Mizzou Football Announces Several Coaching Staff Changes for 2026

The Tigers officially announced the hiring and roles of multiple new coaching assistants.

Oct 22, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz on the sidelines against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Missouri football officially announced the hiring of four position coaches, two assistants and added responsibilities for returning staff members in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

All of the staff additions had been reported previously, but the roles of some assistants were yet to be revealed until Wednesday.

John Papuchis will be the Tigers' special teams coordinator after holding the same role at Florida State over the last six seasons. Additionally, he'll serve as a defensive assistant. He served as Florida State's defensive ends coach from 2020-2024, and coached the linebackers in 2025. He's had two stints as a defensive coordinator, holding the role with Nebraska from 2012-14 and at North Carolina in 2017-18.

Papuchis brought two transfers over from Florida State with him, with Missouri signing kicker/punter Brunno Reus and edge rusher Jaden Jones, both of whom Papuchis originally recruited to the Seminoles.

Papuchis is one of two new coordinators for the Tigers, along with Chip Lindsey, who the Tigers hired to replace Kirby Moore at offensive coordinator after Moore accepted the head coaching job at Washington State.

Lindsey's unit added two new position coaches.

Most notably, Garrett Riley will serve as the quarterbacks coach after three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Clemson. He was on Eli Drinkwitz's staff at Appalachian State in 2019 as the running backs coach.

Also in the quarterback room, Brendan Bognar was named an assistant quarterbacks coach. He held the same role at Florida State in 2025, working with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, a long-time connection for Drinkwitz.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley watches over quarterback Trent Pearman (14) and quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) during the Pinstipe Bowl practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alex Atkins will take over as the tight ends coach, replacing Derham Cato, who followed Moore to take the same role at Washington State. Most of Atkins' coaching experience has been with the offensive line, but he was LSU's tight ends coach in 2025. He has experience working with Papuchis, serving as Florida State's offensive line coach from 2020-2024, adding on the offensive coordinator role through the final two years of that stint.

Finally on the offense, Luke Meadows was named as an offensive line assistant. He's been the offensive line coach at Northern Illinois over the last two seasons.

Defensively, Missouri added a new position coach and added new responsibilities for three returning coaches.

Levorn Harbin will serve as the defensive line coach. The role was held by David Blackwell in 2025, who was promoted to the position coach after serving as an assistant in 2024. Blackwell was quickly promoted to replace Al Davis, who stepped down from the role in May of 2025.

Harbin has spent the last five seasons on Tennessee's staff, most recently serving as the outside linebackers coach in 2025. He's had several stints coaching the defensive line, including at Louisiana, Tuskegee and at Valdosta State.

Linebackers coach Derek Nicholson will add on the title of co-defensive coordinator, assisting Corey Batoon. Edge rushers coach Brian Early adds the title of pass-rush specialist. Finally, safeties coach Jacob Yoro added the tile of pass-game coordinator.

The promotions and additions for the Tigers come after Drinkwitz received a contract extension in November that included an increase in the pool for his assistant staff, going from $12 million to $16 million.