Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz did not wait for a question to address the rumors linking him to one of the sport's newest openings. Speaking at his Tuesday press conference, the seventh-year leader of the No. 19 Tigers stated plainly that he is "not a candidate at Florida State," closing the door on speculation before his team's Saturday showdown at No. 10 Texas.
"I want to clear that up," Drinkwitz said during his opening statement. "Let's focus on the main thing, which is Texas, and let's eliminate all the distractions and clear the clutter from that standpoint for my team and for everybody out there."
Drinkwitz's name had surfaced as a possible replacement for fired Florida State coach Mike Norvell, appearing in the conversation alongside Duke's Manny Diaz, Wake Forest's Jake Dickert and others. The Seminoles parted ways with Norvell on Sunday after he compiled a 41-39 record. Drinkwitz, who signed a contract extension last November that runs through the 2031 season, made clear he will not be leaving for Tallahassee.
The 43-year-old coach owns a 52-31 overall record at Missouri and has gone 35-12 over the past four seasons. His current team sits at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play heading into the toughest stretch of its schedule.
The stakes this weekend are significant. Missouri is a 2.5-point underdog on the road against the Longhorns, and an upset would give the Tigers a 15.9% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, according to the CBS Sports CFP Forecaster.
By confronting the Florida State vacancy directly, Drinkwitz removed a potential distraction at the start of a demanding November. Following the Texas game, Missouri travels to No. 2 Georgia, then hosts No. 8 Kentucky before wrapping up the regular season against Oklahoma.
Drinkwitz has been connected to other job openings over the years as he has built Missouri into a consistent SEC program. His extension last November, which arrived while Penn State had a coaching vacancy, lifted his average annual salary beyond $10.7 million. He ranks as the 11th-highest paid coach in college football, according to the USA Today coaches salary database.
That contract means only a short list of programs could realistically offer him a raise, and Florida State apparently is not one he is entertaining. For now, Drinkwitz wants the conversation in Columbia centered on one thing only: the Longhorns.
