Mizzou Football’s “Attacking Adversity” Philosophy

Attacking Adversity

How do you act when the pressure’s on,

When the chance for victory is almost gone,

When Fortune’s star has refused to shine,

When the ball is on your five-yard line?

How do you act when the going’s rough?

Does your spirit lag when breaks are tough?

Or, is there in you a flame that glows

Brighter as fiercer the battle grows?

How hard, how long will you fight the foe?

That’s what the world would like to know!

Cowards can fight when they’re out ahead.

The uphill shows a thoroughbred!

You wish for success? Then tell me, son,

How do you act when the pressure’s on?

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Good Days and Bad Days

There will be good days,

And there will be bad days.

There will be times when you want to turn around,

Pack it up, and call it quits.

Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself,

That you are not afraid to learn by trying.

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Adversity is Inevitable

Adversity is inevitable, so be prepared. Adversity comes to us all—it’s only a matter of when. The real question is not whether we’ll face adversity but how we will respond to it when it comes. If our attitude is one that embraces learning and growing, we’ll treat adversity as a stepping stone to the success we desire, rather than see it as an insurmountable obstacle. But if we have a negative attitude and become defensive at the first hint of criticism or begin to blame others for our mistakes, we’ll miss the opportunity to develop into the types of people we want to be. We have to be able to make the most of both the positives and the negatives. There will be days when everything goes right and when it all falls apart. We’ll have stretches where really good things happen and other stretches when we can’t even remember the good things. Other times we will have a mixture of the two. So we must be prepared—have a plan.

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Have a Plan

If you get hurt on the field, you have to learn how to handle it. You have to work on rehabbing your injuries. If you want to get back into playing condition, you have to come back not only physically, but also mentally. When a tough loss comes your way, you have to handle the media scrutiny and the feelings that accompany criticism—some of it on-target. If you get demoted to second team, you have to work through those changes and try to win back your starting spot. Have a plan to deal with the adversity and success of life.

That’s the way life is in sports. It’s reality and you have to learn how to walk through the tough parts. There are some great quotes and reminders in the “We Are Mizzou” manual to encourage you during the process. And every player knows that even if things aren’t difficult at the moment, they will be soon enough.

It’s important that we learn from adversity so that we can take the necessary steps to grow and apply the lessons. After a loss or a disappointing performance, go back to the problem, analyze it, ask what you can learn from it, figure out how to do it right and how you are going to visualize doing it right the next time. Remember, the fact that you didn’t achieve the desired outcome doesn’t mean you are a failure. It simply means that the plan you had in place didn’t work, so you have to get better. When things don’t go your way, back up and start over. Learn what you can do to improve and get back in the game.

Mizzou Nike Uniform for 2014 Cotton Bowl: Revealed on December 30

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Mizzou’s memorable 11-2 season would not have been possible without the incredible support of its fans.

To show our appreciation, Gary Pinkel and the rest of the football family gave Tiger Nation the chance to vote for the uniform Mizzou will wear in the 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. The voting began at 9 a.m. CST on Dec. 12 and closed at 5 p.m. on Dec. 15.

The votes are in.

Will Mizzou run out of the tunnel at Cowboys Stadium on Jan. 3 wearing the Gold Rush uniforms? Or will the Tigers be donning the Black Out combination that they wore to clinch the SEC East?

Check GaryPinkel.com next Monday at 5 p.m. to find out.

AT&T Stadium’s Bag Policy in Effect for Cotton Bowl Classic

ARLINGTON, December 16, 2013 — Fans attending the 78th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic featuring Oklahoma State vs. Missouri on Friday, January 3 are reminded that the AT&T Stadium bag policy will be in effect.

In an effort to enhance public safety, AT&T Stadium has modified its security policy by limiting the size and style of bags allowed into the stadium.

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, the following: all purses, bags or containers larger than a small clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags, camera bags, binocular cases (binoculars may be worn around the neck), diaper bags, and seat cushions.

Fans are encouraged not to bring any type of bag into AT&T Stadium, but the following are permissible:

  • Stadium approved bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12.” The bags may be hand-carried or have a shoulder strap.
  • One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
  • Small, one compartment, clutch bag that does not exceed 8.5″ x 5.5″, with or without a handle or strap. This can be carried separately or within a plastic bag.
  • An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.

All bags are subject to inspection upon entry and are subject to additional inspections within the stadium.

For more information regarding the AT&T Stadium purse/bag policy throughout the season, please visit www.dallascowboys.com/bags.

