Pinkel, Maclin Included on 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

The announcement of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2022

Columbia, Mo. – Former Mizzou head coach Gary Pinkel and all-purpose player Jeremy Maclin are included on the 2022 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, it was announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) on Wednesday.

The 2022 ballot will include 78 players and seven coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks.

Pinkel, who led the Tigers from 2001-15, won five conference division titles (Big 12 North – 2007, 2008, 2010; SEC Eastern – 2013, 2014); earned 10 bowl bids (6-4), and finished ranked five times – fourth (2007), fifth (2013), 14th (2014), 18th (2010) and 19th (2008).

Also the head coach at Toledo from 1991-200, Pinkel compiled a head coaching record of 118-73 (.618) overall and 64-57 (.529) in conference play (Big 12: 47-42, .528; SEC: 17-15, .531). He was the 2007 National Coach of the Year (FieldTurf) and a two-time league Coach of the Year (Big 12: 2007, SEC: 2014).

In 2007, Jeremy Maclin broke the NCAA single-season freshman record for all-purpose yards, as he amassed a whopping 2,776 yards – including 1,055 receiving, 1,039 kickoff return, 375 rushing and 307 punt return. Maclin scored 16 touchdowns total, with nine scores coming on receptions, four on the ground, two via punt returns and one on a kickoff return. A first-team consensus All-American, he was the only player in Division I in 2007 to score touchdowns in all four all-purpose categories.

He repeated with consensus first-team All-America honors in 2008 as he led the NCAA in all-purpose yardage (202.36 ypg) and broke MU’s single-season receiving records with 102 receptions, 1,260 yards and 13 TDs. He closed his career with Offensive MVP honors in the 2008 Alamo Bowl, as he returned a punt for a TD and caught the game-winning TD pass from Chase Daniel in Mizzou’s 30-23 overtime win.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 full seasons prior; played within the last 50 years; and cannot be currently playing professional football.

Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head football coach; won at least 60 percent of their games; and be retired from coaching for at least three full seasons. If a coach is retired and over the age of 70, there is no waiting period. If he is over the age of 75, he is eligible as an active coach. In all cases, the candidate’s post-football record as a citizen may also be weighed.

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GP M.A.D.E. hosts second annual golf tournament

The second annual GP M.A.D.E. golf tournament was held August 16, with 206 participants joining the tournament to support the foundation. ABC17’s Andrew Kauffman reported that, while it was difficult to put the event together due to COVID-19 health and safety restrictions, Coach Pinkel was thrilled by the ability of his team to throw the tournament together in support of their cause.

“You really want to do something significant,” Pinkel said. “…You change a generation, and I get chills thinking about it because it’s true and it’s real. That’s kind of what we’re trying to do and there’s many different ways of doing it.”

The golf tournament is held every year with all proceeds going to research for children and youth facing lymphoma and leukemia cancers, assisting children and youth with physical challenges and aiding children and youth experiencing economic and social challenges.

Gary Pinkel attends LLS Mid-America Black Tie Ball

Gary and Missy Pinkel both attended the Lymphoma Leukemia Society Mid-America chapter’s virtual Black Tie Ball where they served as honorary chairs.

The evening raised funds toward LLS’ mission of curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma and improving the quality of life for patients and their families. The Black Tie Ball featured an auction with online bidding, personal experiences shared by Coach Pinkel and 10-year-old non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor Magnus.

The theme of the evening was “Relentless—” the act of being persistent, constant and continuous. This theme was echoed in the stories both Magnus and Coach Pinkel shared about their own experiences with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and continuing to get up and face each day one at a time.

GP M.A.D.E. Foundation celebrates one year anniversary

The GP M.A.D.E. Foundation celebrated its first anniversary as an organization April 24.

In its first year, the foundation gave out 24 Scholarships totaling $48,000 to low-income students to attend college, university or vocational trade schools in Missouri.

Additionally, the foundation donated approximately $62,000 in grants to organizations assisting children & youth facing lymphoma & leukemia cancers, physical challenges, & economic & social challenges. The biggest donations of which were two $15,000 grants to Wonderland Camp and Lymphoma/Leukemia Society.

The GP M.A.D.E. Foundation raised its funds in the form of a very successful inaugural golf tournament that raised approximately $118,000. GP M.A.D.E. also received funds from a game day event that netted more than $15,000. $3,750 of the proceeds went to the Mizzou Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Coach Gary Pinkel gives out 24 scholarships

Coach Pinkel awarded 24 scholarships through the GP M.A.D.E. Foundation on April 2. Pinkel and GP M.A.D.E. board member Mike Fenner hopped on a Zoom call to surprise the 25 students who did not know they were about to receive scholarships.

