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Kul
The Trib (Behind theStripes): Report: Kuligowski offered co-DC job at Illinois
ABC 17: Report: Craig Kuligowski offered Illini job
Post-Dispatch: MU's Kuligowski headed to Illinois?
PowerMizzou: Got some messages out on the Kuligowski report
Refresher: Kuligowski has been with Pinkel for 23 years. Did not get Mizzou def coordinator job that went to Barry Odom in December
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) January 26, 2015
Add another layer to the story: Remember, Mizzou hired away AJ Ricker from Illinois back in July.
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) January 26, 2015
Fluid situation with Kuligowski & Illinois. I don't believe he's accepted a job yet. Stay tuned.
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) January 26, 2015
Pinkel's assistants always cited stability as a big reason for staying w/ GP. Would be pretty big shift if Kul leaves for unstable Illinois
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Being co-DC would be step up for Kul, obviously, after getting passed over for Odom at Mizzou this year. Trying to gather info.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Looking online, Illinois' DC Tim Banks made $400,000 (reported in May 2013). Kuligowski's salary is just under $300K at Mizzou.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Mother of former #Mizzou DT Lucas Vincent RT @murphfan03: @PeteScantlebury I wouldn't be shocked....I have no inside scoop...just saying.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Illinois' former DL coach, Greg Colby, made $180K. He was fired on Jan. 8 of this year.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Got some messages out on the Craig Kuligowski report from @FootballScoop . Nothing concrete, but one source believes he will leave #Mizzou.
— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) January 26, 2015
For those asking about Kool and recruits, he hasn't been the lead recruiter on Beckner.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
Also, new commit Tyrell Jacobs told me that the d-line success wasn't a big part of his commitment. Said it was family atmosphere.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) January 26, 2015
"@YuskeFrazier: This recruiting ish is crazy...." #Mizzou DL commit, visited over the weekend
— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) January 26, 2015
Total coincidence that big story on Kuligowski & Mizzou's sales pitch to Beckner was planned for Monday's P-D. Had to furiously rework story
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) January 26, 2015
Well ... we knew this was a possibility when Gary Pinkel hired Barry Odom as his new defensive coordinator. Illinois has offered Craig Kuligowski a co-coordinator position, and now we'll see how much flexibility Gary Pinkel has in terms of giving raises (or new titles) to position coaches. We'll also see how much that matters, I guess.
Odom's hire signified that if Coach Kul wanted to become a coordinator, he'd either have to go elsewhere or wait until Odom gets hired as a head coach, either at Mizzou or elsewhere. Our preference obviously was for these crossroads not to approach for a couple more seasons, but we're here, and now we'll see what means the most to Kuligowski.
Simply judging from what Illinois was paying its assistants last year, the Illini wouldn't be prepared to give Kul a raise Mizzou couldn't match -- again, if Pinkel has the ability to give raises at this point (and I figure he does). But to keep him, Mizzou might need to throw out a co-coordinator position or something similar, and we'll see if that's in the cards.
I don't know if Pinkel has the ability to keep Kul at this point, or if the Odom hire set something unstoppable into motion. I really hope he stays because he's ridiculously good at his job, but we knew the risks no matter how exciting the Odom hire was. Now we'll see what the consequences are. One would assume that, with Tim Beckman facing a pretty warm seat heading into 2015, Kul could find a more stable coordinator position to inherit in the future, but as Gabe Dearmond said in the PowerMizzou link above, this move would basically be Kul "betting on himself." And if you're doing that, you might as well get started down the road.
I loved the Odom hire and still do. But it opened this door as we knew it might.
Kuligowski isn't the lead recruiter on Terry Beckner -- St. Louis is Cornell Ford's territory -- so we don't immediately know if his departure would have any major effect on his (or Nate Howard's, or Tyrell Jacobs', or Marcell Frazier's) recruitment. But it certainly wouldn't help, and it would certainly throw a kink into the #DLineZou momentum we've been seeing. Pinkel has made great hires before, but he might have to make another one soon.
Future Tigers...
Meanwhile, it was a pretty big recruiting weekend, huh?
Brandon Martin
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Tigers pick up pair of pledges from weekend visitors
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou adds pair of football commitments
PowerMizzou: Martin makes it official
Tyrell Jacobs
NOLA.com: Rummel's Tyrell Jacobs now part of the 'Zou,' commits to Missouri
PowerMizzou: Family brings Jacobs to Mizzou
Marcell Frazier
PowerMizzou: Frazier gets a look at Mizzou
Nate Howard
PowerMizzou: Nate Howard sets a decision date
Rankings
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Missouri Recruiting Rankings Roundup
And some basketball...
ZagsBlog: Thomas Bryant Has No Visits Set, Monitoring Kentucky’s Big Men
...and former Tigers
#MizzouMade Sheldon Richardson in the @NFLProBowl #TeamIrvin pic.twitter.com/2ff9w195On
— Rock M Nation (@rockmnation) January 26, 2015
Golden
Fox Sports MW: Mizzou's Markus Golden making strong impression at Senior Bowl
Ray
ESPN.com: Season's best SEC players: Nos. 1-5
Bud
Chatsports.com: Inside The Mind Of A 2015 Draft Prospect: An Interview with Missouri's Bud Sasser
:-/
The Missourian: Missouri men's basketball's Shamburger coping with the end
The Missourian: Being Ryan Rosburg isn't easy - Columbia Missourian
Wrestling: still undefeated
OSU
MUTIGERS.COM: Tiger Style Claims 22-10 Victory Over Oklahoma State
The Trib: Make it three: Tigers roll Oklahoma State for third win vs. top-10 foe
The Missourian: No. 3 Missouri wrestling picks up big win vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State
Mizzou Network: POSTGAME REPORT: Coach Smith after Mizzou's 22-10 win over Oklahoma State
NIU
MUTIGERS.COM: Wrestling Pushes Record To 17-0 After 32-12 Win Over Northern Illinois
The Missourian: Slow start doesn't stop No. 3 Missouri wrestling in win against NIU
The Missourian: Lavion Mayes, Joey Lavallee prove clinical for Missouri wrestling
#Stubble
The Trib: MU softball team has fewer question marks this season
WHATNOT
Women's Basketball
MUTIGERS.COM: Mizzou's Three-Point Barrage Falls Short vs. No. 14 Kentucky
The Trib: MU women follow similar script in loss to No. 14 Kentucky
The Missourian: Missouri women's basketball can't get shots to fall against No. 14 Kentucky
The Trib: MU women's basketball team finally able to ratchet up practice
Gymnastics
MUTIGERS.COM: Gymnastics Falls to No. 3 LSU on the Road
Track & Field
MUTIGERS.COM: Record Book Marks Fall in Kentucky
Swimming & Diving
MUTIGERS.COM: Swimming and Diving Squads Sweep Drury
RIP
Eater: Never Forget These 11 Absolutely Unnecessary SkyMall Food Objects