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Monday Mizzou Notebook

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Barry Odom cut his teeth on defensive football. He’s been a safeties coach, a linebackers coach and a defensive coordinator.

“There’s a reason that I’m standing here as a decent defensive coach,” he said on Monday.

But he is now the head coach. And with that, his role in overseeing the defense has changed.

“I recall being a coordinator not that long ago,” he said. “I want those guys to feel comfortable doing the work too and not over looking all the time, ‘What’s the head coach thinking?’ There’s a balance there.”

But everything is out of balance with the Missouri defense right now. A season ago, it ranked ninth in the country, giving up just 302 yards per game. They gave up 194 points all season. In 2016, Mizzou has given up 207 points…in just seven games. That includes 51 in a loss to Middle Tennessee on Saturday. The Blue Raiders ran for 300 yards and threw for 284. Missouri now sits 110th in the country in total defense…more than 100 spots below where it ranked a season ago.

“Right now we’re not playing well enough,” Odom said. “So we’ve got to try to get it where we are playing well enough.”

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To do that, Odom said on Monday he would take a more active role in the defense. He had been in defensive meetings prior to his Monday afternoon media session. He was headed back as soon as it was over, shedding his sport coat before he hit the first stair, about ten feet away from the podium.

“Going to try to provide some help as much as I can,” he said. “I’ve got an opportunity to go help that side out and I’m going to do it. I’ve been trying to balance both sides along with some of the other things and I need to spend my focus there.”

Odom says he does not sense the players are still resisting the scheme installed by DeMontie Cross. But the players who spoke to the media on Monday are anxious to have their former coordinator back a little bit more in the mix.

“I know I get energy and a positive vibe when Odom’s more involved,” cornerback Aarion Penton said. “I just think anything can help us right now. We’re all looking for that spark. Maybe that’s what we’re missing.”

“I love that guy and I’d do anything for him,” linebacker Brandon Lee said. “I’d put it like this, and a lot of guys would say it too, coach Odom can motivate them to do anything. He could motivate me to try to run through this wall if he asked me to. Him stepping in and helping a little bit, it will probably give us a little bit of spark.”

Players say they speak primarily with Cross or their position coaches during games. Odom is “more the overseer and with special teams” according to Charles Harris. Odom does have veto power if a play is called that he doesn’t like on either side of the ball. He was not specific as to what his increased involvement will change on game day.

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                                        SCHERER'S STATUS IN DOUBT

It is suspected—but not official—that Missouri will be without its leading tackler this weekend, and perhaps for quite a while beyond. Linebacker Michael Scherer left the game against Middle Tennessee with a knee injury. Odom said there was not yet an official determination on Scherer’s injury or how long he would be out.

“They’ve got another meeting coming up here later on this evening that I’ll be a part of and find out a little bit more from there,” the coach said. “Would say he’ll be doubtful for this week. I’m hoping for the best.”

As for his teammates, they weren’t going to spill the beans on Scherer’s status.

“I ain't even heard nothing,” defensive tackle Rickey Hatley said. “I’m just as blind as y’all to what they got going on.”

But many were talking as if they expected to be without Scherer for an extended period of time.

“I told him that I’m playing for him,” Penton said.

If Missouri is indeed without Scherer, they lose more than just their leading tackler.

“Almost everybody on the team looks at him as a leader by his level of play and how he leads on and off the field,” Penton said. “It’ll be tough, but you’ve got to have other players fulfill their roles if he’s not there to do it himself.”

“He’s definitely the leader of our defense and I believe that every guy on the team would say that,” Lee added. “It’s hard to replace a guy like that.”

“He had a big role on and off the field. He’s a voice for us,” Hatley said. “The D-Line just trusts him when he’s out there behind us. Not to have him, it’s kind of tough.”

If Scherer indeed is out, Lee would be one player who would be counted on to help fill the void.

“We all need to prepare as if Michaels’ not going to play just as we should have been doing all season,” he said. “Last year I was second string and I prepared to play every game just as I’ve been doing this season. Nothing’s really changed for me. I’ve stayed on myself about that constantly.

“Ever since I’ve been here I’ve been hearing stay ready and keep patient. I’ve kept patient throughout, no matter how frustrating it’s been waiting my turn to play. I’m pretty anxious about it.”

Odom said Joey Burkett, Cale Garrett and Eric Beisel are other players who would see increased time assuming Scherer doesn’t go.

“There’s not gonna be any one person who will just stand in and play every snap of the game,” he said. “It will probably be a combination of a number of guys if Mike is not available.

