What Is Eli Drinkwitz’s Buyout? Looking At the Cost of Hiring the Missouri HC Amid Penn State Rumors

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz has led the Tigers to a 6-2 record this season, resulting in a No. 19 AP Top 25 Poll ranking. The Tigers’ record under Drinkwitz has led to them having a chance of clinching a College Football Playoff spot.

As a result of Missouri’s stellar performances, Drinkwitz is one of the coaches who has been linked with the vacant Penn State Nittany Lions head coaching job after James Franklin was fired last month.

Eli Drinkwitz’s Contract Buyout

Since becoming the Missouri coach in 2019, Drinkwitz has extended his contract thrice, with the latest coming in Jul. 2025. Were he to leave the program before Dec. 1, Drinkwitz would owe the Tigers $5 million, a figure that reduces to $1 million were he to leave before December 2029.

In addition, Drinkwitz will earn $9 million this year. The figure will rise to $9.25 million next year and in 2027, and rise to $9.5 million in 2028 and 2029. Should he be fired without cause, Missouri would owe the coach 75% of his remaining base salary and non-salary compensation.

When Drinkwitz Rubbished Departure Rumors

On Oct. 22, before the Tigers played against the Vanderbilt Commodores, Drinkwitz appeared on the “Paul Finebaum” show and hit back at ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, who listed him as one of the coaches in contention for the vacant Florida Gators and Penn State jobs.

“It’s probably no more distracting than trying to decide if you’re going to run for United States Senate,” Eli Drinkwitz said.

“There are a lot of different things out there that you’ve just got to factor in. The reality is, for me, we addressed it as a team, we addressed it as a staff. All that stuff is fake right now. It’s October 20-whatever. Like, the only thing that matters is us playing Vanderbilt.

“We have an opportunity in front of us right now that doesn’t come very often at the University of Missouri, and I’ll be damned if I let distractions or outside noise or people try to influence that through social media, which, by the way, isn’t real,” he said. “There is no candidacy list, I don’t care what’s on 247, there are no people calling.”

Since he rejected the speculation linking him to the Gators and Nittany Lions jobs, the Auburn Tigers’ job has also fallen vacant after Hugh Freeze was fired last week, and the rumor mill has continued grinding. In his six-year Missouri career, Drinkwitz has a 44-26 record and has led the Tigers to two consecutive double-digit win seasons.