Eli Drinkwitz sends strong warning as conversation continues around lowering roster limit

One of the major topics at the SEC spring meetings this year was the potential reduction in roster size that could be on the horizon as the NCAA considers a new set of rules for the sport in light of the House vs. NCAA settlement.

A smaller roster limit would be one way to reduce overhead and helps schools make ends meet.

But most coaches are vehemently against such a proposed change, which could dramatically alter how they prepare to be competitive on the highest stage.

“It’s really a unique challenge, because I think the people who are making the decisions and whether that be lawyers or athletic directors or presidents aren’t necessarily in the everyday understanding of what it takes to have a roster or construct a practice,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said on the College GameDay podcast. “They understand what they understand from a macro view, but from a micro view I don’t think they understand what it takes to operate.”

Drinkwitz had some strong thoughts about the potential roster limits that could hit the sport if those decision-makers get their way uncontested.

He painted a bleak outline.

“This is, in my opinion, the greatest game that we have in the United States: college football,” Drinkwitz said. “Nothing unites the fanbase, the entire fanbase from coast to coast whether it’s College GameDay, whether it’s, I was going to say Pac-12 After Dark, but we don’t have that any more. Whatever it is, every state has something that they root for. And if we’re not careful we can lose that in a hurry.

“If people aren’t aware of what happened in 1994 with Major League Baseball it was at the height of its success and now it’s coming back, but it isn’t what it used to be. I think that would be an arrogant ploy on our part. So I think we have to be careful on how we settle this.”

The Missouri head coach summed up the concerns with a reduced roster limit pretty succinctly, too.

Essentially, the roster sizes are potentially going in the opposite direction as the demands the sport is laying on coaches and players alike.

“I think (Texas A&M coach Mike) Elko said it best, they’re asking us to take a 35% reduction of our roster to try to make the best sport the best sport, and they’re asking us to play the most games we’ve ever played,” Drinkwitz said. “That’s a real challenge and I think there’s got to be some common sense to this that says let’s not wound whatever the strength is. I think we’d all agree that the strength of the NCAA is college football. We better not damage the strength that we have.”