SEC Media Days opened Monday, and Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz shared a wide range of updates and insights on the Tigers ahead of the 2026 season. Here's the full transcript of everything Drinkwitz had to say.
“It was great to be in Washington, DC. People ask me if I had ever seen a place more divided. I said yes, SEC Media Days with all the fan bases.
It's great to be in Tampa. Excited for another 2026 college football season, my seventh at the University of Missouri. Somebody asked me if I could talk to the 2020 version of myself, what would I say to myself. I'd say you made it to year seven, man, keep on trucking. Pretty amazing thing to be able to be thankful for.
I do want to start out by saying I want to thank Marcy Girton. Marcy Girton has been my football sport administrator for the last three years, and has chosen to retire. She will no longer be serving at the University of Missouri. She's going to announce it tomorrow, so I wanted to beat her to the punch and pull a Pete Thamel on her, announce it to the media.
Marcy has been a faithful servant to student-athletes. She does it for the right reason. She's left Mizzou in a better place than she found it. She served at multiple other SEC institutions. Everybody knows she's a class act when it comes to student-athlete wellness, performance, and having the best interest in the student-athletes.
I want to say I really appreciate her in her life's work and mission in education. We're going to miss her. Well done, Marcy.”
On running back Ahmad Hardy:
“I'd also like to update you all on Ahmad Hardy. I've been asked a lot about Ahmad. I did the very best that I could to save this update for the main stage.
What I want to tell y'all is this was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn. It was a great opportunity for our student-athletes to learn. It was also a great reminder that there is no place for gun violence in this world. Not criticizing the police or the rights to bear arms, which is a Second Amendment right, but just saying there is no place for gun violence, especially for our youth in society.
Ahmad has been medically cleared from the bullet that struck him. He is on the road to recovery. The bullet did strike a bone in his body. That has been fully healed and cleared. Today was his first day back towards a full recovery.
We anticipate that he will make a recovery. What that recovery will look like after having a bullet strike you is still to be determined. We do not know exactly what the return-to-play progression is because there's not a lot of literature on this. We are utilizing our medical team, along with our athletic performance team and nutrition, to approach this at a very good pace.
We do anticipate that this return-to-play protocol could take anywhere between five to eight weeks. At the end of the eight weeks, we still don't know what his recovery will be from a is he the same Ahmad Hardy that was last year.
My anticipation, what I've seen, the way he's attacked his rehab, he's going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before. I'm very proud of the way he's approached his recovery. I'm not sure that his riding horses was part of the recovery protocol that his surgeon had in place. But hell, John Wayne rode after he had been shot. He turned out all right. Ahmad Hardy is trying the same approach.”
On integrating new players into the program:
"Now let's talk a little bit about Mizzou football. Our team is a combination of player development and talent acquisition. We have 54 new players on our roster when you combine transfer portal and freshmen additions. Combine that with 115 players on our roster, you have a roughly 50/50 match of new additions and current culture players, guys who understand and retain our culture.
We're having to do a really good job of combining that. As a head coach, you got to do a great job of reteaching the foundation and framework and culture of your program while also embracing the individual identity of every new player on your team. We're trying to do that.”
On the leadership of Missouri's veteran players:
“Our three players we brought with us today are a great combination of that. You have Nick Rodriguez and Jamal Roberts who have been with us since their high school commitments. Nick Rod, although he needs to button that top two shirt -- he's got a little too much chest hair hanging out for me. But that's his style. He's Argentinian. I'm surprised he showed up with the loss they took in the FIFA World Cup, but he's managing to face that adversity.
Nick has been a really good player for us on the defensive side of the ball, and it's his opportunity to really step up.
Jamal Roberts who represents St. Louis, a guy who had plenty of opportunities to leave but chose to stay and cement his legacy as a Missouri Tiger, has been an incredible player for us and a great leader and somebody that represents our state and the city of St. Louis, a heartbeat of the University of Missouri, really well.
Then you have Cayden Green, a young man who transferred to us. Has been a three-year starter. One of the best offensive linemen in college football. A guy who represents Kansas City, Missouri, which is also a heartbeat of the University of Missouri.
For those three guys to understand our culture and be able to implement that culture with the transfers we got in, like Chris Graves Jr. or Austin Simmons or Cayden Lee, it's been a really cool thing.”
On Missouri's mentality:
“For us, we have had the same mentality we've always had: STP, something to prove, mindset. Everybody at the University of Missouri has something to prove every day, something to prove that we belong in the SEC, something to prove that we can win and at a high level, and something to prove that we want to do it this year.
