Report: Mizzou hiring Jethro Franklin to coach defensive line

It took Eli Drinkwitz a little more than two weeks to find a new defensive coordinator to replace Ryan Walters. By comparison, the search for a new defensive line coach felt like a breeze.

Just four days after it was reported Brick Haley would not return to Mizzou — and just two days after Steve Walks was officially hired as DC — PowerMizzou broke the news on Sunday afternoon that Jethro Franklin will join the staff as the new DL coach.

Much like Wilks, Franklin comes with an impressive resume comprised of NCAA and NFL experience. Franklin comes to Mizzou from Seattle, where he’s been on staff as an assistant defensive line coach since 2018. Before that, he’d spent every year since 2000 as a defensive line coach somewhere. His NFL stops include Oakland, Houston, Tampa Bay and Green Bay, while his NCAA resume includes Miami (FL), Temple and USC.

As of now, Eli Drinkwitz’s staff for the 2021 season is complete, though there’s plenty of time left in the offseason for further changes.