University of Missouri Head Football Coach Gary Pinkel has been suspended without pay for one week, and he will not be on the sidelines for this weekend’s game against Texas Tech, following his Wednesday night arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Director of Athletics Mike Alden made the announcement Thursday afternoon.
“After having had a chance to review all of the facts involved with this situation, we feel that this is the appropriate course of action,” Alden said. “Gary is very remorseful for his lapse in judgment, and he is in full agreement that he holds himself to a higher standard than what he displayed last night,” Alden said.
Terms of the suspension mean that Pinkel will not be present in the MU Football offices effective immediately, and he will not be involved in further game-planning or coaching for Saturday’s game, which is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium. He will be allowed back with the program next Thursday.
In addition to the suspension, Pinkel, per his request, will donate an additional week’s salary to the MU Wellness Resource Center, a campus organization which is dedicated to creating an environment that supports healthy decision making as it relates to issues such as alcohol, tobacco and other substance use, among other nutrition, fitness and health issues. This donation will amount to $40,769 (which includes base salary and guaranteed incentives for one week).
Other terms of the suspension will include a one-year salary freeze for Pinkel and 50 hours of community service to be completed by June 30, 2012. In addition, Pinkel will not be eligible to receive any potential bowl bonus for the 2011 season, should Mizzou attain bowl eligibility, nor would he receive the social responsibility bonus available to him in his employment contract.
All told the financial impact of the suspension terms equals $306,538, should the Tigers reach a bowl game. That breaks down to: $100,000 social/academic incentive, $75,000 bowl bonus, $13,462 two weeks’ base salary, $68,076 two weeks’ guaranteed incentives, and $50,000 salary increase due, per contract, at the end of the year.
“As I said previously, I deeply regret the negative attention this has brought to the University of Missouri, and I offer my sincere apology to everyone associated with this institution,” Pinkel said. “I recognize that I’ve let everyone down and I fully accept the terms of this suspension. Everyone is held accountable in our program for their actions, and I’m no different. I hope that our fans will be supportive of our team during this time; they will need their encouragement,” he said.
— MU Sports Information —