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Source: Mizzou DC Odom will get second interview for head coaching job
The University of Missouri's next head football coach may be coming from the current staff.
A source told FOXSports.com Saturday night that Tigers defensive coordinator Barry Odom will be receiving a second interview for the vacancy being created by Gary Pinkel's retirement.
Odom, 38, has never held a head coaching position before. But he is a former Tigers player whose first season as coordinator at his alma mater produced positive results.
Despite posting a 5-7 record, the Tigers finished the season having posted their best totals in fewest points per game (15.7) since 1981 and yards allowed (301.4) since 2004.
Odom was a Tigers linebacker from 1996 to 1999. He spent nine years working up the ranks of Pinkel's coaching staff in various positions before leaving to Memphis where he served three seasons as defensive coordinator before returning.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Tigers junior linebacker Michael Scherer spoke out strongly in support of Odom's candidacy following last Friday's 28-3 loss to Arkansas.
"I think every single person, coach, player, sports staff, trainer respects the heck out of Coach Odom," Scherer said. "They love Coach Odom (for) the way he carries himself. There's a lot of people in that locker room hopeful for him."
Pinkel, 63, recently announced he was stepping down as Mizzou's head coach after being diagnosed with a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Despite the Razorbacks loss, Pinkel leaves as the winningest head coach in Tigers history.
