COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou defensive line coach Jethro Franklin has been relieved of his duties, football head coach Eliah Drinkwitz announced Sunday.

“After a careful review, I believe a change in direction at the defensive line coach was needed,” Drinkwitz said. “Jethro is a professional and man of high character, and we wish him all the best moving forward.”  

Defensive analyst Al Davis will move into a full-time coaching role with the defensive line for the rest of the 2021 season.

Davis joined the Tigers staff in 2021 after coaching the defensive tackles at Illinois in 2020 and serving as the associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Hutchinson CC from 2018-20. The College Park, Georgia native played defensive tackle at Arkansas from 2008-12 and was a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 2014-16.

The Tigers continue a three-game homestand on Saturday against North Texas at Faurot Field. It is Mizzou’s 110th Homecoming with a 3 p.m. CT kickoff on SEC Network.