MWC football: Christensen to coach 'Pokes

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Dave Christensen, veteran offensive coordinator at Missouri, will be announced as the new head football coach at Wyoming, probably Monday.

Missouri football players got that news at their annual football banquet Sunday in Columbia.

Although the banquet was closed to the media, Missouri athletic director Mike Alden confirmed to The Kansas City Star that Christensen's acceptance of the Wyoming job was announced there.

"My understanding is," Alden said, "his intention is he'll be coaching Saturday in the Big 12 championship game. I don't know about the bowl game."

Missouri plays Oklahoma for the Big 12 title on Saturday in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

Christensen and his wife, Susie, were in Wyoming on Saturday night after Missouri's Border War loss to Kansas in Kansas City.

Christensen returned to Columbia to attend the awards banquet.

Absent from that even was Matt Eberflus, Missouri's defensive coordinator who, according to several sources within the Missouri athletic department, was interviewing Sunday with Toledo about that school's head-coaching job.

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel was not immediately available to comment on the possible loss of both coordinators, but he gave his blessing to the moves last week.

Christensen has worked on either the Toledo or Missouri staff of Pinkel since 1992. He's in his eighth season as assistant head coach at Missouri.

Eberflus has been with Pinkel in Toledo and Missouri as well.

Speculation is that quarterback coach David Yost will replace Christensen as Missouri's offensive coordinator.