The college football season just ended, but next year is getting closer every day. On Tuesday, the Mizzou football team released all of the coaching duties for next season.
Earlier this month, Mizzou football coach Eliah Drinkwitz competed his 10-man coaching staff. The team didn’t announce the roles in which some of the coaches will have, but on Tuesday, that’s what the Tigers did.
Mizzou now has officially announced its 2020 coaching staff. The Tigers brought back three coaches from Barry Odom’s staff last season, and Drinkwitz added seven others, including three who were with Drinkwitz at Appalachian State in 2019. Drinkwitz perviously said he will serve as the offensive coordinator and playcaller.
https://twitter.com/MizzouFootball/status/1219728883370475521
Under Drinkwitz on offense, Bush Hamdan will be the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach. The Tigers will have plenty of new faces after losing starting quarterback Kelly Bryant and two starting wide receivers in Johnathon Johnson and Jonathan Nance. Curtis Luper will coach the running backs, a position that returns all of its players from last season, including top runner Larry Rountree III.
Marcus Johnson will coach the offensive line. This position loses three starters, including seniors Yasir Durant and Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms. And Casey Woods will have join duties as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Mizzou loses top tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, who announced he will enter the NFL Draft. Daniel Parker will be the No. 1 tight end moving into the year.
On defense, Ryan Walters returns as defensive coordinator for Mizzou. He also will coach safeties. It will be interesting to see if Mizzou will keep its 4-2-5 set, with three safeties on the field at the same time. Mizzou graduates both starting safeties in the hybrid role in Ronnell Perkins and Khalil Oliver. Tyree Gillespie and Joshuah Bledsoe are the top two at the strong and free spots.
Brick Haley returns to the staff and will coach the defensive line. Haley was the interim head coach after the release of Odom. Starter Jordan Elliott is gone from the Tigers and will enter the draft. D.J. Smith will coach the linebackers, a position that will lose team captain Cale Garrett. The Tigers bring back Nick Bolton, who stepped in and was one of the best players on the team.
Charlie Harbison will coach the defensive backs. The position will lose DeMarkus Any from last year’s team and bring back part-time starers Christian Holmes and Jarvis Ware. David Gibbs will assist both Harbison and Walters by coaching the secondary.
Erik Link comes to the Tigers as the special teams coordinator. Two of the most important additions Mizzou will look for are a duo of specialists, where the Tigers lose kicker and punter Tucker McCann.
The Mizzou football 2020 season begins Saturday, Sept. 5 against Central Arkansas. The Black and Gold Spring Game is Saturday, April 11.