Terry Beckner Jr. and John Gibson also left Saturday’s game with knee injuries. No update was available on either one Monday. Odom said he did not expect any of the three to practice Tuesday, but said Gibson could return to workouts late in the week. Jason Reese left with a rib injury, but Odom said he expected Reese to be ready by the weekend.

Marcell Frazier was called for targeting on this hit against Middle Tennessee QB Brent Stockstill
Marcell Frazier was called for targeting on this hit against Middle Tennessee QB Brent Stockstill (Jordan Kodner)

                                           TRYING TO DEFINE TARGETING

Missouri will be without another defensive starter on Saturday, at least for the first half. Marcell Frazier will sit until the third quarter based on a targeting penalty on Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill that earned him an ejection. Because the play occurred in the second half, he will also sit the first half this week against Kentucky.

Targeting has been a hot topic for a few years in football. Nobody seems to know exactly when it will draw a flag and when it won’t.

“The rule’s very specific and the officials have done an unbelievable job on explaining to me what it is,” Odom said. “Anything that we do on going to make a tackle, then it’s got to be your area of aiming point, it’s got to be below the head. Bottom line.”

So with all that, does Odom have an idea exactly what designates targeting?

“There’s obviously areas there that, depending on the camera angle, depending on the receiver or quarterback’s body positioning,” Odom began. “Umm, no, I don’t.”

Neither exactly do his players.

“Not at all,” Hatley said. “I just know not head to head. That’s about as much as I know about it. Quarterbacks got it kind of easy on them.”

Hatley’s own quarterback didn’t have it that easy. Drew Lock took a shot to the head that didn’t draw a flag against the Blue Raiders.

“I didn't actually see the play until after the game was over,” Lock said. “I did know I got hit in the head, but I didn’t know if it was helmet to helmet or maybe even a knee or something because some guy tripped or something.”

Perhaps the biggest hit of the game didn’t even draw a flag. Missouri tailback Ish Witter was hit hard on the sideline at the end of a run and laid on the ground motionless for a few seconds.

“I saw him blacked out like he was dead,” Hatley said.

Many watching the game thought Witter had been knocked unconscious by the hit.

“No, I sure don’t think so,” Odom said.

Witter was checked out by three doctors on the Missouri sideline and “he cleared every measure that we have.” Soon thereafter, he was back in the game.

“I was (surprised),” Lock said. “Damarea (Crockett) came running off the field and Ish came running on and I was like ‘Okay, Ish, welcome back buddy. All right, put your hard hat on.’ He knew where he was, he lined up on the right side.”

“Ish is a tough dude. I’ve seen him go through some stuff and take some hits and pop right back up. But whenever you see a guy laying there motionless, it’s scary,” offensive lineman Kevin Pendleton said. “That was a nasty hit and he was down there and he wasn’t moving for a second. It was good to see him back up and it was even better to see him feel good on the sideline. He was his same self. He was the same guy on the sideline. That was the biggest thing to me.”

Witter carried 19 times--including 11 after a vicious hit on Saturday.
Witter carried 19 times--including 11 after a vicious hit on Saturday. (Jordan Kodner)

                                                        QUICK HITTERS

*Pendleton had four false starts on Saturday. He avoided a fifth thanks to a late Middle Tennessee timeout.

“We overcame all but one so I was grateful for that. My teammates took care of me in that regard,” he said. “I’m going to make sure I fix that.”

Pendleton said he got a minus-24 grade for the game.

*Missouri’s tackling, or lack thereof, has been a hot topic this season. Odom said the Tigers are tackling more in practice than they did last year or than his Memphis teams ever did.

“Maybe we’re trying to tackle too much. I don’t know,” Odom said. “It’s not working. It’s not relating to how we’re playing in live competition. I’ve got to find a way to get it fixed.”

“At this point if you don’t know how to tackle and you’re 20-plus years old and you’re playing SEC football, it’s not necessarily technique,” Lee said. “It’s just going and tackling guys. It’s that simple. To me it is.”

“I think you can coach it,” Odom said. “I believe that anything we do in the game of football that I can coach it and I can fix it. So I’m going to keep holding on to that hope and hope that we can go get it done.”

*After Saturday night’s game, Odom said it never occurred to him Missouri would already have five losses. There was a bit of a feeling of shock among the Tigers.

“As hard as we worked since last January, 2-5 is a slap in the face to the players, the coaches, our fans and the people that are supporting us,” Pendleton said. “It’s something that we didn’t think could happen or would happen. It sucks. We got to make sure we change it. It started yesterday.

“This weekend really can’t come fast enough.”

*Saturday’s game will kick off at 11:00 a.m. on the SEC Network. Mizzou will be on the same station next weekend. The November 5th game at South Carolina was selected for a 3 p.m. (Central time) kickoff on Monday.

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