$64 million college football coach sounds 'warning bells' on tampering

The NCAA transfer portal will open for all players looking to join new programs on Jan. 2, 2026. Hundreds of players across all levels of college football have already decided to enter the transfer portal when it opens.

One concern about the transfer portal is that programs may tamper with players at other schools before it opens. In some cases, programs will tamper with players in the middle of the season.

Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz delivered a message about tampering in college football to the media on Tuesday, calling it a "sickness."

Long, but worth a listen: #Mizzou HC Eli Drinkwitz talks about the state of college football, right now, as it relates to the College Sports Commission Agreement (which still hasn't been signed).

"I understand the national sentiment because of the salary ranges of head coaches… pic.twitter.com/zSXB996hjr
— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) December 16, 2025

"There is no such thing as tampering because there's nobody that's been punished for tampering," Drinkwitz said. "Everybody on my roster is being called. I had a dad call me (and I called the head coaches at their schools) that this school, this school and this school called and they're offering this much money."

The sixth-year head coach at Missouri recently signed an extension $64.5 million through 2031, accumulating a 29-9 record the past three seasons. He has been one of the most outspoken college football coaches on many issues surrounding the sport in the era of the transfer portal and NIL.

In addition to tampering, Drinkwitz also raised concerns about whether the system really has the best interests of college football players and their futures in mind.

"TV viewership may be at an all-time high, and that's awesome. Gambling on sports may be at an all-time high, and that's great. I got no problem with that," Drinkwitz said. "But what about the well-being of the student athlete? What about graduation rates? What about tax implications? What about handling and understanding financial literacy? What is their life going to look like after five years of college athletics? Is it going to be better because they participated in college athletics, or could they be in a tougher situation?"

Drinkwitz's final question may be answered soon, as most players who began their college football journeys around the passage of NIL are nearing the end of their college careers. Some extreme examples, such as quarterbacks Max Johnson and TJ Finley, will be looking for a seventh year of eligibility after transferring multiple times.

Many players who either received more compensation elsewhere or did not see the field regularly will have transferred at least twice by the end of their careers. The former may be due to tampering.

Drinkwitz will lead the Tigers (8-4, 4-4) in the Gator Bowl against Virginia (10-3, 7-1) on Dec. 27 (7:30 p.m. EST, ABC).