Missouri Tigers head football coach Gary Pinkel (R) is hugged by athletic director Mike Alden after defeating the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners 36-27 at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri on October 23, 2010. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

At least Mizzou fans will not have to worry about finding a new football coach anytime soon. The University of Missouri System Board of Curators approved a two-year contract extension for Head Football Coach Gary Pinkel that will keep him on the Mizzou sideline through Dec. 31, 2017.

The previous contract was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2015. The Board action did not affect the guaranteed salary, but with the new agreement, Mizzou will contribute an additional $100,000 to Pinkel’s annuity, and increase the salary pool for his assistant coaches to $2.262 million, up from the previous amount of $2.101 million. Pinkel’s guaranteed salary is currently $2.35 million.

“I’m very grateful for the support,” said Pinkel. “We really have outstanding leadership at our University, and there is no question that they have played a key role in helping us build our program. Our fans have also been a very important part of the process, and we’ll continue to work hard to make them proud and excited to follow their Tigers,” he said.

With Pinkel at the helm, MU has won 40 games from 2007-10, which ranks as the 10th-highest win total in the nation during that period. Mizzou has been to six consecutive bowl games (seven overall) under Pinkel’s tenure, and his teams have won 10 games or more in three of the last four seasons, as well.

The Tigers are coming off a 2010 season where they went 10-3 overall, including a 6-2 mark in conference play. The 58 year old Pinkel is 77-49 overall (61.1%) in 10 seasons as Mizzou, which gives him the third-most wins in MU history. He is 150-86-3 overall (63.4%) in 20 seasons as a head coach.

“We’re very pleased to be able to do this for Gary and his staff,” said MU Director of Athletics Mike Alden. “Over the past 10 seasons, they have done terrific work in raising the program which is recognized nationally as one of the tops in the nation academically and athletically. We share the pride that Mizzou fans all over the world feel for our football program, and not just solely related to the on-field results. Gary and his staff do things the right way. Their integrity is a shining example of how we want Athletics to reflect positively on the University of Missouri,” he said.