KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The game had been over for almost an hour when Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, his face worn after one of the most tumultuous weeks of his life, was asked about next weekend’s game. The subject that made water well in his eyes is one he talks about constantly: his players. “We were standing outside the stadium, just me and him, and Gary said, “Mike, I just wish so much I could fast forward this program because I know exactly where we’re headed, ‘ ” Alden recalled in a phone interview”. “I love him, I appreciate him, I’m going to miss him”.
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Missouri’s players made it clear Saturday after an emotional 20-16 victory against BYU at Arrowhead Stadium how they felt, surrounding Pinkel in a raucous dance circle at the conclusion of a live interview with the SEC Network.
That’s when Pinkel, who had stood by his striking players, announced he would step down at season’s end.
“I planned on coaching for a long, long time”, Pinkel later added as he transitioned to speak about being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
It’s been a trying season for Pinkel. They’ll open the tournament November 22 against the victor of the first-round matchup between Boston College and Vermont.
“I am very proud of our football team, with all of the adversity and everything that went down this past week and how they stayed focused to play and compete and to battle through all the things that went down in that football game”, Pinkel said. Assistant coach Andy Hill told Pinkel to come downstairs, someone wanted to see him.
In May, Pinkel shared the news of his diagnosis with Rhoades but otherwise only told family and select friends.
Pinkel will leave Missouri with six years remaining on the contract he signed in April.
“I think what Coach Pinkel does best, he brings the manhood out of you”, former Missouri linebacker Darvin Ruise said.
After talking with family this summer, he notified Athletic Director Mack Rhoades of his decision to resign after the season.
The situation had become so emotional on campus that members of the football team even announced they would boycott team activities.
“I’m at peace with this”, he said. “Well, I’d rather die on a beach”. “It’s great when you have relationship with players …”
Butler’s plea got the attention of many Missouri football players and resulted in coach Gary Pinkel and the Missouri Tigers to go on strike until the eventual resignation of Wolfe. The coach began to tear up when discussing his relationship with the team, stating that, while it’s his “responsibility to win football games”, it’s also his responsibility to “develop young men, to impact their lives”. Pinkel shared a story about how he received a call in his hotel room Friday night in Kansas City. “But, God love them”.
In fact, it might be the first time a Division I, Power 5 Conference team took such a step to ensure that the right thing be done-in their humble opinion. “There were a lot of hurt people in that room when he told us what was going on”.
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