Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz Tabbed as ‘Great’ for Penn State Coaching Job

Along with Florida, the Penn State coaching job is among several coveted head coach jobs in college football right now, with some strong candidates mentioned as good fits for the positions. Rumors have swirled about some current coaches at big programs who seem poised to leave their current teams.

A name frequently mentioned as a potential candidate in speculation about the Florida and Nittany Lions’ jobs is Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz. A recent report makes a strong case for Drinkwitz taking the Penn State job, arguing it would be better than what he currently has with Missouri.

According to Bleacher Report’s Brad Shepard, Drinkwitz would be “great” and the “right pick” to take over as coach of the Nittany Lions college football team.

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The biggest reasons Shepard suggested Drinkwitz take the Penn State coaching job are that it offers a “firmer recruiting base and national profile” than Missouri and that significant Adidas money will go to the program. Several of the team’s talented players will depart for the NFL after this season, likely leaving Drinkwitz to rebuild the program to prominence.

While the Nittany Lions’ Kaytron Allen, Drew Allar, and Nicholas Singleton are all turning pro after this season, Drinkwitz and the staff would have room to recruit more prospects to commit to the Big Ten program.

Shepard also suggested that Drinkwitz bring Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula, who transferred from Penn State and has eligibility to play next season. So far this season, Pribula has racked up 1,617 yards and 11 touchdowns at QB1 for the Tigers.

Drinkwitz, 42, has coached Missouri since 2020. Previously, he had stints as an offensive coordinator and as a coach of various offensive positions at Auburn, Arkansas State, and NC State.

Based on his body of work so far at the University of Missouri, Drinkwitz seems to have built a strong resume, making him one of the top candidates in college football.

He’s currently got the Tigers playing very well, ranked No. 13, with an overall record of 6-1. The team’s only loss came at the hands of SEC powerhouse Alabama, but Missouri faces another difficult test this weekend when it visits No. 10 Vanderbilt.

The Tigers, under Drinkwitz, were ranked as high as No. 6 and No. 8 in their previous two seasons. While they’ve yet to participate in the College Football Playoffs under him, they’ve appeared in four-straight college bowl games.

In addition to Florida and Penn State, Drinkwitz rumors suggest he’d be a top candidate for other high-profile jobs, including Auburn, LSU, and Oklahoma. Per 247Sports, it’s believed that Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech wouldn’t have any chance of landing him for their head coaching positions, though.

While various reports have constantly speculated that Drinkwitz could coach elsewhere, he previously said he is currently more focused on Missouri and trying to “ignore the noise.” In comments earlier this month, he also called out all the speculation and rumors that surface online.

“There’s no such thing as journalistic integrity,” he said at a press conference, adding that there’s “just wild, outlandish reporting” about the various vacancies and coaches linked to the jobs.

And while Drinkwitz might be an ideal fit for Penn State or elsewhere, Missouri might see him as perfect for its program and want to keep him on board to build on his success there further.

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