Wait. They get rings for being SEC divisional champs? Woody (via iPhone)
> On Jul 17, 2014, at 8:53 AM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: > > > SEC: Pinkel, Missouri carrying momentum > > > > Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk shows off his SEC Eastern Division ring on > Wednesday at SEC Media Days. > Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun > By Robbie Andreu > GAINESVILLE SUN Staff writer > Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 1:42 p.m. > > Last Modified: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 6:42 p.m. > > > > HOOVER, Ala. — Only a year ago at SEC Media Days, Missouri's Gary Pinkel was > in the same place Florida's Will Muschamp found himself earlier this week, on > the sizzling hot seat. > But it was a little bit more severe for Pinkel. It wasn't just a coach on the > hot seat, it was an entire team, the entire Missouri football program. > Coming off a humbling and injury-riddled 5-7 first season in the SEC, the > Tigers were being questioned about whether they even belonged in this rugged > conference, where only the strong survive. Had they stepped out of their > league when they went from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2012? > Many were wondering. > Well, a year later, those troubling questions have evaporated. And as for > that hot seat, Pinkel and Missouri could not be further from it. > Pinkel has a new contract that will keep him at Missouri through the 2020 > season and pay him $3.1 million a year. And the Tigers are now considered > strong contenders (and feeling right at home) in the nation's strongest > football conference. > One magical, remarkable turnaround season in 2013 has changed everything, > including perceptions. > Pinkel and the Tigers returned to SEC Media Days on Wednesday as the > defending champions of the Eastern Division. > “It's been tremendously positive, especially coming off the year we had > before,” Pinkel said when asked what impact going 11-2 and winning the > division has had on the Missouri program. “It was not the injuries. It was > not all the other things. It was just we weren't very good, we shouldn't be > in the SEC. > “We stay healthy, it gives us a chance. I'll go back to that year. If I would > have coached better, we could have won one more game, could have gone on to a > bowl. > “(Coming back and winning the division last season) has been very positive in > terms of recruiting in every way. But this is a new year. Great challenge. We > want to continue to compete at a high level. That's our challenge as we go > into year number three (in the SEC).” > The Tigers no longer have to prove they belong in the SEC. They did that last > season. The question now is: Can they continue to be contenders in the league? > Missouri has momentum heading into the season, despite the fact it returns > only eight starters. > “First of all, you keep it going by winning. That's real simple,” Pinkel > said. “When I became the head coach at Missouri, I wanted to be respected in > the Big 12, and now it's the SEC, and nationally. Not only do you have > responsibility to your school, but to this league. I just wanted to be > respected. > “You do that not just (by) winning football games. Our graduation rate is one > of the best in the country and our APR rankings are in the top 10. Not only > in just that, but in other ways too.” > Winning, of course, is what everyone notices. And that's what the Tigers did > last season. > With a number of injured stars returning, including quarterback James > Franklin, the rejuvenated Tigers made an early and stunning statement, > winning at Georgia on Oct. 12, then thrashing Florida 36-17 a week later. > With those two victories, the Tigers earned the respect around the league > that they did not have in their first season. > They followed that up by going 7-1 in conference play to win the division and > advance to the SEC Championship Game against Auburn. > “In the first year, we had a bunch of injuries, but last year we were > healthy, so it's about being healthy and competing,” senior standout > defensive end Markus Golden said. “At Mizzou, we believe we can compete > against anybody, and that's what we were able to do last year. We're going to > try and do the same thing this year.” > Injuries hit the Tigers hard two years ago. This year, it's been graduation, > along with the dismissal of star wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who is > now at Oklahoma. > Missouri will have eight new starters on offense, including quarterback Maty > Mauk, and six on defense. > The good news, from an offensive standpoint, is that Mauk has already proven > himself. He started four games last season. In his first, he led the Tigers > to their big win over Florida. > “He's a winner. Players know it,” Pinkel said of Mauk. “He's a remarkable > competitor. They know it. They respect the way he leads. That's why he did so > well last year when we threw him in there as a freshman. We're very fortunate > to have him. > “Certainly, if you ask him, he's got a lot of things to prove too. He's the > guy now. I guarantee there's no one more excited about getting going and > playing than that guy.” > It's an excitement that seems to be running through the entire team. > “We're excited about the year,” Pinkel said. “We've worked very hard. We're > honored to be in the SEC. I tell people all the time, it's like being in the > NFL. > “We focus pretty much at Mizzou on ourselves and us playing our best football > game, which gives us an opportunity to win. We're going to continue to do > that.” > Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or > mailto:[email protected].%20Also%20check%20out%20Andreu's%20blog%20at%20Gatorsports.com. > > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorNews" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. 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