We've always been a developmental program, meaning guys who have earned the opportunity to have their star shine, it's their turn. Guys like Jalen Marshall and Marquis Gracial, Santana Banner, Langden Kitchen, Darris Smith. Guys like Tristan Wilson. Guys like Jamal Roberts. Guys like Donovan Olugbode and Shaun Terry and DaMarion Fowlkes.
And combine that with great transfers, guys like Luke Work. Guys like Elijah Dotson, Chris Graves Jr., Zach Owens. Guys like Xai'Shaun. Guys like Caleb Goodie. These are guys that get an opportunity to come in here and create new roles and new identities for themselves.”
On the offensive line room:
“On the offensive side of the ball, I want to say I'm extremely proud of Dominick Giudice, or "Joo-dee-chay." Dom has done an excellent job transitioning from guard to center and really establishing the mentality and work ethic of our offensive line, and therefore the identity and work ethic of our team.
Dom has done an excellent job of making sure everybody has bought in, doing extra. One of our core values is doing more than what's expected. Dom is doing that with the offensive line.
You have guys like Cayden Green, Curtis Peagler, Tristan Wilson, Whit Hafer, who have been here, Jack Lange, who understand, Logan Reichert, who understand what it looks like.
And then you've brought along the new guys, the transfers, Zach Owens, Luke Work, Josh Atkins. Very excited to see the ownership and the opportunity that that room has to continue to move our team forward.”
On the tight end room:
“Our tight ends, led by Alex Atkins, a new coach we hired, with Jordon Harris, Brett Norfleet, need to continue to find ways to impact the game. I look forward to Alex with Coach Lindsey being able to do that.”
On the running back room:
“Our running backs Jamal and Ahmad I believe are the best 1-2 punch in the country. I think those guys are as good as anybody. I think we've also got incredible depth there. I think you're going to really be excited about Xai'Shaun, a transfer to us from Houston Baptist; Malae, a transfer from the University of Montana; and some freshmen that will be able to contribute.”
On the wide receiver room:
“Our wide receivers, Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode, Caleb Goodie, DaMarion Fowlkes, Naeshaun, Shaun Terry, freshmen, and Kenric Lanier -- I remember his name because it's not Kendrick Lamar, it's Kenric Lanier -- I think those guys will do a really good job of being a strength for Austin Simmons.”
On the quarterback room:
“Our quarterback room. Austin has been a tremendous addition to our football team. I love the way he's gone about his business, embracing his role as a leader of our team and a quarterback. I think his combination of Garrett Riley and Chip Lindsey are really going to be good.
I want to take a moment to mention Matt Zollers. Matt Zollers, the day and age in college football when it's easier to leave than stay, chose to stay. When it's easier to pout than to buck up, he's done that. He has bucked up. He's been a tremendous leader for our football team. He has challenged Austin every single day to be at his best.
I look forward to the growth of Matt Zollers. He is a quarterback that can play and can play at a really high level. I can't wait to continue to watch him grow and develop.
I look forward to that room with Coach Lindsey's leadership and his direction, with Coach Riley's coaching, the rest of that offensive staff. I'm excited about what the offense can do.
Again, the identity hasn't changed. We're going to be a dominant downhill run, vertical pass, and focus on execution.”
On Missouri's defensive priorities:
“Defensively, we've got to continue to stop the run. We've got to continue to confuse, harass and hit the quarterback. But a key focus for us is we got to be better in takeaways. We have not forced the amount of takeaways that we need to to be an elite-level defense.
And that starts with rushing the passer, getting strip-sack fumbles. As much as we affected the quarterback through pass-rush last year, we didn't have a single strip-sack fumble recovery. That's something that's got to change.”
“I feel good about the position our edges are in with Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen, Jaden Jones, Daeden Hopkins. It's going to be about who is that next guy who can step up. We have plenty of candidates between K3, Malik Bryant, Cavan Tuley, Demarcus Johnson. There's plenty of guys in that room. With Coach Early's coaching, I think we'll be just fine there.”
On the defensive tackle room:
“Defensive tackles, I've already mentioned Big Grizz, Marquis Gracial. Jalen Marshall, Jason Dowell, Donta Simpson, and plenty others that will be in that room. I think we we've been really good at stopping the run. Chris McClellan, third-round draft with the Green Bay Packers last year, I think he had the most sacks of any defensive tackle in the SEC. Look forward to that tradition continuing.”
