Eli Drinkwitz spoke for nearly 12 minutes without a break Monday during his time at the podium during the first day of SEC media days in Nashville.

Eleven minutes and 11 seconds, to be exact.

The Missouri coach started at 2:48:20 p.m. local time and didn’t finish until 3:00:09 p.m.

There was a reason for the filibuster.

“That was probably the most efficient roster update I have ever provided,” Drinkwitz admitted. “I tried to kill as much time as I possibly could, so I would not answer any question too crazy today and trend on Twitter.”

Drinkwitz went through the offensive and defensive depth charts. For good measure, he also talked special teams.

The Missouri coach certainly knows a little something about going viral.

During the SEC’s spring meetings in Destin in May, Drinkwitz had to clarify comments he made when comparing NIL to a pediatrician’s salary.

Later in the day, Drinkwitz joined “The Paul Finebaum Show” and was immediately given some low-hanging fruit.

“I’m curious I saw a game you lost vacated the other day,” Finebaum said, referring to Tennessee’s NCAA sanctions. “Do you get any credit for that?”

Drinkwitz just smiled.

“Man, Paul, I’ve tried all day not to say anything, but I appreciate you teeing my up on that,” Drinkwitz said.

After being complimented for his coach speak, Drinkwitz acknowledged he didn’t want to take anything away from his football team.

“I don’t want to say anything that takes the spotlight off those guys,” he explained. “These guys deserve all the opportunities they can to have the rest of the country know how strong we feel about them. … I don’t want to be a sideshow or Twitter fodder, and I sure don’t want to cause anymore bulletin board material. …

“I’ve had plenty of viral moments.”

During the league’s spring meetings in Destin, Drinkwitz was asked about potential issues with gambling. He quickly changed gears and talked about NIL. The quote circulating was, “people are making more money in NIL than my brother-in-law, who is a pediatrician, who saves lives.”

The Missouri coach was quickly called out on social media.

However, he tweeted the full context of the quote and added, “I am no way complaining about player compensation! I’m FULLY SUPPORTIVE!! Always have been!”

Here is the full quote:

Y’all, really trying to get me in trouble here. Uhm … Deion Sanders had a really good quote the other day talking about young men are joining a business, but we want to treat them like kids. We’re giving guys 18, 19 … 22 years old life-changing money. People are making more money in NIL than my brother in law, who is a pediatrician, who saves lives, and we kinda do it cavalier, and we think that there’s not going to be any side effect, there’s not going to any issues. There’s information out there. There are bad actors always trying to make a dollar. I think it’s going to become one of the key issues that we face in our locker rooms.

“I think it’s more prevalent because there’s more money involved. Everyone is trying to make a dollar. These young men are getting a lot of money. That is a lot right now, other than trying to hand out advice and provide some parameters to it. You know with this NIL situation we’ve created our own problems in college sports.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.