A story of leadership, perseverance, and building a winning culture in college football. Follow Gary Pinkel's remarkable journey from Kent State to becoming the winningest coach at both the University of Toledo and the University of Missouri. Discover the strategies and philosophies that propelled his teams to the top, while navigating personal and professional challenges. The 100-Yard Journey offers an intimate look into the life of a successful coach, revealing: The leadership principles that built winning teams. - How to overcome adversity and maintain focus. - The importance of family and mentorship in achieving success. Whether you're a football fan, aspiring coach, or simply seeking inspiration, Pinkel's memoirs provide valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and the power of a strong team. Dave Matter is the Mizzou athletics beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLtoday.com. Prior to joining the Post-Dispatch in 2013, he wrote for Columbia Daily Tribune for more than 10 years. He lives in Columbia, Missouri. Gary Pinkel won 118 games in 15 seasons as the head football coach at the University of Missouri, becoming the winningest coach in the program's history. During the Pinkel era, the Tigers posted five seasons with 10 or more wins and reached 10 bowl games. Prior to joining Mizzou, Pinkel was the head coach at Toledo for 10 seasons and an assistant under Don James at the University of Washington. He lives in Columbia, Missouri. This is his first book. The 100-Yard Journey A Life in Coaching and Battling for the Win By Gary Pinkel, Dave Matter Triumph Books LLC Copyright © 2017 Gary Pinkel and Dave Matter All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-62937-465-9 Contents Foreword by Nick Saban, Introduction, 1. Akron: My Ohio Roots, 2. Kent State: My Alma Mater, 3. Seattle: Winning & Learning in Washington, 4. Toledo: Head Coach, Day One, 5. Mizzou: Building a Winning Culture, 6. Mizzou: Competing for Championships, 7. Mizzou: Reload & Redeem, 8. Mizzou: Welcome to the SEC, 9. 2015: Season of Change, 10. Retirement: A New Direction, Appendix, Acknowledgments, Photo Gallery, CHAPTER 1 Akron: My Ohio Roots My career in football has taken me all over the country, but I've been lucky to have only called a few places home. The first was Akron, Ohio. In the early 20 century, Akron became known as the "Rubber Capital of the World," as the tire industry's four major manufacturers set up their headquarters in the northeast Ohio city along the Little Cuyahoga River. Rubber brought my parents there in 1952. The Pinkel side of the family came to America from Usingen, Germany, and my father, George Pinkel, grew up during the Great Depression in Buffalo, New York. I never met his father — he left my grandmother, Margaret, before I was born — but my dad would later say the best thing his father ever did was sign for him to join the Navy when he dropped out of high school. My dad was stationed in Guam for the final stages of World War II, and when his tour ended, he moved back home where he married my mother, Gay Robbins, an acquaintance and Buffalo native. (Among the countless things my mom gave me was my middle name, Robin, from her maiden name. She thought it would toughen me up, I like to joke. A boy named Sue? No, a boy named Robin.) The war was over, but my dad wanted to continue his service, so he joined the Marine reserves when the Korean War broke out. He had just started a family, so he was able to serve stateside at Parris Island. Their first child, my sister Kathy, was born in 1949. By then, my dad started looking for a new career path. George Pinkel had so many skills. He learned drafting in high school. He had the hands of an artist and could write in calligraphy. He also had an incredible curiosity when it came to technology. He built TVs and radios from scratch. He could take anything apart and put it back together. In other words, he was everything I am not. There are days I struggle to manage the remote control or the apps on my iPhone. My dad used all those skills on his base in Guam, but once the war ended, he was ready for a job in the civilian world. At the time, my mom's mother, Alice, whom we called Nana, wrote letters to some companies on my dad's behalf. The tire and automobile industries were booming in the post-war economy. One of those companies she contacted was General Tire, one of the four tire titans in Akron. Nana came through, and my dad landed a job in the sales division. We were off to Akron. I say "we" because the Buffalo family of three was about to become the Akron party of four. My mom was pregnant during the move to Ohio. I'd join the Pinkels on April 27, 1952. * * * We settled into a neighborhood called Firestone Park — it's all about tires in Akron — where we lived for four years until we moved to a nearby part of town, Castle Homes, a new neighborhood in the southern part of Summit County. We moved into a new