Odom takes experience into year two
HOOVER, AL—Barry Odom brought it up himself.
“I have felt pressure every day of my working life,” Odom said. “I think the proverbial hot seat, I put that on myself. When I started as a GA for Coach Pinkel in December of 2002, I felt like I was on a job interview every day of my working life and I’ve continued that approach every day.”
The question wasn’t about Odom being on the hot seat. It was simply a query about the importance of Missouri ending a two-year streak of losing seasons. There is no question what the benchmark for Missouri is this season. Director of Athletics Jim Sterk—the man who will ultimately hold Odom’s future in his hands—said last month he would consider six wins and a return to the postseason progress in Odom’s second year at the helm.
“It’s everybody’s legacy,” senior wide receiver J’Mon Moore said. “We want this class to leave with a positive impact on the guys behind us and where we’re going.”
At this point, Odom has been on the job just 19 months. Any talk of his job being in danger is premature. But if the Tigers are sitting at home again after the November 24th regular season finale at Arkansas, the volume on that chatter will increase and it will be justified.
“Huge,” Odom said on the importance of returning to a bowl game. “To borrow a term from my predecessor, mammoth. Monumental.”
VIDEO FROM HOOVER: BARRY ODOM | LOCK, MOORE AND BEISEL
Odom took over the program at a difficult time. The protests of November 2015 were still fresh in everyone’s mind (Odom was asked about them again on Wednesday and said his program feels no lingering effects at all). Gary Pinkel stepped aside after 15 seasons and into his rather large shoes stepped Odom, a first-time head coach.
Things went poorly in year one. The undermanned and young Tigers drew a tough opener for which they were not up to the task at West Virginia. Week three brought a heartbreaking last-second loss to Georgia from which they never really recovered. LSU, Florida and Kentucky beat Mizzou by a combined score of 117-45, Middle Tennessee won in Columbia and the Tigers lost to Tennessee by 26 points despite a school record 740 yards of total offense. Missouri did win two of its final three games, which gives the 2017 outfit a modicum of optimism headed into a new year.
“I couldn’t be more thankful to have the same staff, finally, for at least two years in a row and have the same quarterback coach and the same guys,” junior quarterback Drew Lock said. “I thought winning two out of the last three was huge and then having the total yards we did against Tennessee. I think that started to show a little bit more what we’re capable of and what we know we’re capable of. I think having that momentum going into the offseason, you can look back on that.:
Missouri returns 10 starters on offense, including a 3,000-yard passer in Lock, a 1,000-yard receiver in Moore and a 1,000-yard rusher in Maxwell Award watch lister Damarea Crockett.
“He hasn’t changed a bit,” Lock said. “He’s not one to let talk about himself get in the way of things, get his head big. He’s got Heisman written all over his locker. He’s determined to make that happen. He’s got a full head of steam. Can’t stop the guy.”
But more than anything, it is the head coach whose improvement will need to mirror that of his team’s.
“I don’t ever wait for the end of the year and say ‘Why weren’t we very good?’” Odom said. “When you win four games, guys, believe me, it hurts your soul. That's where I was at. You figure out how to fix it whether you inherited the problems or you have the problems on your watch.
“For a number reasons, we didn’t play very well early in the year. At the end of the day, I didn’t do a good enough job of getting those guys ready to go play their best. The air’s cleaner, I like our staff, I like our locker room and am excited (about) what this team’s going to do.”
The players have noticed subtle changes in Odom’s second-season approach as well.
“I would say he’s changed. Changed in a good way, though,” Moore said. “He just reminds us day in, day out, we’re no different from anybody else. We’ve got to work harder and we’re gonna win here. He’s practiced that a lot, telling us that we’re going to win. We’re not going to accept losing here. It’s not a losing culture. He’s a competitor.”
“Not so much different,” senior linebacker Eric Beisel said. “You’ve got to adapt to live and he’s adapted. A lot more professionalism in the MATC, which is where we train. It’s just things are running a lot more smoothly this year. He’s definitely delegated a lot more power, he’s given the seniors a lot more leadership and authority.”
“He’s still pushing us, he’s still in our ears,” Lock said. “He treats us like we are his sons. Every coach says that, treat you like you’re my kid, but I truly feel it from him.”
Will those changes and a year of experience be enough to put Missouri back in a bowl game? If not, Odom won’t be the one bringing up the temperature of his seat at the head of the table in Hoover next July.
PowerMizzou.com will have continuing coverage from Hoover throughout the day.