Nick Saban’s coaching tree is perhaps the biggest in college football. In the 2025 CFP playoffs quarterfinal, 5 head coaches trace their roots back to Nick Saban. But the news around his assistants never stops. One from the LSU stint is on the move to join Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, FSU’s special teams and linebackers coach, John Papuchis, has been hired by Eli Drinkwitz. Papuchis is bringing a wealth of experience to Columbia and has worked with a variety of programs, including those in Maryland, Nebraska, and UNC. However, it remains to be seen what role the 47-year-old will be assigned, as Missouri has seen several departures from its backroom and coaching staff.

Missouri’s offensive coordinator, Kirby Moore, has exited the program to be the head coach of Washington State. Tight ends coach Derham Cato also followed Moore to Washington State for the same role. Moreover, assistant O-line coach Jack Abercrombie has also done the same, ditching Drinkwitz to join Moore’s camp.

Other departures to Washington State include Assistant Director of Football Malcolm Hardmon. Additionally, the program’s NIL executive, Brad Larrando, has also accepted the same position in Pullman, Washington. Even after the departures, Drinkwitz expects more coaches and assistants to depart.

“Could lose a couple more people off our staff from analyst roles as Coach Moore finalizes and puts his staff together,” Drinkwitz said. “It shouldn’t change the dynamic of what we do at all.” With the hiring of John Papuchis, Drinkwitz aims to fill potential gaps that may arise when other staff members depart.

The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native began as a graduate assistant at Kansas in 2001, following the completion of his FSU playing career. Thereafter, he moved to LSU in 2004, where Nick Saban took him under his wing as a graduate assistant. At LSU, Papuchis’ other duties included coaching punters as he perfected his craft under the Bama legend and started his coaching trajectory.

Papuchis comes to Columbia with an illustrious resume

After Saban departed from the program in 2004, incoming head coach Les Miles retained him and helped the LSU defense achieve a 6th ranking in major polls. Finally, in 2027, Papuchis helped the team win the 2008 national championship, and Nebraska came calling. Thereupon, the FSU alum secured his first coaching job at Nebraska, where he served as their special teams coach and later became the defensive coordinator in 2012.

Papuchis remained the Cornhuskers’ DC until 2012 and moved to North Carolina to be their linebackers coach in 2015. There, too, he was promoted to be the team’s DC in 2017 and led the defense for two years until 2018. Later, Maryland came calling in 2019, but the coach switched camps quickly in 2020 to return to his old stomping ground in Tallahassee.

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“I am truly honored to be part of Coach Norvell’s staff and to be part of the Florida State family,” said Papuchis upon his arrival at FSU. “Florida State is one of those special places in college football with such a rich tradition, and I look forward to being part of a new era,” the coach added.

Papuchis has now served in the same role since 2020, and a potential move away from FSU already looked to be on the cards. FSU had hired Nick Williams to be its edges coach and pass-rush coordinator, leaving Papuchis without a promotion for 5 years. In Missouri, the Maryland native will most likely take up a prominent coaching position as Eli Drinkwitz assembles his coaching staff after a plethora of departures to Washington State.