2014 Mizzou Football Signing Class: Early Signees

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Five new Tigers join squad early to participate in spring football

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Five impressive student-athletes will enroll early at the University of Missouri and play football for Head Coach Gary Pinkel, as announced today.

The group of new Tigers shows the range of the Mizzou coaching staff’s recruiting efforts, with all five players coming to Missouri from different states. Cornerback Logan Cheadle hails from the Show-Me State, while offensive lineman Mike Fairchild will come to Columbia from nearby territory in Overland Park, Kan.

Incoming transfer cornerback Kenya Dennis played his high school and junior college ball in the state of Mississippi, as the Leland, Miss., native just completed his second successful season of action at Hinds Community College in Jackson, Miss. Linebacker Brandon Lee was recruited to Mizzou from Indianapolis, Ind., while quarterback Marvin Zanders hails from Jacksonville, Fla.

The newcomers coming from high school to the Mizzou Football program are able to sign financial aid agreements, and also be announced as new additions to the team, as long as they have completed the requirements necessary to graduate early from high school. Junior college transfers can sign National Letters of Intent.

Mizzou DE Michael Sam is Unanimous All-America Selection

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Tiger defensive end just the second unanimous All-American in school history

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football senior defensive end Michael Sam (Hitchcock, Texas) has been honored by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) as a First Team All-American, completing a run of five First Team All-America honors to become just the second unanimous All-America selection in school history. According to NCAA record books, Sam joins Mizzou all-time great Danny LaRose, who starred for the Tigers from 1958-60 and earned unanimous All-America recognition in 1960.

Fellow senior cornerback E.J. Gaines (Independence, Mo.) earned Second Team All-America from the FWAA after a standout final season in the Black & Gold. Gaines leads the Tigers with his four interceptions and ranks third on the team with 68 tackles. A First Team All-SEC selection, Gaines’ four pickoffs ranks tied for fourth in the league.

Along with the FWAA honor, Sam picked up major All-America selections from the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Thursday, Dec. 12, Sporting News on Friday, Dec. 13, Associated Press on Dec. 17, and America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Wednesday, Dec. 18. This comes after Sam earned the AP’s Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year award and was a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award.

The 33rd First Team All-American in Mizzou Football history and seventh under head coach Gary Pinkel, Sam heads into the Tigers’ final game of the 2013 season, the 78th Annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, leading the SEC in both quarterback sacks (10.5) and tackles-for-loss (18.0). He ranks in the Top 10 nationally in both of those categories.

No. 8 Mizzou kicks off the Cotton Bowl against No. 13 Oklahoma State on Friday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m., televised nationally by FOX.

Mizzou DE Michael Sam’s 2013 Postseason Honors

Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Semifinalist

Bronko Nagurski Trophy Finalist

Rotary Lombardi Award Finalist

Hendricks Award Finalist

AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year

AP First Team All-SEC

Coaches First Team All-SEC

USA Today First Team All-America

Walter Camp First Team All-America *

Sporting News All-America *

Sporting News All-SEC

Athlon First Team All-America

Athlon First Team All-SEC

ESPN.com All-SEC

ESPN.com All-America

Senior Bowl Invitee

CBSSports.com First Team All-America

SportsIllustrated.com First Team All-America

AP First Team All-America *

AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America *

FWAA First Team All-America *

*Unanimous All-America

Mizzou’s Consensus and Unanimous All-Americans

1941: Darold Jenkins, C

1960: Danny LaRose, E *

1965: Johnny Roland, DB

1968: Roger Wehrli, DB

1978: Kellen Winslow, TE

1986: John Clay, OL

1999: Rob Riti, C

2007: Jeremy Maclin, AP; Martin Rucker, TE

2008: Chase Coffman, TE; Jeremy Maclin, KR/AP

2010: Michael Egnew, TE

2013: Michael Sam, DE *

*Unanimous All-America

Mizzou Football’s Law of High Morale

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When you’re winning, nothing hurts.

Learn

The Law of High Morale might ring a bell because it was inspired by the words of Joe Namath, the quarterback who helped the New York Jets win the Super Bowl in 1969. Like any champion, Namath understood that there is an exhilaration that comes from winning. The feeling can be so strong that it sustains you through the discipline, pain and sacrifice that are required to perform at the highest level.

Perhaps that’s why George Allen, who coached the Washington Redskins in the early 1970s, said, “Every time you win, you’re reborn. When you lose, you die a little.”