“They thought this was part of the interview process still, and it was awesome,” Pinkel told ABC17.

Pinkel told the students on the call that this is the first time GP M.A.D.E. has done this, and he thought they were all a great fit for the scholarship.

“There were some incredible stories of what some of these kids have had to overcome to get where they’re at and it’s pretty awesome,” Pinkel said.

GP M.A.D.E. plans on handing out scholarships every year to continue making a difference every day.

GP M.A.D.E. participates in Game Day

Coach Pinkel attended an away game watch party hosted by Dan Devers, Jason Andrews and Steve McCarton Saturday in Kansas City for Mizzou’s game versus Georgia. The watch party was held at National Golf Club in North Kansas City, and participants were invited to go watch the game, meet Coach Pinkel and listen to former Mizzou players talk about their experiences suiting up to play on game day.

Participants paid $250 a couple to attend the party, and all proceeds went to the GP M.A.D.E. foundation. 25% of all funds then went to the Tiger Scholarship Fund. Former players L’Damian Washingon, Chase Coffman and Martin Rucker and more were also in attendance.

The fundraiser collected approximately $15,000 in support of the GP M.A.D.E. foundation and the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Coach Pinkel named Missouri Sports Legend

On Sunday, November 3, Gary Pinkel was named a Missouri Sports Legend, the highest honor able to be received from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Pinkel is the winningest coach in Missouri football history, and retired in 2015 with a 118-73 record.

In an article from the News Tribune, Coach Pinkel said he’s a Missourian at heart.

“It’s very humbling, it’s such an honor,” Pinkel said. “The coaching profession is about getting people together, working together, whether it’s coaches, players, etc. There are a lot of reasons why I’m standing here, and it’s basically because I’ve been blessed to have good people around me my whole life.”

At the ceremony, a bronze bust of Coach Pinkel was presented and will be showcased at the Hall of Fame’s Legends Walkway in Springfield.

GP M.A.D.E. Foundation teams up with Abel’s Army

The GP M.A.D.E. Foundation teamed up with Greg DeLine and Abel’s Army at Mizzou’s October 12th homecoming game. Seven-year-old Abel, who is in remission for leukemia, got to spend time with Missy and Coach Pinkel before the game, as well as help with the pregame coin toss.

Alicia Green, Abel’s mom, said they actually met Coach Pinkel for ice cream at Central Dairy in Jefferson City a few days before the game.
“We had a great talk,” Green said. “Abel got to meet Coach and they talked about their similarities and their diseases, and the positive things that have come out of it.”

Before the game, Abel was featured on the Jumbotron at Faurot Field. Coin Toss Sponsor Greg DeLine of DeLine Holdings said it’s uplifting to be able give children these experiences.

“We’re thinking, ‘Well, let’s give a child the opportunity of a lifetime,’” DeLine said. “Just to have Gary participating with that’s just a dream, it’s just a dream come true.”

Gary Pinkel inducted into Summit County Sports Hall of Fame

Coach Gary Pinkel, along with seven other athletes and coaches, was inducted into the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame on October 1. Coach Pinkel graduated from Kenmore High school (Akron, Ohio) in 1970 and Kent State in 1975. He coached for 39 years following a playing career where he won honorable mention All-American and 1st-team All-Conference status as a tight end and team captain at Kent State. Pinkel was the head coach for 10 years at University of Toledo and 15 at the University of Missouri.

“This is awesome,” Pinkel said in an article from Beacon Journal. “… I have been blessed my whole life to be surrounded by good people.”
When Pinkel retired in 2015, he finished his coaching career with a record of 191-110-3.

Pinkel took Mizzou to 10 bowls and was the 20th-winningest coach in college football history at the time of his retirement.

Gary Pinkel named Norm Stewart Legacy Award Winner

Coach Pinkel received the Norm Stewart Legacy Award for Coaches v. Cancer. Coaches v. Cancer evolved from an idea hatched by legendary former Mizzou head basketball coach Norm Stewart into a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The organization aims to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through awareness, fundraising and advocacy.

The recipient of the Norm Stewart Legacy Award must achieve two of the three requirements: be an individual, company or group who, through volunteerism, have shown outstanding commitment and care to the citizens of the Kansas City metro, is connected with the American Cancer Society’s mission, and is an achiever within athletics, basketball preferred.

“The research is why more kids and people are being healed, it’s why people are living longer, it’s why we’re winning the battle,” Pinkel said at the Coaches v. Cancer event. “You should be proud of it and remember that you are a difference maker in what you are doing.”