I will miss you as will many fans.
I'm going to post a post from Tigerboard, which tells the story of one fan watching through the Pinkel years.
His sn is Gypsy Wagon

I saw my first Mizzou game back in the early 1980's. Mizzou played Nebraska and it wasn't even close. It looked like a pro team had come to town to play our freshman high school squad.

I was at the 5th down game. I was at the home game in 1992 when Colorado came back to town after the 5th down and the University had to bring in portable lights because it was going to be a night game and our sorry stadium didn't haven't permanent light fixtures. Of course Colorado won, in a driving rain. It was miserable. Mizzou football was just sort of a joke.

I was at the Nebraska kicked ball in the end zone game. I was at so many OU butt kickings that it wasn't even funny.

I remember Bill Snyder turning K-State around and thinking "well we can't even count on that as a win now".

I remember the Corby Jones era and brief re-surgence and then the fall back to mediocrity (at best!) I remember the Holiday Bowl in San Diego and thinking that this might be the best I would ever see MU football and I better soak it in.

I remember Larry Smith being fired at the end of the season after losing an ugly game to K-State where almost no one was left at Faurot to even watch the last quarter. I remember thinking that we were probably headed for even darker days at Mizzou.

Then Gary Pinkel came to town. I remember seeing him at a luncheon the spring after his hiring and after hearing him speak and his no-nonsense demeanor, I remember thinking "if this guy can't do it, then maybe no one can".

It wasn't pretty at first. Michigan State beat us to a pulp. Gary Pinkel just stood on the sideline with his little notebook writing notes that first year and not showing any expression. The losses piled up pretty fast. Maybe things weren't going to get better.

I remember going to the Edward Jones Dome when MU played Illinois. As I recall Illinois was coming off a Sugar Bowl appearance and Coach Pinkel had just announced we were going to start some new quarterback named Brad Smith. It was going to be another long year.

And then something happened. Something bizarre. Something like I had never seen before as a MU fan. We went right down the field and scored. Zak Abron was running the ball and knocking Illini on their asses. Our defense wasn't missing tackles. I remember still, the amazing feeling that we were actually going to win that game! I remember looking at my buddies from my college days and we all had the same stupid, goofy grin on our faces like we just couldn't believe what was happening.

It just got better. Brad Smith was like a magician. He would break out of piles and run down the field for 25 yard gains when it looked like he would be tackled for a loss.

Those were amazing times. I will always remember the year we beat Nebraska for the first time in what seemed like recorded history. We didn't just beat them. We faked a field goal and scored a touchdown!!! The Nebraska fans were just speechless. I remember rushing the field. I was in my late 30's, with kids, what the hell was I doing out here? Great times. Same college buddies standing next to me, same goofy, stupid grins on our faces.

I remember going to Ole Miss and watching Chase Daniel and Chase Coffman win in an SEC stadium. Never in my life did I imagine that would happen.

On and on.

Admittedly, my kids got older and other commitments have taken up my time. Got divorced. Life happens, but Mizzou football and Gary Pinkel just kept on rolling.

On to the SEC. Everyone, and I mean everyone, said Mizzou football was in over its head. We've now been in the SEC for four years and have won the SEC East 2 out of those 4. No one expected that. No one. Never in my life did I imagine I would be in Atlanta watching Mizzou Football play for a chance to go to a National Championship or be an SEC Champ. Just incredible.

Of course there have been bad days. Bad weeks. Some down years. That's life. That's football. That doesn't change a thing. We have been blessed to have Gary Pinkel.

Thank you Coach Pinkel. Thank you for all the memories. For the stories that my buddies and I will be telling for the rest of our lives. Thank you for the work and the sweat and the love that you've given to my school.

I wish you nothing but the best. You deserve it. Long after you are gone you will be cherished and remembered in stories told around campfires and on fishing trips and, of course, at tailgates.

We were lucky to have you as a coach, as a leader, all these years.

Godspeed.