KANSAS CITY - While the college football coaching carousel intensifies and the University of Missouri continues its search for its next football coach, some of Gary Pinkel's most successful players weighed in from the Kansas City Chiefs' locker room.
Chiefs backup quarterback Chase Daniel and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin raved about Pinkel's 15-year head coaching stint Sunday following the Kansas City Chiefs' 30-22 home win against the Buffalo Bills.
"What coach Pinkel was able to do for the university is unbelievable," Daniel said. "I think they should build a statue of him for what he's done for the university."
And, for Daniel, it wasn't just what he did for the program.
"He was a father figure to me then," Daniel said. "He was pretty involved in the offense and my development as a quarterback, that's one of the reasons I went to Missouri because of his developmental skills with quarterbacks, and we always had a great relationship."
Pinkel took over a dwindling Missouri program in 2000. He gained his first bowl win in 2005, when the Tigers defeated South Carolina 24-3 in the Independence Bowl, and two seasons later, the Tigers boasted a No. 1 national ranking after defeating Kansas 36-28 in the 120th version of the Border War.
In that game, Daniel passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns in the Big 12 regular-season finale held at Arrowhead Stadium. Fifteen years later, he was answering questions about Pinkel's abrupt retirement, which came after learning earlier in the year he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"I think it surprised everyone," Daniel said. "It was a shock and I think he's doing the absolute perfect thing for him, and that's spend time with his family."
Still, it won't be the same watching the Tigers for the all-time passing leader at Missouri.
"It's tough to see him leave because he is Mizzou football," Daniel said. "That's all I know about Mizzou football is Gary Pinkel. But I'm sure (Missouri athletics director Mack Rhoades) will have some great leadership to be able to hire the new head coach.
"He's just completely changed the culture of Mizzou football. He's got those guys to come together for the greater good to have one goal in mind and that's to win a national championship. Obviously they haven't gotten there yet, but I think they're well on their way."
Maclin echoed much of what Daniel said.
"(Pinkel) meant a lot not only as a football coach, but a mentor," Maclin said after posting a 160-yard receiving day, his third-best career output and best as a Chief. "He was a guy I can talk to about life. I really respected him for that."
The Chiefs receiver said he had spoken with Pinkel since he announced his retirement.
"That was a personal conversation between him and I, but he's in positive spirits," Maclin said. "If anybody can get through this it's him."
Maclin appreciated how he stood behind his team when players ceased football activities to support Jonathan Butler's hunger strike.
"He practices what he preaches," Maclin said. "So, you know if coach Pinkel is telling you something, he's not just talking about it. He's actually living it, he actually does it. With everything he went through in his career, obviously standing behind his players with the hunger strike, and even if he wasn't for what was going on, he was behind his players, and that's the important thing."
Daniel agreed.
"I think he handled it exactly how he should have," Daniel said. "I don't want to get too much into it, but he's a players' coach; he's going to have his players' backs no matter what."
Neither player offered much on Missouri's coaching search but both were supportive of candidate Barry Odom, the current Missouri defensive coordinator who is garnering serious interest from Memphis, according to multiple reports.
"I'm all for Odom, but I feel like they're going to do what they need to do," Maclin said. "That's why they hired Rhoades, who I think has a good head."
Pinkel coached his last game Saturday, which became official when the university announced in a statement Monday night that Missouri would decline an opportunity to play in a bowl game with a 5-7 record.
"He took them from not a lot of people knowing about who they were, and now they're national contenders," Daniel said. "I know it was a little down this year but the last two years they were playing for the SEC Championship game. It's a pretty dang good job if you ask me."