The University of Missouri Board of Curators unanimously approved Eliah Drinkwitz’s contract Tuesday morning, a board member confirmed, making him the 33rd football coach in university history.
“This is a coach that brings a good combination of creativity and excitement to our football program,” board chair Jon T. Sundvold said in a release. “I’m excited about the future for our student-athletes in the football program. [Athletic director] Jim [Sterk] and his staff made a great choice.”
Terms of the contract will not be released until after the completion of the human resources process, but it reportedly has an annual value of approximately $4 million over six years. When previous coach Barry Odom was fired, he was making approximately $3 million per year.
MU also had to buy Drinkwitz out of his previous contract at Appalachian State, a transaction that cost the university about $1.7 million.
Drinkwitz will officially be introduced as Missouri’s football coach later Tuesday morning at a press conference at 10:45 a.m. CDT in the South End Zone facility at Memorial Stadium.
“I’m excited for the opportunity of a lifetime to be the head football coach at Missouri,” Drinkwitz said. “I know this is the Show-Me State, and I’m fired up to show this state what our football program is going to be about.”
_Edited by Emily Leiker | eleiker@themaneater.com_