ATLANTA, Ga. – Mizzou head coach Eliah Drinkwitz has been named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc., announced Monday.
Drinkwitz is among 26 of the nation’s top college football coaches representing all Power Four conferences, as well as the AAC, Mountain West and an independent.
Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national coaching award, celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, the award was established to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field.
“As we enter our 50th anniversary season, we’re looking for exceptional candidates to join the storied fraternity of coaching greats who have previously won The Dodd Trophy,” said Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry. “Over the last half century, this award has always stood for more than just wins on the field, but also focuses on how coaches should embody leadership with their student-athletes in the classroom and throughout their communities. Keeping this in mind, we only consider coaches whose programs have earned the highest APRs and require coaches to have at least two years of experience leading their current programs, so that they have had time to establish a precedent at their universities, both on and off the field.”
Entering his sixth season at the helm of the Tigers’ program, Drinkwitz has compiled a 38-24 (.613) overall ledger and eclipsed Dan Devine‘s school record for wins in the first five seasons of a Mizzou head coaching tenure. He has also guided the Tigers to a 27-7 (.794) overall record on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, giving him the best home win percentage (minimum four seasons) in the history of the program. The Tigers’ 27 home wins since 2020 is tied with Ole Miss for the third-most in the SEC. The pair trail only the University of Alabama (32) and the University of Georgia (28) during that stretch.
Under Drinkwitz’s guidance over the last two years, Mizzou finished the year ranked in the top-25 and posted a combined 21-5 overall record, including an 11-5 mark in SEC play, which is tied for the third best two-year stretch in program history. He’s led MU to back-to-back 10-plus win seasons in 2023 (11-2) and 2024 (10-3) for the third time in program history (2007-08 and 2013-14) and for the eighth time overall.
During his time at Mizzou, he has mentored 16 players to 18 all-conference honors, including 10 to First Team All-SEC recognition, and coached 17 Tigers that went on to get drafted in the NFL. In 2021 and 2024, Mizzou had five and six players taken in the NFL Draft, respectively, including first-rounder Darius Robinson (2024) and second-round pick Nick Bolton (2021). Additionally, in the 2025 NFL Draft, Mizzou saw offensive lineman Armand Membou (No. 7) and wide receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39) both taken in the top 40, marking the eighth time in program history MU achieved the feat and the first time since 2011 when Aldon Smith (No. 7) and Blaine Gabbert (No. 10) were chosen.
In 2024, Mizzou achieved its 15th perfect year at Memorial Stadium, its first undefeated record at home since 2010, while selling out all seven home games to mark the first Tigers season sellout since 1979. Drinkwitz had MU ranked in the top-20 in 14 different statistical categories at season’s end, including third in turnovers lost (9), fifth in passes had intercepted (5), first down defense (211), and third down conversion percentage defense (.302), seventh in time of possession (34:39), 10th in red zone offense (.920) and 17th in total defense (317.5).
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. taking into consideration each program’s Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, as well as projected success for the 2025 season.
Coaches in the first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program. Head coaches named to this year’s watch list were also required to have an APR above the national average of 969.
A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
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