If the team is winning, then morale is high. And if morale is high, then the team is in a position to win. So which comes first, high morale or winning? High morale usually comes first. Why? Because high morale magnifies everything positive that happens for a team.

In order to get high team morale, players need to:

– Have a good attitude

– Always give your best

– Support the people on the team—players and leaders alike

If you have little influence, then exert what influence you have by modeling excellence. However, if you’re one of the team’s leaders, then you have an even greater responsibility. You need to model excellence, but you also need to do more. You need to help the people you lead to develop the kind of morale and momentum that helps create a winning team. These steps are in the three stages of morale:

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Stage One: Poor Morale—The Leader Must Do Everything

Nothing is more unpleasant than being on a team when nobody wants to be there. When that’s the case, the team is usually negative and lethargic.

To create morale in this situation:

– Initiate belief. The only way for a team to change is if people believe in themselves. As the leader, you must initiate that belief. Show people you believe in yourself and in them.

– Create enthusiasm. The desire to change without the enthusiasm to change just frustrates people. If you bring a greater level of enthusiasm long enough, someone on the team will eventually join you. Then, another person will. Eventually, the enthusiasm will spread to the whole team.

– Communicate hope. The greatest need of players at this stage is hope. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Leaders are dealers in hope.” Help them to see the potential of the team.

In stage one, the only way to get the ball rolling is to start pushing it yourself. As the leader, you can’t wait for someone else to do it.

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Stage Two: Low/Moderate Morale—The Leader Must Do Difficult Things

Getting the team together and moving is an accomplishment. But where you’re going matters. To change from simply moving the team to moving the team in the right direction, you have to begin doing the difficult things that help the team to improve and develop high morale.

– Make changes that make the team better. Leaders are responsible for minimizing the damage any team member can do because of attitude and for maximizing the effectiveness of all team members by placing them in the proper niche. Often those actions require tough decisions. The Law of the Bad Apple applies here.

– Receive the buy-in of team members. It’s one thing to cast your vision to the team. It’s another to get your teammates to buy in. Yet to build higher morale, that is what you must do. The team must buy into you as a leader, embrace the values and mission of the team, and align themselves with your expectations. If you can do that, you will be able to take the team where it needs to go.

– Communicate commitment. Part of the process of getting people to buy in comes from showing them your commitment. The law of buy-in says that people buy into the leader, then into their visions. If you have consistently demonstrated high competence, good character and strong commitment, you have laid the foundation for your people to buy in.

– Develop and equip members for success. Nothing builds morale like success. Most people are not capable of achieving success by themselves. They need help, and that is one of the primary reasons for anyone to lead them. If you invest in your teammates, then you help them and the team succeed.

The two toughest stages in the life of a team are the first stage, where you try to create movement in a team, and stage two is the make-or-break time for a leader. If you can succeed in stage two, then you will be able to create high morale in your team.

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Stage Three: High Morale—The Leader Must Do Little Things

Stage three of your job as leader is to help the team maintain high morale and momentum:

– Keep the team focused and on course. High morale leads to winning, and winning maintains morale. That’s why it’s important to keep team members focused. If they lose focus or get off course, then they’ll stop winning.

– Communicate success. One of the things that helps people stay on track is to know what they’re doing right. You can indicate this by communicating the team’s successes. There’s nothing that boosts morale like winning and then celebrating it.

– Remove morale mashers. Leaders see before others do, so they need to protect players from the things that will hurt the team.

– Allow other leaders to lead. When a leader prepares other team members to lead and then turns them loose to do it, it does two things. First, it uses the momentum the team already has to create new leaders for the team. It’s easier to make new leaders successful if they are part of successful team. Second, it increases the leadership of the team. And that makes the team even more successful.

#MizzouMade: 2013 December Graduation

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The Mizzou football team proved once again that its athletes truly are student athletes, as 12 players walked across the stage to receive their diplomas at this weekend’s December graduation ceremony.

Mizzou had an Academic Progress Rate of 982 in 2013—the best in the SEC.  In addition to the football team’s exemplary score, the university earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award for finishing in the top-10 percentile in the country in academics among all of its sports.

Mizzou DE Michael Sam Named First-Team All-American by Walter Camp

Sam Becomes the 33rd All-American in Mizzou Football History

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri football program has a proud history of outstanding teams and high-caliber players over the years. Add another one to the list of alltime great Tigers, as senior DE Michael Sam (Hitchcock, Texas) has been named a Walter Camp Football Foundation First-Team All-American, for his stellar play in 2013. Sam becomes the 33rd First-Team All- American in school history, the seventh at Mizzou for Head Coach Gary Pinkel, and the school’s first defensive selection since former great Justin Smith in 2000.

