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Mizzou coaching changes roundup

Kyle McAreavyby: Kyle McAreavy01/29/26Kyle_mcareavy

With Mizzou making four more coaching changes official this week, here is a roundup of all the changes to the Tigers’ football coaching staff.

Who left

  • Offensive coordinator Kirby Moore took the head coach job at Washington State.
  • Tight ends coach Derham Cato went with Moore to WSU. He will hold the same position.
  • As did assistant offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie, who will be the primary offensive line coach.
  • Pass game specialist Andrew Belluomini also went with Moore to take over as assistant QB coach.
  • Assistant director of football athletic performance (strength staff member) Malcolm Hardmon went to WSU as well.
  • Special Teams coordinator Erik Link took the same job at New Mexico.
  • Quarterbacks coach Sean Gleeson took the offensive coordinator position at Kansas State.
  • Defensive graduate assistant Cally Chizik took the safeties coach spot at Samford.
  • Defensive graduate assistant Bo Els also took a job at Baylor.

Newcomers

  • In 2026, Chip Lindsey will take over as offensive coordinator. He joins the Tigers after a year at Michigan.
  • John Papuchis will take over as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant. He served as special teams coordinator at Florida State.
  • The Tigers also brought in Brendan Bognar from Florida State to take on the role as assistant quarterbacks coach. He served in the same role for the Seminoles.
  • Mizzou brought in Alex Atkins to take over as the tight ends coach. He served as the Florida State offensive coordinator for a couple of years, then went to LSU for 2025 and was the interim OC after the Tigers’ mid-season coaching changes.
  • The Tigers brought in Levorn “Chop” Harbin to oversee the defensive line. Harbin has spent the past five seasons at Tennessee. He served as the outside linebackers coach last year.
  • Mizzou also brought in Garrett Riley as the quarterbacks coach. Riley was the offensive coordinator at Clemson most recently. He served in that role at TCU and SMU as well.
  • The Tigers also hired Luke Meadows to serve as the assistant offensive line coach. Meadows spent the past two seasons as the offensive line coach at Northern Illinois.

New staff responsibilities

  • Linebackers coach Derek Nicholson adds the title of co-defensive coordinator for 2026.
  • Edge rusher coach Brian Early now has the title of Pass-rush specialist on top of edge rusher coach.
  • Safeties coach Jacob Yoro will add the role of defensive pass-game coordinator. He will remain safeties coach as well.

All these changes come alongside head coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s contract extension which included a large increase in pool for assistant coach salaries.