On the linebacker room:
“Linebackers, we added Robert Woodyard who has a lot of SEC experience, to combine that with Nick, J.B., Dante and Brian Huff. I think that room is going to be deep.”
“At safety, very excited about Santana Banner, a guy who played quite a bit for us last year. Elijah Dotson, Trajen Greco, Kinsler Falston, many others who can play in that room. I look forward to what that room is going to be.
That room has three freshmen that I think can contribute at a high level for us, and look forward to Jayden McGregory being a guy that can play for us early.”
On the cornerback room:
"Cornerback was a position of need for us last year. We went out and got a guy with a ton of experience, Chris Graves Jr., played more snaps than anybody at the corner position.
Went and got (indiscernible) and Jahlil Florence from the University of Oregon. Got Nick DeLoach coming back. Jaxson Gates and several others. Jaxson Gates is another freshmen that I think can play and play early.”
On the special teams room:
“Special teams position, a new special teams coordinator John Papuchis. J.P. will bring a new style to our special teams, and look forward to him, bringing him back. More importantly, it was good to get Blake Craig back. He is fully healthy and recovered from his ACL injury. Him with the combination of bringing in Bruno to handle the place kicking - not place kicking, but kickoffs and punter. Brett Le Blanc snapping. The special teams and the specialist position is in good hands.
That is about as thorough and detailed analysis as I've got for us. Now I'll open it up for questions so that I can do what I do best, ad-lib.”
On expanding the College Football Playoffs:
“I was so appreciative of Commissioner Sankey's positive remarks about me. I really don't want to say anything that's going to make him mad at me.
But I'll say this: I was one of the first to come up with an idea, and somebody totally screwed it up. I am not for – I want to say this: I'm for expanded opportunities for schools in the Playoffs. I just think when you have 138 Division I playing schools, we have to have more opportunities and access to the Playoffs.
I am not for giving the committee more opportunities to put teams in the Playoffs. As nice as I can be about it, committees are a bad idea in deciding on who should get in sports arenas. Sports are meant to be played and decided on the field.
My idea last year or suggestion last year was about play-in opportunities. I think each conference should have play-in games that create the opportunity to get into the Playoffs. That's how I see it. I think it would create more excitement, avenues for your fans to be excited.
I think if the top eight teams in your conference had an opportunity to play in the Playoffs, that gives you a measuring stick for each fan base that makes sense.
I think the elimination of conference championship games, while I understand it as an opportunity to help you win the national championship, doesn't make sense because it puts too much emphasis on a singular outcome.
We can talk all we want about the process, the process, the process, but don't focus on the outcome, then everything we're doing in college football is about the outcome, one single champion. Again, that doesn't make sense to me.
Again, conference championships are important, need to be preserved. They're highly entertaining. They're highly valuable from a monetary standpoint, from a fan engagement standpoint. Throwing those away so you can get a bad matchup between 24 and 18 doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Again, the only person that asked for my opinion was Pat Forde. I don't know that anybody else cares.”
On Ahmad Hardy's mindset:
“Yeah, I think there's just a youthfulness, feel of invincibility for all of these guys right now, from 18 to 22. They're empowered more now than they've ever been before, whether that's financially or influence.
I think for Ahmad, there was that moment there he realized he was mortal and there could be bad outcomes if you don't make the right decisions consistently. It was an unfortunate accident and incident, wasn't something he had any intention, I think nobody did. When you go to a concert, not anticipating to be a victim of a random act of violence, especially gun violence.
I've been very, very proud of the way he's approached his recovery, he's approached his rehab, he's understood. He was in there Saturday morning, his son was with him. He had the nutritionist watching his son while he was getting his rehab work in.
His growth and maturity of understanding that his number one responsibility is to be a father, then after that it's to continue to be a great teammate and continue to do the things that he wants to do in order to achieve his dreams.
I think it's been exactly what coaching is all about and college football is all about. It's about taking young men on a journey from 18 to maturity. It's a lifelong process. I'm a lot more mature than I was when I first got here.
For me, coaching is about and always will be about the student-athletes. Regardless of how much the business changes or is disrupted, it's still about helping players achieve their dreams. That's why I got into this, I think most of us got into this.
It's still an awesome thing to watch and puts you in awe. When Ahmad scores his first touchdown this year, that's what I'll be thinking about, is that journey from hospital bed to end zone.”
On his role as one of the SEC's longest-tenured coaches:
“I don't know that I embrace my role as a voice. I just think I embrace my role as having survived some wars.