Sam ranked among the most disruptive defensive players in the nation this year, and his play was a key factor in Mizzou’s surge into the top-10. He led the Southeastern Conference in both quarterback sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (18.0), ranking in the top-10 nationally in those categories. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press recently, and was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Lombardi Award and the Hendricks Award. He has 45 tackles in 13 games this season, including nine quarterback pressures, two pass break ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, which he returned 21 yards for a touchdown in a win at 7th-ranked Georgia in October.

“Wow, what a great honor, I’m really grateful to be selected and for our team to be recognized like this,” said Sam. “It’s been a really rewarding season, especially after what we went through a year ago, and I feel like this validates all of the hard work we put in and all of the sacrifices we made as a team. My name is on the award, but that wouldn’t happen without everyone else pulling in the same direction together, and I want to thank all of my teammates and coaches for helping push me and for their support,” he said. Sam will be receiving his Parks, Recreation and Tourism degree this Saturday.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Michael,” said Head Coach Gary Pinkel. “He’s a walking example of a ‘never-say-quit’ attitude; he’s the kind of player you want others to emulate when they see him on film and how relentless he is. I also think the positive energy he brings to the team has been contagious, he’s helped others elevate their play this year, and that’s been really important for our team,” he said.

Sam becomes the seventh First-Team All-American at Mizzou under Pinkel. The previous list includes: Martin Rucker, TE (2007), Jeremy Maclin, All-Purpose (2007, 2008), Chase Coffman, TE (2008), Danario Alexander, WR (2009), Grant Ressel, PK (2009) and Michael Egnew, TE (2010).

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Mizzou Football 2013 Season Recap

2013 Missouri Tigers football season was nothing short of magical.

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From a tumultuous 5-7 season in its first season in the SEC, to an 11-2 record and an SEC East crown in year two, Mizzou took the university, the state, and the entire country on an inspirational ride that will never be forgotten.

The journey started with a bold prediction in July at SEC media days. Senior wide receiver L’Damian Washington said he expected Mizzou to win 11 games and finish on top of the SEC Eastern Division.

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Reporters laughed.

“Whenever you get people that laugh at you at SEC media day whenever you say 11 wins, I wouldn’t say it’s embarrassing, but inside you feel some kind of way,” Washington said. “And I relayed that message to our entire team.”

 

Mizzou sets out to achieve three goals at the beginning of every season: win the division championship, win the conference championship, and win the national championship. The scoffs didn’t deter those goals. They only served as further motivation.

The first stop on the road to the championship came was the game against the Murray State Racers. Mizzou outscored the visiting Racers 45-0 in the final three quarters.

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James Franklin threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns, but Henry Josey stole the show. In his first game back after tearing essentially every working part of his left knee, the junior tailback ran for 113 yards on 13 carries. 68 of those yards came on one carry in which he sprinted over the spot where his knee exploded 659 days earlier, en route to a touchdown. Final score: 58-14 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 1-0.

Next up was a tough test against the Toledo Rockets. Mizzou found themselves in a battle because they only led 17-9 after two quarters. The game looked like it was going to get even closer on Toledo’s first drive of the third quarter, as the Rockets were driving and on the verge of entering the red zone. That’s when Markus Golden rushed the quarterback and forced an errant pass that he picked off and ran 70 yards to the house.

Rushing touchdowns by Josey and Marcus Murphy, and an interception by Ian Simon allowed Mizzou to pull away and emerge victorious. Final score: 38-23 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 2-0.

The Missouri Tigers traveled to Bloomington, Ind. to face the Indiana Hoosiers in game number three. With two of the nation’s most efficient quarterbacks and two of the nation’s top-10 scoring offenses on the same field, the game had all the makings of a shootout. At the end of the first quarter, it was all Mizzou as the Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead.

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After the Hoosiers tied the game, a rushing touchdown by Franklin put Mizzou back on top. And then an ultra-athletic pick-six by Kony Ealy gave Mizzou a two-touchdown cushion and momentum going into the half. The high-powered Indiana offense was never the same after that. It managed only two first downs and punted four times over the next 24 minutes as Mizzou ran away with it. Final score: 45-28 Indiana.

Mizzou is 3-0.

