While the transfer portal and recruiting battles continue to dominate the college football spotlight, Missouri quietly made a notable move to strengthen its coaching staff.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that former Northern Illinois offensive line coach Luke Meadows has agreed to join Eli Drinkwitz’s staff at Missouri as an assistant offensive line coach. The hire adds a seasoned, well-traveled coach with deep Group of Five experience to the Tigers’ trenches.

A graduate of South Dakota State, Meadows brings an extensive résumé built over more than two decades in college football. He began his coaching career with the Jackrabbits, serving in multiple roles—including graduate assistant, running backs coach, and offensive line coach—throughout the 2000s and early 2010s. His work there laid the foundation for a steady climb up the coaching ranks.

Meadows later moved to Florida Atlantic, where he coached the offensive line before earning a midseason promotion to offensive coordinator in 2013. From there, he continued to hone his reputation as an O-line specialist with stops at Southern Miss (2014–2015) and Garden City Community College (2016–2017).

His career then took him into the MAC, starting with Eastern Michigan in 2017. Meadows followed that with a two-year stint leading the offensive line at Kansas, before additional stops at Troy and ultimately Northern Illinois, where he worked under head coach Thomas Hammock.

At Missouri, Meadows will work alongside Brandon Jones, who has served as Mizzou’s primary offensive line coach since being hired in 2023. The addition gives Drinkwitz another experienced voice in the room as the Tigers continue to emphasize physicality and development up front.

As Missouri prepares for the next phase of its program build, this behind-the-scenes hire could prove just as impactful as any portal addition—especially in the battle won in the trenches.