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Barry Odom Press Conference: October 1

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Read the full transcript of Barry Odom's press conference in advance of the Troy game.

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Opening statement

I want to start it off, you're always shaped by, you know, experiences and past opportunities that you've been involved with, whether it's relationships or, or people that you've been around, influenced by. And I think it was yesterday, most recent, the last couple days, The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, had their new inductees for the year nd, you know, honored to be able to congratulate a couple guys on that list. And you go back 18 to 19 years ago, when I worked at Rock Bridge High School, two guys that were coaching there at the time, and are still coaching and so successful we look at Ben Loeb, what he's done in the tennis program at Rock Bridge High School, and really in the community of Columbia, in the state of Missouri, on the influence that he's had, and to be inducted, and the championships that he's won, to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to him and to Jim Scanlon. We shared an office together for a number of years. And for him to win a state championship last year. Both of those guys have done it for a long, long time, and had a chance to work side by side, both of them, you know, years and years ago.

And then obviously, Coach Gary Pinkel getting inducted, what a great award and honor for him, and you know, the things that he has instilled in this program. The ways that he built it up, and the things that he's done still, you know, has great impact on how I approached the job and the things that he left his legacy on this program and university and congratulations and honored that that I've had a chance to be around all three of those guys, and most recent, obviously, Coach Pinkel and what a great honor for him. And I'm sure that's the first of many for him coming coming down In the next few years.

Looking at our team coming off of the bye week, and the way that we approached it, I thought our team handled the week in a very mature way. With three really good practices full game plan was in and we got work on the field, off the field, in the weight room, film study, they handled it the way that you want a team to do, We got out of the week, and in a way that we're as healthy as a team as we've been since we started, which is awesome. We had bonus practices on our next opponent. Really a very thorough self evaluation and self analysis on all three phases of our game on where we are and what we need to do to improve and the reasons we haven't had success in some areas, how we can have success in those things. And then there was a great sense of urgency and focus that was felt throughout the entire organization as we get into the next four game stretch. Up first, such a great program and team this year, and Troy and I've known Chip Lindsey for a number of years, he's done a heck of a job there. They're just a couple of plays away from being 4-0, and you look at the body of work on how they played. Now they're scoring over 40 points a game, They're averaging 500 plus yards a game and then defensively, they're aggressive, they're so good against the run, they cause you a lot of different issues on the way that they align and the way that they play in disruptive. They're on attack mode for 60 minutes. And I know that it will be really important for them to come in here and play their best game. They've got great coaches, great players and a great scheme. So for us to focus on making sure that everything we started with last week in the bye week on the preparation for this opponent and then carries into this week that our habits align with with us playing our best ball because we're going to need it. You know, the guys went out again today after a couple days off. We met on Sunday and Monday off and then I thought it was really good work today on our carry over from what we put in last week and the way that they responded today to start the week of preparation off as we get back in the game week. So with that open to questions.

You've been very complimentary of your whole staff. What makes this staff a group you're so comfortable with.

I think they're selfless. And they they work well together. There's no hidden agendas. They want the best for our kids, they like being at Mizzou, they understand that we can achieve any goal that they want to achieve here and there they're pouring into this organization. They're leading, they're guiding, they're mentors and they've made you know they've made my job a lot easier.

This is Ryan Walters' second full season calling plays. How have you seen him grow?

I think really as a staff defensively they work well together. And you know, Ryan's got a lot of great ideas, but so does everybody else in the room and they they put together what works best for them. You look at the job that he has done coaching specifically his position, you know, the two safeties have played really well. But also you know, he's made some really good in game adjustments and you know that it's just like the head coach at times will will get too much credit. You know, it takes everybody and Ryan understands that but he is a talented talented guy. You know, he's got a great future ahead of him.

You said a couple of years ago that maybe handling play calling and being the head coach was too much on your plate. How has that move helped you?

That's awesome. And I've got great trust in what they're doing and every now and then they'll let me sit in a meeting and have an idea and I think they just they let me say what I want. When I walk out the door and they probably just erase the white board, but that's okay,. Tthey've got a really good thing going on because they they have zero ego and they just go to work.

What have you seen out of Troy's quarterback?