Arkansas State rolled into Columbia, Mo. in week four. Mizzou had a one-point lead at halftime. That was enough to wake up the offense, and Franklin led scoring drives of 94 and 87 yards to pull away and break the game open.

Mizzou outscored Arkansas State 27-6 in the final two quarters thanks to a balanced offensive attack and an opportunistic defense. Josey ran in it for two scores and Franklin threw three, one to Washington and two to Dorial Green-Beckham. Final score: 41-19 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 4-0.

Mizzou opened conference play the following week in Nashville against Vanderbilt. The Commodores won 19-15 at The ZOU the year before, and the Tigers were determined to settle the score.

Boy did they ever.

Less than a minute and half into the game, Franklin hit Washington in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. Five minutes later, Andrew Baggett made it 10-0 with a field goal. A Kentrell Brothers interception on the Vanderbilt 26-yard line gave Mizzou the ball at the 11. One play later—touchdown, Eric Waters. Another Vanderbilt three-and-out and a Baggett field goal made it 20-0 Mizzou before the end of the first half.

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At halftime, it was 30-7, and a game that was supposed to be close turned into a blowout. A rushing touchdown by Josey and receiving touchdowns by Washington and Marcus Lucas in the second half helped seal the statement victory. Final score: 51-28 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 5-0.

Mizzou’s next test came between the hedges at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. Not intimidated by Georgia, the Tigers jumped out to a 28-10 halftime lead. Franklin had a touchdown on the ground and through the air, and Marcus Murphy broke multiple tackles and made defenders miss on his way to a 36-yard score. And then, just 10 seconds later, Shane Ray hit the Georgia quarterback from behind and caused the ball to come loose. Michael Sam scooped up the fumble and ran it 21 yards for the touchdown to put an exclamation mark on a dominating first half.

Touchdowns from Georgia narrowed the Mizzou lead to two, but a huge stop on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt suddenly gave the Tigers new life. On the fifth play of the next drive though, Franklin was injured.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Maty Mauk entered the game.

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On third and six, the freshman picked up six tough yards to keep the drive alive. A 9-yard rush by Josey made it second and one from the Georgia 40. What happened next gave Mizzou fans reason to believe that this season would be extra special. Mauk swung a screen pass to Bud Sasser, who flung the ball some 50-yards downfield to a well-covered L’Damian Washington in the end zone. The 6’4”, 205 lb. receiver elevated and corralled the ball over a Bulldog defensive back to put Mizzou up 34-26. A Randy Ponder interception and a Josey touchdown put the game away and let the nation know that Mizzou was a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. Final score: 41-26 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 6-0.

Mizzou had no time to bask in the glory of the thrilling victory though, as the Florida Gators paid a visit to CoMo the following week. After learning that Franklin would miss three to five weeks with a shoulder strain, Mauk made his first career start against a defense that was only allowing 235.3 yards per game.

No problem.

Mauk put any doubts to rest when he threw a perfect 41-yard pass to Washington in between two defenders on the first play of the game. On the following play, he threw a 20-yard touchdown to Sasser to put Mizzou up 7-0 just 22 seconds in. The freshman finished the day with 295 yards and two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing. Baggett nailed a record-tying five field goals, and the defense dominated, recording six sacks and allowing the Gators to gain just 151 total yards. Final score: 36-17 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 7-0.

Next on the schedule was South Carolina and Mizzou’s 102nd Homecoming. Mauk set up an 11-yard touchdown run by Murphy that put Mizzou up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. A 96-yard touchdown pass to Washington in the second gave Mizzou a 14-0 lead going into the locker room.

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Baggett knocked one in from 27-yards out to extend the Mizzou lead to 17 with a little less than seven minutes left in quarter number three, and Mizzou looked to be in firm control. The Gamecocks answered with 17 points to send the game into overtime, where they would outlast Mizzou to put the only blemish on the Tigers’ regular-season record. Final score: 27-24 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 7-1.

Tennessee rolled into town next, and Mizzou greeted the Volunteers with a dominating victory. The Tiger offense ran all over the Tennessee defense and amassed 339 yards on the ground alone. Mauk accounted for 114 of those yards and also threw touchdowns passes to Green-Beckham, Washington and Lucas. The Mizzou defense was equally impressive, forcing three turnovers: interceptions by E.J. Gaines and Braylon Webb, and a fumble recovery by Matt White on a strip by Darvin Ruise. Final score: 31-3 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 8-1.

