Missouri has hired Derek Nicholson, the former linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Miami, as its new linebackers coach for 2025.
The Missouri football program officially announced Nicholson’s addition to Eli Drinkwitz’s coaching staff on social media Thursday afternoon with a brief post reading: “Welcome to Columbia Coach Nicholson!”
Drinkwitz expressed excitement about the hire, stating, “Derek brings a wealth of experience as a coach, coordinator, and former NFL player. What stood out to us was his energy and passion for the game, along with his proven ability to develop high-level talent. We believe he’ll be a great fit in mentoring our defense as we continue to move forward as a program.”
Nicholson spent the last two seasons at Miami, where he was the linebackers coach in 2023 before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator for 2024. Under his guidance, Miami’s defense showed significant improvement. In 2022, the Hurricanes allowed 375 yards per game (ranked 65th nationally), but in 2024, that number dropped to 327.2 yards per game, ranking 27th in the nation.
Nicholson now moves from the ACC to the SEC, taking on a new challenge with Missouri, which is coming off a strong 10-3 season in 2024.
