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BASKETBALL Wbb vs Lady Toppers

Second game in two days. This team (Western Kentucky) shouldn’t be a push over. Yesterday the Tigers defeated SEMO in probably one of the ugliest wins I’ve seen. It’s my opinion they better bring a better game tonight.

BREAKING NEWS…. MIZZOU EXTENDS ELI DRINKWITZ CONTRACT TWO YEARS

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Board of Curators voted 7-0 to approve a contract extension for head football coach Eliah Drinkwitz through the 2027 season, Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced today.



Drinkwitz, in his third season at Mizzou, originally signed an agreement through the 2025 season when he arrived in Columbia in 2019.



“My family and I want to thank the Board of Curators, President Choi, and AD Reed-Francois for their faith in me as a coach and leader,” Drinkwitz said. “You can’t do this alone, and our players, coaches and staff have worked their tails off and stuck with the process as we’ve built this program. We feel strongly about our trajectory and are proud to represent our state’s flagship institution. We are grateful for the investment in our program from the administration and excited about the future of Mizzou Football!"



"Like the University and Missouri Athletics, Mizzou Football is on an upward trajectory, and Coach Drinkwitz is a key part of those efforts," said Darryl Chatman, chair of the UM Board of Curators. "As a board, we continue to support setting higher expectations and making progress in all that we do as a university. That applies to research, academics and athletics. We look forward to watching Coach Drinkwitz build Mizzou Football into a championship program."



"Coach Drinkwitz and his staff have created great momentum in our football program." University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “You can feel the excitement and you see it in the fans as they have turned out in great numbers at Faurot Field. Coach Drinkwitz’s program is a key part of the results-driven, championship culture that AD Reed-Francois is building to help support our student-athletes. Like so many of our fans, I am excited to see what the future holds for Mizzou Football."



“We are appreciative of the support from our Board of Curators and President as we continue to build a championship-level program,” Reed-Francois said. “Our football team is on the right trajectory, and we are seeing results in recruiting and on the field. Coach Drinkwitz is a dynamic leader who brings people together and we believe in our football staff's combined commitment to excellence in the classroom and in the community. We are looking forward to him continuing to lead our program into the future.”



Drinkwitz led the Tigers to bowl appearances in each of his first two seasons, joining former head coach Warren Powers as the only two MU head coaches to achieve that feat. Additionally, only Powers won more games in his first two seasons at MU (1978-79, 15) than Drinkwitz (11).



Inside Faurot Field / Memorial Stadium, Drinkwitz has won nearly 71% of his games, achieving the best home winning percentage since Dan Devine (1958-70, 73.1%).



On the recruiting trail, Drinkwitz and his staff have inked Mizzou’s highest-ranked classes ever – No. 19 in 2022 and No. 20 in 2021. The nation’s No. 1 wide receiver, Luther Burden III, was a member of the 2022 signing group.



Academically, the 2.92 team grade point average in Spring 2022 was football’s highest in eighteen years, excluding the spring 2020 pass/fail period.



Mizzou (4-4, 2-3 SEC) returns to Faurot Field / Memorial Stadium on Saturday to take on Kentucky. The Tigers will celebrate Military Appreciation Day and Ag Day in a game that kicks off at 11 a.m. CT and airs on SEC Network and the Tiger Radio Network.

FOOTBALL DRINK'S TUESDAY PRESSER HEADING INTO WEEK 12 VS. NEW MEXICO STATE

Drink starts with his condolences to UVA and that community after the tragic shootings that took place recently.

He talks about senior week and his appreciation of the 21 seniors and what they have done in their Mizzou careers. He has a little bit of something to say about each senior which was very nice (the transcript will be available later today).

When talking about Isaiah McGuire he called him the team's most consistent defensive player.

Focus this week is to celebrate the seniors, play to Mizzou's standard, and execute better than it has the last two games.

Drink said that he doesn't know if every senior who does senior day will actually leave. Some are obvious like Martez Manuel. He's said he's leaving.

Drink said that the extra COVID season, transfer ability, potential NFL players on the team makes it kind of difficult for roster management when you add high school players.

Brady Cook's running at Tennessee was by design and because it kept working.

Drink said that on some fourth and shorts (like the one when they were down 14-7 when they punted) he wouldn't do anything different. The one I just mentioned he said that they wanted to punt to not put the defense in a bad spot. The one when Eli Young fumbled was just poor execution. Later in the game on a fourth and short they got a penalty and didn't want to attempt a 59-yard FG.

He said the whole team didn't feel like they played to the level of what they needed to starting midway through the third.

Drink goes back to how proud of he is of senior DL Darius Robinson, Trajan Jeffcoat, and Isaiah McGuire. He said Robinson has been playing some of his best ball. Same thing for McGuire.

He said Hyrin White is that they will apply for a medical redshirt. He's confident that the NCAA will grant it. Chad Bailey won't walk at senior day because he has another season of eligibility left.

Drink said he's not focused on having to win out for the bowl he said he's only focused on senior week.

Drink said they will play to their standard. So, basically whoever earns the opportunity to play will play. So, the young players may not play.

The reason senior day is this week is that a lot of fans will be celebrating Thanksgiving and he wants that fan support. Plus that five to six day turn around since Arkansas game is on a Friday is tough.

NM State is very multiple and get a lot of pressure. They have a lot of size in the defensive trenches. Drink said this isn't an easy week. NM State has won 3 in a row and 4 of its last 5. He said they can't get caught up in chasing a lot of schemes and that they have to be more polished this week (better tackling, better blocking, etc.).
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