He is as talented of a guy as will see all year and he can make every throw. He's got really a level of confidence in the way that he plays. He bounces back up If he if he has a mistake or whatever it was right back. He runs really well. He's a really good football player.

You've allowed the second fewest plays over 20 yards in the country. What has led to that?

It takes everybody, it takes all of us. You know there's going to be a time or two that there's a breakdown and then you better count on the other guys to get to the ball because you know that you can have a mishap or a missed assignment or misplay but if you have great effort all the way around it, typically you're going to be able to get that down. So that's the biggest thing is it's what we're trying to play with the guys are really bought into it. They feel it. They see it now see the results from it and you know we need that trend to continue because of the ways you can be a really good defense, you're good against the run, you eliminate explosive plays and you find ways to get the ball back

What have you thought of the pass rush. Brick said today maybe the sacks aren't there, but you're getting a lot of hits on the quarterback.

I think it's been better. And I think you know not always are the numbers going to be in the sack column but I do think that we've altered throws whether it's the delivery of the arm angle, whether it's making them move the pocket. They feel the pressure, get the hit, those things that take a toll on the quarterback. We gotta keep bringing it because we're going to need it here we need it this week for sure.

You're already halfway to last year's interception total. What has led to the improvement there?

I think it was playing faster, you know as a team, as a defense playing faster and that comes with the preparation, your habits, your trust, your belief, your faith, and then doing it. Execute that and then carrying it over then you form confidence and you can go play fast. So you know, a number of things go into that. I don't know that we've developed better hands, but it's been guys have been in position, there's been contested balls. And we've ended up coming up with them.

Earlier this year you said you wanted to get settled with five guys on the offensive line. Do you feel like you're close?

Yeah, I think really the way that the other two have continued to develop the thing, we're going to play a little bit of rotation in there, which, you know, I think that's okay. I don't feel like we're having a drop off when one guy goes in and the other was not so we'll get a little more clarity or I will as we get towards the end of the week on kind of what will be the first five that go out there. Brad's done a good job with the group. I think we've improved, made a lot of progress last week with with our offensive line.

You've talked about the record coming out of bye weeks. How do you feel coming out of this one?

Better than it's ever been in this situation. So I've learned just to deal with it. You know, don't run from the fact of what it is. Address it with the team. They understand where we are and what we need to do. And they've responded the way that we want them to.

How does Troy linebacker Carlton Marshall impact the game?

He was all over the field. And I mean, he makes plays in the run game, pass game, sacks, deflections, he is a heck of a ballplayer. I mean he is he is all over the field. He is physical, plays the game the way you're supposed to play and he's a heck of a player

Going back to 2016 when you got the job what do you think has helped the progression of the defense to now?

Come on, Pete. I mean, it's like dog years ago in my life, you know what I mean? We've grown as an organization, you know, we've grown in so many ways, and you're better at a lot of spots than we were that year. So I mean, we could talk all afternoon on the steps we've made and the reasons we've made them and you know, we're not perfect, we have a long ways to go but I'd rather not go back to that year right now.

You've gotten a lot of production out of the tight end position. How valuable is that for you?

You look at really Albert and the ways that he's improved his game. I think one of them is in the pass game and running and catching and route running. Daniel, the same thing really Niko's come on and done some really good things, and then Logan Christopherson. And he's not real productive in the past game, but he's earning his role in the way that he can help our team. So all four of those guys, they really improved in the way that they've played. It's got to be a weapon for us. I think there's times that throw might have been there before. Either It's a check down or an easier throw. And now we're, you know, we're willing to go take that, because the big body, they can get vertical and get some extra yards after the catch. And, you know, it's a pretty good safety valve at times if things down the field are not where they need to be.

What were your expectations for Jordan Elliott when he transferred here?

Coach Haley knew him prior to and then I also recruited him, you know, out of high school, so I had a little bit of understanding who he was. He used his red shirt here, the year he was ineligible. That was, that was before, like, everybody got eligible when they transfer immediately. So that was before then. So he had to sit out that year. And, you know, the, the things he did, he worked really hard the weight room, he understood what he needed to do to get in position to play. I thought he was a little bit overweight at times, you know, when he first got here, maybe even his first year, and he's transformed his body, he's transformed more than anything, his motor and his willingness to do it. He's a talented guy that's going to play ball for a long time. And he's so explosive. And those things have happened, in my opinion, for a number of reasons. One, he has completely changed his diet. Number two, he works extremely hard in the weight room in and then three, maybe most importantly, he takes coaching.

