Missouri suspends head football coach Gary Pinkel for one game after DWI arrest
(CBS/AP) COLUMBIA, Mo. - University of Missouri suspended head football coach Gary Pinkel without pay for the final home game of the season Thursday. The school administration also froze his salary for a year following his overnight arrest on suspicion of drunken driving.
Athletic director Mike Alden said Pinkel would miss Saturday's game against Texas Tech and the coach will donate a week's worth of his base salary and guaranteed incentives - approximately $41,000 - to a campus alcohol-awareness program when he returns.
The disciplinary measures include a total of approximately $306,000 in penalties and 50 hours of community service by next summer. If Missouri (5-5) makes it to a bowl game, Pinkel won't get the $75,000 bonus his contract stipulates. He forfeits a $100,000 annual payment for meeting certain team academic and social goals. And he loses an automatic $50,000 raise at the end of the year.
"Gary is someone with tremendous character and integrity," Alden said. "He's built something pretty special here at Mizzou over the course of the last 11years. We do not want one incident certainly to tear down what's taken place. However, this absolutely goes against everything we stand for, and everything that he teaches his players in regard to their social responsibilities."
Boone County Sheriff's Office records show that deputies pulled Pinkel over in Columbia, Mo., and jailed him Wednesday night on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He was released from the county jail after posting a $500 bond.
The sheriff's department said the incident is Pinkel's first offense. The prosecutor's office has up to one year to file charges. Since the case is part of an active investigation, the sheriff's department declined to release additional information, including any preliminary test results of the coach's blood-alcohol content.
Pinkel said he has met with his coaching staff about the incident and apologized to his players. Alden said he also met with the team Thursday.
Defensive coordinator Dave Steckel will lead the team this week, assisted by offensive coordinator Dave Yost, according to Alden.
In April, Pinkel received a two-year contract extension through the 2017 season. He earns a guaranteed annual salary of $2.35 million. His teams have largely avoided off-field trouble, although two players and assistant coach Bruce Walker were arrested on alcohol-related charges in August 2010.
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November 17, 2011 - Missouri head football coach Gary Pinkel arrested Wednesday on DWI suspicion