2015 Mizzou Football: Gary Pinkel talks Terry Beckner Jr., Andrew Lock, Contracts

Coaching Salaries

Gary P met with the media and the Trib transcribed it for your reading pleasure

On if he's seen more respect for MU over the past couple years...

"That would be fair to say. The SEC has a lot to do with that, no disrespect to any other leagues. I don't think there's any question about it. Winning 23 games in the last two years in this league has helped the respect, prestige, what have you of our program. Certainly, I think it's been very, very positive."

Mack Rhoades and Gary talk Expansion and Contracts

"All I asked the university is I just want to be paid in the top half of the league and treated fairly," Pinkel said. "That's all I wanted. And with respect. That's basically all I wanted for myself and my staff. We're fortunate we came up with something, and we're just going to keep trying to make ourselves better."

The new deal also includes an agreement that bumps the Tigers' assistant coach pay pool into the top half of the league, Pinkel said.

Pinkel's nine assistants split $3.2 million under the new contract he signed in March 2013, which ranked 10th among SEC staffs according to USA Today's figures. Georgia, the sixth ranked staff last year according to USA Today, made $3.33 million total.

MU's total staff pay of $3.17M ranked 10th in the SEC last year, according to USA Today. $3.27M would have ranked 7th.

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 15, 2015

Disrespect!

Gary Pinkel, at event in St. Louis, says new contract also bumps assistant pay pool to the top half of the SEC.

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 15, 2015

I expect those numbers will be made available around the same time Antar Thompson plays his first down at Mizzou.

Terry Beckner Jr.

Terry Beckner may not be on campus in June, commence panicking

Pinkel, speaking on the Southeastern Conference's post-spring coaches teleconference, said the team would know over the "next month or so" whether the jewel of its 2015 signing class can join the team in the fall or will have to take a detour.

"I don't discuss eligibility with everybody," Pinkel said. "I think every school in the country has five or six players that have work to do. He's one of those guys that has work to do."

@DavidCMorrison And, apparently June 4, for those that want to be paid $15/hr to work the summer camps.

— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) May 15, 2015

College football players paid to work camps -- problem in the making? - CBSSports.com

The NCAA is allowing schools to pay current student-athletes a figure consistent with the going rate for guest coaches, which fluctuates but can command close to $20 per hour depending on the school.

$15-20 an hour for a summer job right before you go to college? That's pretty good, but I can see how it could be viewed as a slippery slope in the "student-athlete" debate.

More Beckner from Dave Matter

The Tigers have been down this road of uncertainty before with East St. Louis High recruits. Several have signed to play for Pinkel but failed to qualify academically, most notably former tailback Damien Nash, who signed with MU in 2001 but needed two years at Coffeyville, Kan., Community College before he joined the Tigers in 2003. Others from East St. Louis never arrived in Columbia, like quarterback/safety Julius Denzmore in 2004 and defensive lineman Ty Phillips in 2009. Safety Greg Taylor, a 2014 Mizzou signee, and tailback Nate Strong, a 2015 verbal commitment, are both enrolled at Hinds, Miss., Community College and plan to enroll at Mizzou in 2016.

We've been discussing Terry Beckner Jr.'s status since before his commitment. Cornell Ford was saying he had "things to work on" back on February 4th and it sounds like the 4* DT may or may not have to take the ACT again. If he does we'll know sometime during the middle of June. As Gary Pinkel himself said, when he walks in the door, then everything will be clear.

Until then, don't mind me, I'm just over here stress eating while looking at the defensive line's 2-deep.

Andrew Lock

Power Mizzou talks to incoming Tigers Drew Lock and Chase Abbington about the upcoming season

Pinkel asked if he'd let Drew Lock play basketball: "I love Kim Anderson...but no."

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 15, 2015

Let's go ahead and shut this "story" down. There's no way Gary Pinkel allows perhaps the most highly touted quarterback to come to Mizzou, to play another sport where he could get hurt and risk his career. This isn't Andrew Jones or Justin Gage we're talking about. The basketball team may need all the help it can get, but the guard position looks pretty crowded for the foreseeable future. Lock has way more to offer, and gain, from focusing on football.

So of course he'll probably be the starting point guard his senior year.

You heard it from the mammoth's mouth, youth is no excuse for this wide receiving corps. The projected starters, Wesley Leftwich, J'mon Moore, Nate Brown, Keyon Dilosa, DeSean Blair, and yes even Raymond Wingo have all been at Mizzou for at least a year. If that's not enough time to learn how to catch a simple pass then fire Yost. I mean, how complicated can the offense be with Maty Mauk at QB? Just run the go route and catch touchdown passes, maybe run a stop and go or a slant but the route tree doesn't look like it'll have many branches, can't be too difficult.

But seriously, the wide receiving corp is inexperienced so they'll likely rely on the running game and simple, deep passing routes, as we discussed early this week. As long as they stay healthy, eligible and focused, the potential for them to develop and become the strength of the team, particularly next year, is a big reason for optimism.