Since 2001, you could watch a football game at the University of Missouri and see that the coach on the sidelines would be Gary Pinkel. Pinkel has had success with the Tigers have a 117-71 record while in Columbia, Missouri over two conferences (Big 12 and SEC) and a legacy of many accomplishments at the school.
Pinkel was before at Toledo where he coached the Rockets to an undefeated season in 1995. He coached there from 1991-2000 before arriving at Missouri in 2001.
Pinkel has had 26 players selected, including six first-round choices since 2009, players like Sheldon Richardson, Jeremy Maclin, Dorial Green-Beckham, Chase Daniel, William Moore and many more.
Pinkel stepped down because of illness, this being non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I also believe the timing is a little off for this announcement after the protesting going on at the school where the football team was a large part of the leverage that the protestors had.
He also takes with him the title as the winningest coach in the history of Missouri football, five division titles, he also has a 6-4 bowl record including wins in the Cotton and Citrus Bowl in the past two seasons.
Rumored candidates for the Missouri vacancy are Houston HC Tom Herman, Georgia HC Mark Richt, two Missouri assistants, and Dino Babers of Bowling Green according to The Kansas City Star.