Missouri is looking for a new football coach, and athletic director Mack Rhoades is focused on bringing the best coach he can to Columbia, Mo.

Longtime Tigers coach Gary Pinkel will retire after this season. Pinkel was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year.

Rhoades spoke about the coaching search on Wednesday. He indicated he wants to find a coach that can help the Tigers be competitive on a national level. He believes Missouri is an attractive job.

Two names that have popped up on multiple schools’ radars are Houston coach Tom Herman and Memphis coach Justin Fuente. Herman has led the Cougars to a 9-0 record in his first season. Fuente’s Tigers are currently 8-2. Rhoades spoke highly of both of them, but said he doesn’t have a specific coach in mind.

But although he’s interested in some of the same coaches that other schools are, Rhoades said he’s also looking for the right fit for his school.

One thing Rhoades says he is looking for is someone who can recruit top talent.

But he doesn’t necessarily care if a coach is offensive-minded or defensive-minded.

Rhoades believes Missouri can offer a competitive salary to lure a strong head coach.

Some schools use search firms to find new coaches. Rhoades has used them in the past, but he’s not sure if he will rely on one to find Pinkel’s replacement.

Pinkel has several longtime assistants on his staff, and some people will want to see them retained by the new coach. But Rhoades says it will be up to the new coach to decide on his staff. However, he will encourage the new coach to meet with the current assistants and consider them for positions.

The Missouri athletic director was also asked if the recent anti-racism protests on campus will affect the search. He didn’t think they would.

Missouri is currently 5-5 with two games left in the regular season. The Tigers will host Tennessee (6-4) this Saturday at 7:15 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPN2.