Eli Drinkwitz announces assistant stepping down from current role for personal reasons

Eli Drinkwitz has to fill a spot on his staff. Mizzou will be without its safeties coach going forward, the program announced Wednesday.

Charlie Harbison is stepping away due to personal reasons. However, he’ll still be part of the program in some capacity, Drinkwitz said in a statement.

“Charlie Harbison is stepping away from his position as safeties coach to allow him more flexibility in handling personal family matters in North Carolina,” Drinkwitz said. “Coach Cheese will remain a valued member of our program moving forward and we appreciate his commitment to Mizzou football.”

Harbsion, 63, has coached at the college level and briefly at the NFL since 1992. He’s been with Mizzou since 2020 after a year at Appalachian State and spending 2018 with the Arizona Cardinals. Harbison also worked at Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn in his 20-year coaching career.

Former Oklahoma State defensive lineman commits to Eli Drinkwitz, Mizzou

Recruiting has never been better for the Mizzou Tigers under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz. He has been able to pull from the transfer portal as well and landed another important piece on Sunday.

Former Oklahoma State defensive lineman Jayden Jernigan announced he would be heading to the SEC to play for Mizzou. He had been in Stillwater for three seasons, originally being a member of the 2019 recruiting class.

“Blessed with the life I lived…,” Jernigan said via Twitter Sunday night. “On to the Next!!

Jernigan entered the transfer portal on Dec. 15 and took less than a month to make his decision. The interior defensive lineman was not originally offered by the Tigers when Bary Odom was still the head coach.

Playing in 10 games this season, Jernigan was a member of one of the best defenses in the country under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Jernigan recorded 22 tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss, a sack, and a forced fumble throughout the year.

Coming out of high school, Jernigan was a three-star recruit according to the On3 Consensus. He was a top 75 player from the state of Texas, ranking at No. 70.