After thumping Tennessee, Mizzou paid a visit to Lexington, Ky. The Tigers took care of business against the Wildcats and a set one new school record while tying another in the process. Making his fourth consecutive start in place of the injured Franklin, Mauk completed 17 of his 28 passes for 203 yards and five touchdowns and tied Chase Daniel’s record for touchdown tosses in a game. Green-Beckham came down with four of them, the most ever for a Mizzou receiver in a single contest. Josey had the other receiving touchdown and also ran two in to complete the scoring. Final score: 48-17 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 9-1.

Mizzou’s last road stop on its way to Atlanta was in Oxford, Miss.

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In his first start in five weeks, the senior quarterback led Mizzou straight down the field on its first possession, and Josey punched it in from four yards out to put Mizzou up 7-0. The Tigers never trailed thanks to a defense that came up with three red zone stands and a balanced offensive attack. Murphy scored Mizzou’s second touchdown, and Josey added one more before it was all said and done. Mizzou executed a flawless eight-minute drive to run out the clock and secure the win. Final score: 24-10 Mizzou.

Mizzou is 10-1.

Eleven games down, one to go. Mizzou was only 60 minutes away from being crowned champions of the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern division, and Texas A&M was the only thing standing in their way.

Mizzou’s first touchdown came on a drive that started at its own six-yard line midway through the second quarter. Franklin gave the offense some life and breathing room when he connected with Washington for 23 yards on the first play. Six plays later, Franklin hit Green-Beckham for a 38-yard touchdown to put Mizzou on the board.

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Mizzou trailed 14-7 going into the locker room at the half.

The Tigers tied the game at 14 with a 75-yard drive on their first possession of the third quarter. Riding the newfound momentum, the defense forced a punt on the ensuing Aggie possession, and Washington made arguably the catch of the year on a jump ball in the corner of the end zone to put Mizzou up 21-14.

Texas A&M evened the score at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and the game remained tied until 3:34 remained on the clock. On third and one from the 43, Josey took the handoff from Franklin, hit the hole, and sprinted 57 yards into the end zone untouched to put Mizzou up for good.

 

 

The Mizzou defense came up huge one last time and forced another Texas A&M three-and-out and then a 16-yard play action pass to Eric Waters and an 11-yard run by Russell Hansbrough sealed the victory.

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The clock hit 0:00, and pandemonium ensued. Flashes from camera phones filled the stadium as fans tried to visually capture the memory that will be engraved in their hearts forever. Students rushed the field, and “Georgia On My Mind” played through the speakers.

Mizzou’s trip to Atlanta was booked, and there were no more stops to be made.

In just its second year in college football’s premier conference, Mizzou left nothing, took everything, and made it to the top.

Mizzou Wins Over Texas A&M

Mizzou Wins Over Texas A&M

Mizzou’s Pinkel Named AFCA Regional Coach of Year

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//FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE//                                               Contact: Chad Moller / (573) 882-0712

December 11, 2013                                                                                            mollerc@missouri.edu

Pinkel Named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year
Also Named Finalist for FWAA National Coach of the Year

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Football Coach Gary Pinkel has been recognized for the outstanding job his program has done in the 2013 season.  Pinkel has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach of the Year for Region 2, in acknowledgement for his Tigers putting together an 11-2 season which included an Eastern Division championship in the Southeastern Conference.

Additionally, Pinkel has also been named one of eight finalists for the prestigious Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year, as awarded by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).  The winner will be announced on Monday, Dec. 16th, and Pinkel will be considered along with fellow finalists Art Briles (Baylor), David Cutcliffe (Duke), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State), Gus Malzahn (Auburn), George O’Leary (UCF) and David Shaw (Stanford).

Pinkel has guided Mizzou to one of its top seasons in program history in 2013.  After being picked to finish sixth in the seven-team SEC East in the pre-season, his Tigers went 11-1 in the regular season, and turned in a 7-1 mark in SEC play to claim the East Division outright – marking MU’s fourth division title in the last seven years (2007, 2008, 2010, 2013).  Mizzou reached as high as 5th in the weekly polls, and after last week’s defeat to Auburn in the SEC Championship Game, the Tigers landed 8th in the final Bowl Championship Series season poll.  Pinkel’s 101 wins at Mizzou in 13 seasons have him tied with former Coach Don Faurot for most in school history.  He’ll go for sole possession of the record on Jan. 3rd, when his team plays in the 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic against former conference foe Oklahoma State.

The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.

The 2013 Regional Coach of the Year winners will be recognized at the AFCA Coach of the Year Dinner at the 2014 AFCA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14.

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