Barry Odom's Press Conference

"I was in charge of the weather today. I will take all this we can get, a little bit nicer. We started a little bit later this morning was important to look at, you know, tomorrow when we get up and go get going got two games in 10 days. So, spend a little bit more time in the meeting room this morning. Had a good practice. And same thing tomorrow, but it's still just like anybody else. At this point in week 12 or whatever it is, get in there beat up a little bit and we're no different than that but also the understanding of, it's a sprint here. Now for the next 10 days that, to do the things we need to do to try to finish the season the right way so kids responded had really good practice today and will do the same thing tomorrow and get ready to get into Saturday night with the focus on sending our seniors out.

18 guys, we've got 16 that will be dressed out and then two others in Jonah Dubinsky and Jake Trump, that were medically disqualified, people that are helping our program in a different way. Those 18 guys it's important to me to make sure we do everything we can, that when they walk off the field they walk off as winners because you remember every game. You also remember a little bit more your last home game. It comes quick and, you know, talk to every person that's ever been through it, that your senior year flies by. And really the last half of the season for sure. So, the ownership and responsibility I have for those guys to put our team in position to go play well. I feel it. Now I want nothing more than for them to walk off for the last time as a winner.

I know Tennessee is playing really well on a three game win streak they had a bye this past week so sure they spent plenty of time on us, and Jeremy's done a really nice job from the start of the season until today on the way that his team is played. And they've gotten better each week that's very evident when you, when you watch early games compared to how they're playing now. I think up front offensively the offensive line's playing together, they play fast, athletic guys. They're establishing you know the presence on the line of scrimmage. They're playing three different quarterbacks, and I'm assuming we'll see all three. And then they've got skill on the outside, they've got good runners, and obviously I think they've got really good scheme and the way that they try to attack you.

Defensively, statistically, they're solid in a lot of areas, they're athletic, good team speed, stands out when you watch them on defense. And, you know, I know that some of the problems that we've had over the last few weeks we'll see the same thing from the other side until we have proven that we can fix it on both sides, offense and defense. That's usually the way that stuff goes so it'll be a great challenge, a tremendous opportunity both teams are five and five, should be a great night for college football in this league. So excited we're back home and our kids are as well. Open it up."

"I don't know. You watch them play and, and, you know, I don't know that they call it much different when either one of the three, two, 18 and 12. You know that they all have different skill sets. I don't know who will run out there when they start. We'll get a report on anything we can out of their camp later today and, you know, look through it, but also we've got to be prepared to go play well. And, you know, no matter what the quarterback situation is or who it is, understanding what all three can bring to the table. So, guys, injuries, as you know the game of football is going to happen, like you mentioned everybody in the East minus Georgia's been through that, man it's just kind of, kind of, whatever, you know. Next year there probably won't be anybody get hurt. We got to prepare for all three and anticipate, that will be the biggest thing that happens on Saturday night."

"Was great. He was back out there today, looks really good. Good fresh legs...Anticipating looking better tomorrow."

"Tyree's really good, he's sore from the game so we limited some of his contact today. And then, Larry is fine. And all those guys you know the number of guys that our, number of snaps and series that our defensive backs have played, you know through 10 games played every snap, you know this is the very end, they're playing on special teams. Today, the last two weeks have been really physical contact on defense, man. Just another day that they got enough work in but also limited some of the things that they were doing on the field today."

"Oh, I know. It's very unrealistic for me, they hear and see and read and listen. You know, every day that's that's human nature. And, you know, the thing that I've learned is make sure that I address, and we address that as an organization. Go back on the base values and foundation of who we are, and that's going to override the amount of work that they put in that's going to override all the other stuff. And the more that you've listened to it good or bad, takes away your preparation so that's why I keep talking about that...Whether you're playing really good really bad doesn't really do any value, but also no one's, I mean, you guys read stuff, you know you can read whatever you want with the click of a button."

