MU coach Gary Pinkel confirms Maty Mauk’s reinstatement, mum on playing status

Maty Mauk is back, but that’s about all Missouri coach Gary Pinkel would say Wednesday about the team’s quarterback situation during the weekly SEC football coaches teleconference.

“Maty’s back with the team, welcomed with open arms like anybody that goes through suspension,” Pinkel said. “That’s what we do here. They’re part of the family.”

Mauk was suspended Sept. 29 for an unspecified violation of team rules. He missed four games before being reinstated.

Junior offensive lineman Malik Cuellar was suspended the same day as Mauk, but he only missed one game and was reinstated for the Oct. 10 homecoming game against Florida.

Pinkel confirmed that Mauk returned to practice Tuesday, the Tigers’ only practice during the bye week, but declined to offer insight beyond that.

“I won’t discuss practice details or depth chart or playing-time decisions (that) won’t be made until next week,” Pinkel said.

He did share that Mauk had asked to address the team.

“He wants to speak to the team today, which I thought was great,” Pinkel said. “He came up to me and said he’d like to talk to the team and apologize to the team. He’s going to do that this afternoon. It was great of him to do that, and he’s real excited to be back.”

Mauk was 57 of 110 — a 51.8 completion percentage — for 654 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions before he was suspended.

Missouri was 3-1 at the time after starting the season with wins against Southeast Missouri, Arkansas State and Connecticut before dropping the SEC opener at Kentucky.

The Tigers improved to 4-1 in freshman quarterback Drew Lock’s first career start, a 24-10 victory Oct. 3 against South Carolina, but MU is now mired in a three-game skid with losses to Florida, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

Lock went 62 of 127 — a 48.8 completion percentage — for 538 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions during the last four games.

Missouri, 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the SEC, hosts Mississippi State at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at Memorial Stadium.

“There’s a plan in place if anything happens, what we do and how we handle it,” Pinkel said. “We always do what the right thing is. A lot of people probably wouldn’t have done what we did, but we do what’s right. That’s the way I’ve always made every decision I’ve had here.”

Asked when the decision was made that Mauk would return to the team, Pinkel said, “I don’t discuss anything about disciplinary issues. I haven’t done it for 25 years as a head coach. You know that. I just don’t do that.”

While Pinkel talked about Mauk’s excitement to be back with the team, he declined to answer how Lock has responded his return.

“I don’t discuss personal things like that,” Pinkel said. “It’s just not fair to any players. I could get asked that about any player on our depth at any time. That’s private.”

Pinkel also wouldn’t discuss if Mauk had done anything to stay sharp and ready to play during the last month.

“I don’t discuss disciplinary issues,” Pinkel said. “I just don’t do it. That’s part of it, and I don’t do that.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 7:43 PM with the headline "MU coach Gary Pinkel confirms Maty Mauk’s reinstatement, mum on playing status."