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Eli Drinkwitz’s tenure as the head coach at Missouri hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.
Drinkwitz joined the Tigers after leading Appalachian State to a 12-1 season in 2019. But he’s found replicating that success in the SEC much more difficult. In fact, Mizzou has been the definition of mediocrity for much of his tenure.
The Tigers went 5-5 in Drinkwitz’s first season, a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. They then went 6-6 in the 2021 regular season before losing to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl (being Eli respects the troops). This year, Missouri replicated that feat by going, you guessed it, 6-6 yet again.
That set the Tigers up in a prime position to reignite an old rivalry. The Liberty Bowl invited Missouri to take on Kansas and reignite the Border War. The rivalry between the two neighboring state universities dates all the way back to 1891. The Tigers hold a slender 57-54-9 record against the Jayhawks all-time. But the game hasn’t been played since Mizzou fled the Big 12 for the SEC in 2011.
Given the opportunity to play a historic rival, you’d think it would be an easy decision for both sides, right?
Wrong.
Missouri reportedly turned down the opportunity and Drinkwitz threw shade at the Jayhawks in the process.
“I realize that bowl selection process is different from conference to conference,” Drinkwitz said. “And if you haven’t been in a bowl game in 12-15 years, maybe that thing has changed for you, so maybe the way that’s done at other places is different.”
…
“It’s based on a lot of different factors,” Drinkwitz said. “What’s best for our university, what’s best for our fan base, what’s best for our student-athletes. We don’t really factor anybody else in that. – Via KansasCity.com
Days later, he’s back at it.
Eli Drinkwitz Trolls Rival Jayhawks With Sign At Border War Basketball Game
While the two don’t meet on the gridiron, they do meet on the hardwood. Sixth-ranked Kansas traveled to Columbia and mollywhopped Mizzou to the tune of a 95-67 victory.
But Drinkwitz still got his jokes off.
Mizzou HC Eli Drinkwitz holds a sign in the crowd about Kansas’ NCAA violations shortly after refusing to actually play them in a bowl 😂 pic.twitter.com/w3fbsgzmFH
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 11, 2022
The Tigers’ football coach went into the student section and held up a sign that read “five level one violations.” Of course, the sign referred to the punishment handed down to the Jayhawks earlier this year following a federal probe.
Kansas’ coach and players probably won’t care much after winning by darn near 30. But it’s another sign (heh, get it?) that Drinwitz isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to throwing shade.