"I think it's human nature. We all, that's part of the game, that's part of living life, you know. You choose to go with that fact, you know you choose what you read, you choose how much you spend time on it, and then you choose how you let it affect you. You know, I am on the other side of that, you know, and I try not to do anything other than get our team ready to go play and understanding on what the narrative is if it's not positive and then let's find ways to go change it, but I think as a, as a person if you continue to read or think about the thoughts that's something that is out of your control. And that's not very healthy. No, but also understand that the balance of, you know, I can talk about it over and over and over, you know, 17-18, 22-23, I don't know how old Derek is, 58? And, you know, they choose what they read, and then they've got to decide what they want to listen to."

"You gotta wait till the season is over. We'll get all the paperwork in place, but you gotta wait before you submit those things and it's still ongoing conversation. I think, you know, Cale's also in a position that it might be wise that he moves on, unfortunately, you know, and goes and the window of time for him to move on and try to continue to play. You know he's still, it's crazy in five games, really played four and a half, he's our second leading tackler. I mean, the amount of productivity that he was showing on the field, and in the locker room, everywhere in between. That's pretty, pretty astounding when you look back at it in that context today, you know he's still number two on the tackle chart. What a great kid, a great competitor. I don't know, he will do whatever he wants to do. He and his family. I want him, and he will he'll go have a successful, you know career and then he'll have a successful life after that' such a great guy that has left his mark on our program."

"We want him to finish, because I think he's got an opportunity when you look at what he's done for four years I mean he's, you know, the way that he came in this year and and personally I didn't know that he would handle the things that he's done this year. Now wish we didn't have that stretch of three misses, but he's also bounced back and hit the two last week. His kickoffs have been awesome. He's placed it where we needed to, you know, for the most part, our punt game has been pretty solid. And a lot of that has to do for his placing the ball, and also hang time and some of the things, so I know what he's given us. And I'm appreciative and I know he's gonna work really hard to finish here the season, the regular season and what happens after that, as a competitive, competitive guy."

"I think all the above, you know, you look at, you got to solve problems and you got to fix problems and for whatever reason I haven't been able to get that done yet. So now the challenge of staff, plus players executing, plus call, plus all the above, we're missing and we have the last couple weeks or four weeks now. We've got to get back on track, and, you know, a stubborn way to look at it but, you know, I think simplifying some things has helped our guys out going into this week. You know, there was a bounce in their step, and we did some things today in practice that we haven't done previously on a Tuesday, which was good to see."

"Think you look at your motivation, what drives competitors, man, you know, is it the responsibility that you know they're never going to play perfect but we know we need to play really well. But if we were scoring 35 points a game we would need to play well on defense. Yeah, it just comes with the territory because they've got a number of factors defensively that they're trying to finish on, you know, the trajectory that they are. They're top 10 in the country right now in total defense, pass defense is fifth or sixth, they're doing a lot of really good things. They want to continue that, ultimately they want to win, whether it's three to two or 35 to 33 we want to win the game. They know, they understand that the better that they play defensively, the better chance we got to win. And we're going to get takeaways when we have the opportunities we need to be better on third downs. You can be sure tacklers. And then this week, specifically, we've got eliminate explosive plays because you know Tennessee's got playmakers that they can make things happen."

"I think we've got enough, you know enough guys like I've mentioned before, we've got enough players that you know your number is going to be called. Nance stepped up a couple times and made some plays for us, we need more on to him and move more into Jalen. JJ, I mean Kam Scott, you know we got to get it to those guys. When their numbers called we got to go execute, go finish the play. So, you know, it's, again it's not, I'm not going to point fingers at one group or one position. It's all of us collectively, starts with me on finding ways to get them, get them on track, you know. You can't do it but you look back the other day and you take away five or six plays offensively, you know, then we, you know, self-inflicted things. We need to play a clean game and we can do that. Then we're gonna have an opportunity."

"Yeah, you look at the the seniors and specifically those guys, fifth year guys and, you know, you look back and everybody, when you finish up, we talked about this all the time. As freshmen walking in the door you got a blank sheet of paper and we get to write your story together, and their story is something that when they leave here, you know, I know that the program, balanced on the things that they've done as student athletes, all the things that go along with it, that made the place better, that made our university better. It made our athletic department better, and I think they're better pople, and they'll do a great job in society in whatever they're going to do but you look at, you know, the ups and the downs that they've been through that entire class but, you know, the real old guys will always, you know, for me the opportunity for me to make sure that they leave the right way it's real important within that group"

"I mentioned this Sunday night, listen just on game day on the sideline, there's not anybody more into the game or has more of a positive message, whether we're up by 10 or down by 10. He is as program of a guy as we've had. And, you know, he works. Last week, we asked him to do something on the look squad, our scout team to play a couple different positions. And every week he's done whatever he can to help this team, man. You know, and he is something and somebody that for me I'm going to be able to point to in upcoming years about how he took the role that he had and he did the best job he could with it, man."

