Missouri extends Pinkel's contract

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 8 (UPI) -- Missouri football Coach Gary Pinkel was given a two-year contract extension Friday, linking him to the school through the 2017 season.

Pinkel's previous agreement was good through 2015 but the Missouri Board of Curators approved a two-year extension.

A release from the Missouri Athletic Department said Pinkel's guaranteed salary is $2.35 million a year. Missouri is to contribute an additional $100,000 to an annuity for the coach and increase the salary pool for assistant coaches to $2.262 million.

Pinkel, 58, is 77-49 in 10 seasons coaching the Tigers. The last four seasons marked one of the most successful stretches in school history as Missouri won 40 games in the period. The Tigers were 10-3 (6-2 in the Big 12 Conference) last season.

Missouri said all 26 members of the current senor class of football players either have their degrees or will graduate in May. Over the last four years, 63-of-67 seniors earned degrees.