Wisdom is making mistakes and learning from it and still being able to talk about it. I think I've made plenty of mistakes over the last seven years, whether it's at media days, fumbles in the media, but I've learned enough to survive and keep on going.
If I can help share that with people, I absolutely will.
The Arkansas game moving, it was a surprise to me. I've always enjoyed that being a rivalry at the end of the year. The thing about rivalries, it doesn't matter when you play 'em, they're still important.
We're playing Kansas week two. That's a pretty important rivalry. Doesn't matter if we played them the last or second week of the season.
Arkansas this year we're playing on the road, Halloween. An important game for our season. I know it's going to be an important game for their season.
We get Oklahoma at the end of the year. Hell, if the Playoffs expand, the end of the season, you might be resting players. I don't know when the games are played. Might not matter as much if you expand to a 64-team tournament like the FIFA World Cup is.
I don't worry about all that. I know each and every game in the SEC is extremely difficult. It doesn't matter when you play 'em, where you play 'em matters because it's really hard to win at night, it's really hard to win on the road, and it's really hard to win in front of 80,000 screaming fans.”
On Austin Simmons' intelligence:
“Anytime you have that intelligence factor that you can make same-as comparisons, it helps you retain information quickly. I think he has a photographic memory, which is usually high sense of intelligence. I think part of that intelligence gets him in trouble a little bit because he's met his match as far as intelligence. There's some things that he can't get away with that maybe he got away with before.
But I think that's good. Challenging each other is a way to grow. I'm very excited. I think the best thing about Austin is his communication skills. He can communicate at a high level about what he's seeing, what he understands, how routes are similar to what he's done in the past that he really liked. That's accelerated the growth between Coach Lindsey, Coach Riley and what we're doing.
The thing that has been really cool to watch on the offensive side of the ball, we have a lot of flexibility in scheme. It's about we can take this concept and this concept and marry it to what Austin really likes. I think that's what great coaches do.”
On the future of the Kansas rivalry and making it an annual game:
“Probably depends whether the Cruz, Cantwell bill gets passed and they make us play regional rivalries.
Nobody laughed at that (smiling). Too much nuance in that joke.
Scheduling is such a unique challenge and deal. The games in 2030 were scheduled before I got to Mizzou. There's not a way to get out of them. I know we're playing the Illinois game next year. That's a regional rivalry.
It takes two to tango. We want to play the game. They got to want to play the game, too. I think they do want to, it's just a matter of making it work for both sides. I think there was maybe a window in '28 or '29, but it just didn't work out.
We'll renew the game as quickly as we can. I know it's good for us, it's good for college football, yeah.”
On hiring Chip Lindsey:
“Yeah, I mean, I think it's a combination of a lot of things. I think Chip does have something to prove. I think Chip has been a really good football coach for a long time, but it hasn't ended the way he wants to in his last couple of jobs. Now he's got an opportunity to really come into a really difficult league.
When he was at his best, at the high mark of his career, he was the offensive coordinator at Auburn and doing really great things there, coaching football and coaching for us, coaching in this league. So I think he's got something to prove. For me that's always the right kind of guy to hire.
Outside of that, Coach Lindsey has been an excellent football coach. He has great relationship skills and relationship building. He's got an understanding of holding a standard being a head football coach. He's got a great track record of coaching quarterbacks and he's been in this league before.
When you look at how difficult this league is on coaches, whether that's head coaches or assistant coaches, people get spit up and chewed out of this league pretty quickly. So you got to have some thick skin, you got to have the right kind of mentality. Coach Lindsey does. He has that.
Then on top of that, you got to be a great leader. He was going to have to keep three of those assistant coaches with Coach Luper, Coach Peeler and Coach Jones. Then he was going to be able to bring in some guys. To be able to not be intimidated to bring in a former Broyles Award winner like Coach Riley, who has an unbelievable skill set, coaching set. Alex Atkins who has been a coordinator. Get all of those guys to work together, it takes a special coach to do that.
Being able to bring him along with Coach Papuchis has been able to add a new element to our staff. It's also challenged me because I couldn't just anticipate that people knew what I was thinking. I had to really go back in and reteach and re-explain some fundamentals and philosophies that we believe in.
When you look at the success we've had with both Coach Baker and Coach Batoon, even Coach Moore, they have all had a unique something-to-prove mindset when they came to the University of Missouri. I look forward to Chip and John doing the same thing.”
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Source: Sports Illustrated