"So you're telling me they're listening.

I think they understand it, and then everyone in the room understands that someday they're going to be in that spot, they're going to be the seniors usually sit in the front row. And, you know, this kind of move forward, I understand the responsibility comes with that and I also know that your college years and your experiences and whatever opportunities they are how fast it goes, and they understand what the message is they understand the reasons why. And it's a closed group that they want to make sure that they do the things they need to do to help these guys out here."

"Obviously he's been here since January and now the opportunity that he has to finish. You know, we also talked about finishing the season with a winning record. And that's something that every quarterback wants to have right? So the responsibility he feels for that, but also he has become one of the guys and you know they've taken him and he's done a great job he and Jonathan Nance...those (are) guys who've been impactful for us."

"Well actually I mentioned a number of times all the things that these guys have been through. And I'm proud of the resolve that they've shown that will serve them well as they get out into the real world. It also, you know, it's their responsibility. As I've said, now way too many times I've got, I'm going to send them out as winners and feel like that responsibility we have as a staff and everybody else that's not a senior to do that for a number of reasons and those would be one of them."

"We did. I've got my rock and it's in my office, you know, I chose wisely. I didn't get a big one, it was kind of one that I can carry and sits up there next to the helmet. Yeah, I think it's a big deal that that our guys have understood the tradition of that. Some guys are selective on what they pick and it's kind of fun to watch."

"I meet, along with Nick Joos, we meet every Wednesday. And we talked about a number of things that's just the standard thing that we do relationship wise with, with, you know, the head football coach and athletic director and sport administrators, and I look at the body of work that we've done. At this point, with two games left in year four we've won more games in four years than any coach since I think Warren Powers, and for your time, there the first four years, the grade point average on what we produce, the graduation rate, all those things, I know the body of work and what we've done. Do I wish we would have won more up to this point? Absolutely. So does everybody else. We know the foundation and the culture of the locker room that we have. I'm proud of that. I'm in a really good spot on knowing what we've got in the staff room, what we got a locker room, and what we can do here over the next two weeks or 10 days. And what that's going to do to springboard us into next year."

"Yeah you look at he and Perk both, Ronnell Perkins has done a nice job too. And they both deserve the opportunity to, to both play at that spot, which is important. and because they're both playing pretty well. Khalil has done some things. And as the season has gone on he's played a few more snaps but also you know they're both playing. They're both playing pretty well. They understand what we need out of that spot. Their football IQ on understanding the job within calls, what that position needs to play, and how they need to play it, where they have help. You know they, they're able to communicate, get lined up, maybe when they've got to get them adjusted with formation, we rely on that spot and he's done a nice job just calming it down and getting lined up and making everybody right. So he's a calm mature voice out there that really has played well down the stretch and you know he hass quietly put together a really, really great senior year. You look at things he does on special teams. Kind of some of the voices in the locker room. He said, you know, really fortunate that he decided to come here and finish his college career."

"I don't. I wish I did, because I know everybody's tired of me saying that we don't have any updates. Thought we would by now; we don't. So, that's a wrap."

"I think it's impactful for not just Mizzou but for the landscape of, you know, intercollegiate athletics and the way things have been done, the way they're supposed to be done and the way that they will be done from here until the end of time. So I know it's an impactful decision that they've got to make. And, you know, everybody will be watching what the decision is. Not just the people that follow Mizzou and are impacted by that but but it's going to impact everybody."

"I''m sure it would, to some extent, but also, I've learned just personally, if I sit around, spend a lot of time thinking about that fact then I'm not doing the job I need to to get this team ready to go play the best so it's wasted time. Unfortunately it's wasting time at this point thinking about it because they will tell us what they tell us and when they know..They've got, you know the reasons and the research and all the things that they've got to get to a point to make a decision and let us know when they know."