Eli Drinkwitz explains allowing players in transfer portal to remain with Missouri through bowl game

Through the first couple weeks of the open transfer portal window, Missouri has seen 11 players enter. That all came amid the Tigers’ prep for the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State, which is why Eli Drinkwitz is still letting those players practice with the team and play in the game as they look to move on.

The reason Drinkwitz is providing those players the opportunity to stay through the bowl game is simple. He wants them to have the chance to play in a New Year’s Six bowl even if they won’t be with the program afterward.

It’s also meant to take some of the burden off the decision if those players still want to participate while preparing to transfer.

“Our brotherhood was really strong this year, and it takes every single person,” Drinkwitz told On3’s Andy Staples. “We have ‘just us’ mentality to achieve what we achieved this year. Getting an opportunity to go the Cotton Bowl is a once in a lifetime experience for these players, and I sure didn’t want them to have to decide between, ‘I really feel like I need to get in the portal to explore all my options,’ or have a once in a lifetime experience.

“So I just want to take the stress off of them and say, ‘Hey, I understand there’s gonna be guys that want to go get more playing time or this, that or the other, and you’re still a valuable member of our brotherhood.'”

Eli Drinkwitz had one request for players who had visits planned during bowl preparation

As Missouri went through bowl prep, starting with practice over the weekend, some of the players leaving the program had visits to take. Drinkwitz let them go check out potential landing spots, but he also had a request for them if they were playing in the Cotton Bowl.

Just be back for practice.

“Last weekend, there were several of them that had to go to OVs, I just asked if they were back by 4:00 for our Sunday practice, which was our first practice for Ohio State,” Drinkwitz said. “I think it’s been really good. I think it shows our team that there’s a level of compassion with our brotherhood and understanding that this is a journey that everybody’s on.

“I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do or not the right thing to do, but it does work for us and it’s going to work for us this year. We wish those guys well that chose to handle it that way.”