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Tennessee football: Ranking all SEC coaches for 2020

By Caleb Calhoun

GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL- SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the first half of the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 11. 822. Missouri. 1st year (2nd overall). Eliah Drinkwitz. player

Overall record: 12-1

Honestly, Barry Odom got a raw deal. He took over a Missouri Tigers program in complete disarray in 2016 due to the 2015 protests and the way Gary Pinkel resigned, and he got that program to back to back bowl games in his second and third years while going 6-6 in 2019 against the backdrop of probation and a bowl ban that was never overturned.

That run also included transitioning to a pro-style offense his third year with former Tennessee football head coach Derek Dooley taking over as offensive coordinator. Simply put, Odom had to deal with a lot of unfair disadvantages. Still, he’s gone, and taking over for him is Eliah Drinkwitz. In the process, Mizzou is going from a defensive-minded coach to an offensive guru.

Drinkwitz won the Sun Belt and finished in the top 20 his first year as a head coach with the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Before that, he had a track record of producing elite offenses as a coordinator with the N.C. State Wolfpack, the Boise State Broncos and even the Arkansas State Red Wolves. He’ll be trying to bring that to the SEC.

Given Drinkwitz’s background, it looks like Mizzou is trying to replicate the success Gus Malzahn has had with the Auburn Tigers. A cutting-edge offense could be enough to bring them back to relevance in the SEC East, although they are not likely to win back to back division titles anytime soon given the resurgence of other programs.

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