Missouri Football: Making the case for head coach Barry Odom
Missouri football coach Barry Odom may be at the threshold of the number of wins he needs to keep his job for at least one more year.
Media outlets and fans alike have wondered how many wins Tigers’ head coach Barry Odom would have to collect to keep his job. One more win could allow Odom to settle in for year number three as Mizzou’s head coach.
With Missouri’s recent win over the Florida Gators, the Tigers secured their fourth win of the season. In 2016, Mizzou didn’t score its fourth win until it defeated Arkansas to end the season.
There’s a high probability that the Tigers will land their fifth win of the season this weekend against an equally abysmal Tennessee team. While the Vols aren’t as seemingly inept as the Gators were, they’re not doing much better.
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At the start of the week, Missouri was already 10 point favorites over Tennessee. In 2016, the Vols had at least one major factor playing in their favor, and that was recently-departed quarterback, Josh Dobbs.
The Vols’ struggles aren’t solely at quarterback this year, but its lack of inspired play there, has, at times, been glaring, as in other phases of the Vols’ game plan.
Missouri’s last three games align favorably for the Tigers. After Saturday’s home finale against Tennessee, the Tigers will round out their season at Vanderbilt, and close on the road at Arkansas.
Of the Tigers’ three remaining opponents, the one that seems to be an unknown, at this point, is Vanderbilt, which carries a 3-2 home record, but is 0-5 in conference play. Tennessee is also winless in conference play.
Arkansas has a 2-2 home record, but has only won once in conference play. Of note, the three remaining opponents that Missouri is set to play, share the same overall record, and are among the worst teams this year in the SEC. The biggest difference is the Tigers are riding a three-game win streak, and are about even on points for and points against.
With all that has happened in the second half of the Tigers’ season, it’s very possible that Odom’s job is secure, after earning his fourth win of the season, but I’d like to think that he should at least succeed last year’s record, if only to show an improvement in overall record.
Another scenario for Odom being granted a third year, is making a bowl game. If the Tigers go “bowling,” then that is probably the most comfortable – as comfortable as comfortable can get – scenario that fans would agree with Odom staying on another year.
If the Tigers make a bowl game, then maybe that will positively change the direction in which recruiting was trending. While Missouri lost a few solid recruits, a bowl appearance could draw more interest from recruits – a bowl win would be even better. Odom’s recruiting could also be another reason that Athletic Director Jim Sterk gives the coach a third season.
There are many scenarios at play for the Tigers and the nearing end of their season. Which one is the best for Missouri?