 

With Moore heading off to Washington State, Lindsey, a seasoned veteran of offensive coaching and intangibles, came over from Michigan to take over. Drinkwitz and Lindsey have seldom crossed paths, but they do have a mutual respect and admiration for one another. 

Drinkwitz addressed the two new position coaches for the first time on Thursday.

“Chip and I've never really worked together, but we know of each other,” Drinkwitz said at Missouri’s first spring media availability. We've crossed some of the same paths, and felt like he has a lot of experience in this league. He's been through these battles and wars, he's coached at a really high level in a lot of different places.”

The personality that Lindsey brings to the table is a crucial part of Drinkwitz hiring him, as is the history Lindsey has with quarterbacks. Lindsey has his fingerprints all over the development of Nick Mullens, Jarrett Stidham and most importantly, former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. He’s done them all at different stops, as well. 

“(I) feel like he has a low ego, high output. Obviously, has a history of quarterback development,” Lindsey said. He's got plenty of pelts on the wall from the quarterbacks that he's developed in the offensive schemes that he's had.” 

Lindsey will have two new positional coaches by his side this season in Alex Atkins and Garrett Riley. Atkins is coming over from LSU, where he was the tight ends coach and interim offensive coordinator. Riley was the offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers. 

Both of those coaches also have plenty of experience in their respective positions and schools. The new voices on the offensive coaching staff will bring a welcome set of new ideas and perspectives on how to find success, especially in the passing game.

“To be able to bring him in, combine him with the staff that we have, bring in some other voices from the outside with Alex (Atkins) and Garrett (Riley), I thought it's been a really good addition,” Drinkwitz said.

With Link gone as the special teams coordinator and heading to New Mexico to hold the same title, new and fresh ideas will be inserted into the third phase for the Tigers. Drinkwitz opted to hire John Papuchis from Florida State, a coach who’s held plenty of other positions prior to arriving in Columbia. 

Papuchis has plenty of Power 4 experience at a variety of stops, finding various successes at each location. The combination of his new ideas and collegiate experience could blend well with Drinkwitz and potentially lead to more special teams success. 

“(He) had been here for six seasons and in this league, sometimes you got to get some new ideas (and) fresh blood in,” Drinkwitz said. “I think Coach (John) Papuchis, with his experience around college football, whether it's been at UNC, at Maryland, at FSU, at Nebraska, LSU.”

Drinkwitz talked about the two new coordinators at the first spring football meeting of the season, with more on the way. The new coordinators and other assistant coaches will address the media later in the spring.