You mentioned Gary Pinkel. What type of impact has he had on your coaching career?

Yeah, you look at I mean, I was around him from 2000, December of 2002, I guess until you know, 2015. That's a long time. So you take some of the things that that he did within his program that we still do today. You know, I catch myself sometimes say, you know, some of the vocabulary, using the word mammoth and some of those things. For those that have been around him, you understand what that is. But now, I mean, he had great influence, I mean, his attention to detail and his structure and his consistency of the way that he did it. If you walk into our staff meeting here at 230, I do it just like he did it, we started with a sports medicine report, we go over the academics, go to practice notes It's just the way that I learned on how to run a program, and then the thing I admired, you know, when you get tired of doing it, I think back to the things that every single day did it exactly the same way. And, you know, I wonder when I left Memphis when I came back, I joked with a couple other coaches and staff. So let me guess, Start with the injury report and and go from there. And they kind of looked at me and walked in. He believed in what he did. He believed in the structure of the program and the way that he ran it, and it's had such a huge impact on the things that we still do today.

Some of the other Missouri sports legends are Stan Musial and Lou Brock. Do you think he belongs in that same group?

Well, I think, I mean, you look, he's the all time winningest coach here. And you know, in football, you know, had such a huge impact on thousands of young men, As you look at his career he has been an influence in coaching. And not only kids, but communities and our state and a bunch of coaches that had a chance to work for him.

I know you always look one game at a time, but with the way the bye weeks fall and you break the season into thirds, do you think that can help the focus?

At the beginning of the year, we always look at what the schedule is and how it lays out. But we get into it and I've learned I'm not very good and our team's not very good if we start thinking about what's ahead or what's behind us. So I'm glad we had a really, really good Tuesday practice. And I look forward to the staff meeting at 230. And I can't wait to get out there and have a better Wednesday than we had Tuesday. And then if we take care of those habits that align us with an opportunity to play well on Saturday, If we don't we cheat the preparation. We cheat our habits, then we won't play very well. And so that's kind of the recipe and I know it's boring. But that's best for us.

Have you looked much at this California law and how it might impact college athletics?

I tried to read about it last night and I know there's a number of ways to look at it. I don't have enough information yet, and haven't had the time to wrap my mind around how that is going to change, if it will change, you know, the current structure of what we have and what we have had for a long time. You know, I know that that our university and the Southeastern Conference always want to provide our student athletes with a great experience. And I'm sure there'll be meaningful discussions upcoming with that, and I'm excited and anxious to be a part of it. But also know, you know, as soon as individual states start making decisions that affect you know, the current setup and structure of student athletes and universities across everyone that's involved with it, then, you know, it's going to take a lot of time, it's going to take a lot of folks getting together to decide, you know how we're going to proceed with this. So I probably better stop there until I have a chance to read a little bit more about it. And, you know, I read just enough to give it a quick thought. I know, it'll be an impact as far as what we know, the current setup of our student athletes and college experience. And it sounds like it's, you know, there's gonna be a lot of discussion to be able to figure out what's going to go on.

What do you need to do defensively against Troy this week?

Well, we need to just like any week, you know, one of our goals is to be able to stop the run. And you know, is it a perimeter run game, is it a quarterback run, and they run in the power of the ISO inside or outside zone, you know, gaps game, what is what, what do they do really well? We got to try to take that away from them. You know, they're so explosive offensively. And like I mentioned, in one of the first statements on the way that they play, they stretch every inch of the field, they're really good in the run game, a great pass game, a lot of really good players. We'll have plenty of challenges. So our front seven need to play really well. And then our perimeter run support, when they do run the ball, we're going to be in great position to fit the way we need to. ...We've got to get back to having an opportunity to not just this game, but we've worked really, really hard on it since week one on the ability to stretch the field a number of different ways. So they're aggressive on defense, they made a lot of plays, you know, look at some of the big plays that they gave up last week. A lot of them were 50-50 balls, you know, they were contested. And, you know, they just went Arkansas State's way. So, you know, so that's a little bit skewed In my opinion. But I think they're a really good team.

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