ARLINGTON, Tex. 一 After No. 9 Missouri had its best season since 2014, first-year offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and second-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker had their chances to go elsewhere.

Moore's name was associated with the San Diego State head coaching vacancy, as well as the Boise State job, his alma mater. Meanwhile, Baker's name was predominantly associated with the head coaching job at his alma mater, Tulane.

Neither one decided to go. Instead, they both inked contract extensions last week.

Why? Missouri is seemingly providing the one thing that seems to avoid a lot of programs in this era. Stability.

"I just feel very positive about where we're at and where we're going," Moore said. "I think there are a lot of different moving parts within college football right now. And we have a lot of continuity moving forward for next season. So, I'm just excited about that."

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His comments almost echo verbatim what head coach Eli Drinkwitz said a couple of times last month.

"I think one of the best things about the University of Missouri that's going to give us a chance to really be successful is stability in the midst of instability and chaos in college football," Drinkwitz said during a Nov. 20 presser. "There's a whole lot of stability here, and we're working really hard to preserve that."

It's not just about stability.

Work is fun. Winning is fun.

Drinkwitz recently said in his nearly two decades of coaching football, he told the team in October this year was the most fun he's had coaching.

Even the reserved and humbled Moore cracked a smile when he heard about Drinkwitz's fun and agreed that he's also having a time in Columbia.

"I agree with that statement," Moore said grinningly. "We've got a tremendous group of players (and) offensive staff. It's our offense. It's not my offense. So, just working with those guys on a daily basis 一 it's been really enjoyable."

Quarterback Brady Cook has spoken about Moore a lot in the last couple of weeks, and every time Moore's name comes up, he speaks glowingly of him. So, he was very happy when Moore signed an extension.

"I'm super happy about that. I was messing around with him like, 'Hey, where's the extension? I'm waiting on it. I'm looking for an answer,'" Cook said jokingly. "But yeah, I'm super happy to have him back. He's obviously a big addition for that team next year."

Stability and fun seem to be high up on the list of why the coaches returned. But for the players, they're happy Moore and Baker are returning because of the improvement they've seen in their games under their respective coordinators and the positions they put them in to impact the game.

"I think the biggest thing that stands out on tape is just my confidence with the concepts that he installs," Cook said. "Over the middle and down-the-field routes, we've been much more accurate. We've had much more explosive plays and I think it's just a confidence thing on my behalf.

"In addition to the experience from last year, Kirby has brought a fresh set of eyes for me (and) he provides feedback for me. He tells me straight up what I need to do and he's done a great job of teaching the concepts."

"Oh man, (being a receiver in this offense) is super fun," wide receiver Luther Burden III said happily. "I mean, you get the ball against people who are going to be playing on Sundays every week and you get to show your talents against them and it's just crazy."

Defensive tackle Kristian Williams, who transferred from Oregon to Missouri the same year (2022) Baker took over as defensive coordinator, said Baker has taught him to have fun on the field but to also be serious when the time calls for it.

Williams has yet to announce his intentions to return to the Tigers in 2024 or depart for the NFL, but he happily said Baker's extension helped him make a decision.

"I definitely learned from him that you really have to have fun in the game," Williams said, "I mean, from an emotional standpoint, you don't want to be so tight about things. You want to loosen up, you want to have fun, but then again, when it's time to handle business, handle business. So, I feel like him signing that extra contract, made my decision just slightly a bit easier for me."

For Baker, he said he never seriously considered going elsewhere, and his decision was based on what makes him and his family happy. And what makes him happy?

Columbia, the Tigers and working with this staff.

"A lot of it honestly has to do with my happiness and my family's happiness in Columbia," Baker said. "There were some possible other opportunities out there, but Coach Drink is a phenomenal guy to work for. He's first class in everything that he does. And really, I feel like we have unfinished business still here at Mizzou.

"So, all in all, I never really considered going anywhere else. To me, I kind of said the same thing last year, when I signed the contract (extension), essentially it was a no-brainer. And I'm really happy to be able to do that."

Last season, when Baker was entering his first year as coordinator, he had many returning players and the same thing going into this season. However, next year, that won't be the case. At least six starters are expecting to play their final games on Friday in the Cotton Bowl against No. 7 Ohio State, but Baker wants the challenge of making the defense better with new players.

"It's a much different situation than last year where we knew we had a ton of guys coming back," Baker said. "You know, I relish with that opportunity, to that challenge to see if we can continue to build on what we have going."

The icing on the cake is that Baker gets to do it with Moore, someone he calls a polar opposite of himself but someone he now considers a close friend.

"We are kind of polar opposites, but Kirby and I have become very, very close," Baker said. "I think we're both low-ego, high-output guys. Our wives have gotten very, very close. We live in the same neighborhood and so we do stuff off the field together. So it's been very seamless from that standpoint.

"When you talk about our entire staff, there's great camaraderie, there's great fellowship amongst us, and again, starts up top and when they see the two coordinators get along really, really well. I think it trickles down, so it's been fun working with Kirby, he does a fantastic job."

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