Mizzou football head coach Eli Drinkwitz talks about defensive coordinator Corey Batoon on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, after a win over Boston College in Columbia, Mo. (Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics)
COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 Heading into his second season at Missouri, defensive coordinator Corey Batoon has received a three-year contract extension from the school.
The deal raises his salary for this season to $1.4 million and will jump to $1.5 million for the 2026 campaign.
He also received a $100,000 bonus for signing the extension and will receive another $100,000 if he鈥檚 still the defensive coordinator on Feb. 1 of next year 鈥 essentially, if Batoon doesn鈥檛 take another job during the next offseason cycle of coaching changes.
That salary range will place Batoon roughly around the 30 highest-paid assistant coaches in college football. Offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, who makes $1.5 million per season, is tied for the 22nd-highest salary, per USA Today鈥檚 database of coach contracts.
The contract was signed by Batoon on July 7. It follows a new deal signed by Eli Drinkwitz that gives the sixth-year coach a larger pool to spend on assistant coach salaries 鈥 something evidently put to use quickly.
鈥淲e鈥檙e building something special at Mizzou, and I鈥檓 incredibly grateful to be a part of it,鈥 Batoon said in a statement. 鈥淭his program is full of talented student-athletes and coaches who take pride in doing things the right way. I鈥檓 thankful to Coach Drinkwitz and the administration for their trust, and I look forward to continuing to elevate our standard of excellence on the defensive side of the ball.鈥
Mizzou hired Batoon from South Alabama in January 2024, signing him to a three-year deal that ran through the 2026 football season and paid $1 million per year.
The Tigers鈥 passing defense improved under Batoon in 2024, though it did give up more to opponents on the ground. Heading into 2025, however, Batoon鈥檚 defense has the depth and star power to take a step forward in his second season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great working relationship,鈥 Drinkwitz said of Batoon near the end of the 2024 campaign. 鈥淚 think the defensive staff has grown with more and more synergy and understanding of each other in what we鈥檙e trying to do.鈥
