Thank You Mizzou Nation!

Dear Mizzou Nation,

Happy New Year to our amazing fans!  We’re only a few days removed from our exciting win over Minnesota in the 2015 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, and we’re so proud of everyone in our program and all the great work they did this season to produce such a successful year.

I wanted to take a moment to express how grateful that I and my coaching staff and players are, for everything you, our fans, do for us at Mizzou!  You have absolutely been a key part of our success that’s seen us win a program-record 23 games over the last two seasons, which includes back-to-back SEC Eastern Division championships and consecutive January bowl game wins.  Sharing our Citrus Bowl victory on that stage after the game with our fans who all stuck around to celebrate was such a rewarding experience for everyone.

We rely on you to do a lot for our program, and you have helped us turn The Zou into one of the best game-day atmospheres in the country.  We’ve asked for your support on the road, and you’ve continued to show up in a big-time way no matter where the Tigers are playing.

The showing Mizzou made for the Citrus Bowl was outstanding, and whether you traveled to Orlando, Fla., to see the game in person, or if you bought and donated tickets from our allotment to local organizations, we made another very positive showing to bowl game officials that will help us market our program in the future.

And speaking of the future, I am very excited about this upcoming year.  Everyone deserves a little time off, so we’ll do that now for a short time, but very soon our players will be back in school and working as hard as they ever have with academics, as well as off-season conditioning.  At the same time, our staff will be working hard on recruiting, and evaluating this past season and looking at ways to improve in 2015.  Spring practice will be just around the corner, and then before you know it, it’s the summer and about time for fall camp to begin!

There’s a lot to be grateful for surrounding Mizzou Tiger Football, and just as much to be excited about for the future.

Thanks again to our fans for your support, for your passion for Mizzou Football, and for everything you do to make this such a special place!

Best wishes, and M-I-Z!

Gary Pinkel