After the 13-7 loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz couldn't help but look toward the future. The Tigers's staff will now turn their attention to the transfer portal, which opens on Jan. 2, and a flurry of departures will be announced in the coming days. One name, though, won't be on that list, after Drinkwitz stopped mid-press conference to confirm it.
"We've got a really strong foundation. Nick's [Rodriguez] going to be back. You're going to be back, right?" he asked. Rodriguez smiled and said, "Yeah."
"He already signed. Just making sure," Drinkwitz joked. "Ahmad is coming back. Matt Zollers has already signed. We have a really strong foundation of guys that are signed."
Drinkwitz gets answers on transfers one way or another
While Drinkwitz already knew of Rodriguez's status, these days it's safe to assume that anyone could leave the roster at anytime. The Mizzou linebacker enjoyed a breakout season for the Tigers, including a monster 15 tackle performance in the Gator Bowl. But Drinkwitz admitted there are still players who still intend to enter the portal who just haven't announced yet.
Luckily, Ahmad Hardy is already re-signed, as well as quarterback Matt Zollers. But there aren't many more guarentees, and between transfers, graduations, and even NFL declarations, the 2026 Tigers will look much different than this year's squad. It's the new normal, and Drinkwitz joked that even announcements for players not transferring are becoming a big deal.
"People are making fun of people for putting out posters or tweets about re-signing. I think you kind of have to now to make sure everybody knows who is coming back, right?"