Ten wins aren’t enough. Not for Eli Drinkwitz. 2023 SEC Coach of the Year, 2019 Eddie Robinson finalist, and still, he’s got to prove himself. 10-3 last season, and fans are still roasting him, throwing him on the hot seat for not bringing home the big wins. And to crank up the heat? He just dropped $1.5 million on Beau Pribula, a quarterback gamble that’s got everyone talking. So, is Drinkwitz on his way out? An SEC insider just spilled the tea on his fate. And just to add to the drama, Drinkwitz himself just dropped some spring practice updates and the Mizzou quarterback situation.

Eli Drinkwitz has already surpassed his predecessors in recruiting. His high school recruiting ranked 20th nationally, compared to Barry Odom’s 38th and Gary Pinkel’s 26th. However, as he enters his sixth season, Drinkwitz faces mounting scrutiny. Last season’s blowout losses to Alabama (34-0) and Texas A&M (41-10) fueled speculation about his future.   

Just to add fuel to the fire, Missouri Tigers’ HC went on The Paul Finebaum Show on Thursday, making this bold claim: “I’m incredibly excited about the talent we’ve acquired on this football team.” Confidence? Especially considering their brutal schedule ahead. Now, this team’s only won 21 games in the last two years, and now they’re facing a gauntlet of heavy hitters. So, is this increased sales pitch, without the on-field results, putting his job on the line?

On the March 23rd episode of “That SEC Football Podcast,” Cousin Shane provided clarity: “Drinkwitz is in no jeopardy of losing his job here. But if he loses a s–t ton of momentum, if he comes out here and says ‘this is the most talented team’ and then drops two of the first four games.” In that way, Drinkwitz can’t afford to replay his 2024 mistakes where the Tigers had issues with offensive efficiency and kicking. Plus, not to forget their inconsistent offense. The running game dropped to 4.1 yards per carry after the loss of running back Cody Schrader. So, is it going to be an uphill battle for Drinkwitz?

“Slippery slope,” answered Shane. So, if the HC loses his focus, he will be sliding down the slope. However, no matter what happens, Drinkwitz always has a positive outlook. As Shane highlighted, “But I do like the confidence. I do like to hear this from my coach. Here we talk so much, Mike, about coaches not speaking their minds and I hate that. I love a coach that comes up and tells the truth. Maybe he is telling you the truth, and you better buckle up because with that schedule, this is the best team that Drinkwitz had up there, then my God, they are probably going to the playoffs.” Now to firm his grip on the slippery slope, the HC needs to have some clarity on the QB scene. What does the Mizzou QB picture look like at the moment?       

Eli Drinkwitz’s quarterback carousel 

After the 2024 season, a Brady Cook-sized void was left in the Missouri Tigers offense at the quarterback position. Back in 2023, Drinkwitz landed Drew Pyne from Arizona State, who served as Cook’s backup. Even after that, the HC landed the former Penn State Nittany Lions backup, Pribula, from the transfer portal with an NIL offer worth $1.5 million. Maybe that was not enough for Drinkwitz. 

Things got complicated with the return of junior Sam Horn, who sat behind Cook for two seasons straight. The spring practice saw all of them getting reps. However, Drinkwitz is enjoying his own sweet time and wants to see the QBs push themselves to their best limits. “I told those guys that there is no plan to try to name a starter through spring. I don’t really believe in that because I think it puts too much pressure on the team and everybody involved. This is about individual player development.”

At the moment Eli Drinkwitz had made the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Tao Tzu his motto. “You know, there’s an old saying: ‘When the student is ready, the teacher will appear,’ right?” Now what about his students? Well, Sam Horn has not completed a pass since 2023. That’s mainly because of his UCL surgery. On the other hand, Beau comes with a 66.1%, having picked up 571 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hopefully, 2025—and a healthy dose of confidence—will be the chapter Drinkwitz finally writes.