While Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz has long been rumored to be a candidate for the Michigan vacancy, that chatter has cooled in recent days. That is, until ESPN's Pete Thamel breathed new life into those whispers on Get Up.
"There's three candidates that I think are in their crosshairs," said Thamel. "That's Eli Drinkwitz, the Missouri coach, Jedd Fisch, the Washington coach, and soon-to-be former Utah coach, Kyle Whittingham. These are considered gettable coaches for Michigan."
Drinkwitz to Michigan seems incredibly unlikely now for one huge reason
While Thamel indicates that Drinkwitz is still very much in play for a move to Michigan, in reality that seems very unlikely. The biggest reason is that Drinkwitz just hired the former Michigan offensive coordinator for the same position on his staff. The hiring of Chip Lindsey was announced earlier this week, seemingly removing Drinkwitz from Michigan's search.
Another complication is Missouri's bowl game, which isn't until Dec. 27, leaving very little time for Michigan and Drinkwitz to get on the same page ahead of the Jan. 2 transfer portal start. Drinkwitz also signed a lucrative new six-year contract last month, making another move at least slightly more difficult as well.
So with more puzzle pieces coming together, it's certainly odd that Thamel still lists Drinkwitz as an option considering all the signs pointing towards 'no'. Ultimately, this is college football, and it's proven to be anyone's guess as to what happens next, so maybe there's still a chance. But for now, despite the reports, it feels extremely doubtful that Drinkwitz emerges as the top choice in Ann Arbor.