Missouri has fired Barry Odom after the Tigers finished the 2019 season 6-6 following a 24-14 win against Arkansas on Friday. Odom finished 25-25 (13-19 SEC) in four seasons leading Mizzou, and his firing was announced by the university Saturday morning.
"I want to thank Coach Odom for his contributions to our program," Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk said in a statement. "He and his staff have worked diligently during the past four years. Coach Odom has represented our program with integrity and dedicated himself to developing our student-athletes on and off the football field for which we are grateful. We wish the very best for him and his family in their future endeavors."
Though Missouri won six games or more for the third straight season under Odom, NCAA sanctions prevented the Tigers from being bowl-eligible this year. The school lost an appeal to reverse the bowl ban, meaning Friday's game was the final one of the season for Mizzou and the last of Odom's career leading the team.
The former Tigers defensive coordinator took over after Gary Pinkel's retirement, and following a 4-8 showing in his first season, led Missouri to back-to-back bowl games in 2017 and 2018. However, Mizzou never finished better than 4-4 in SEC play during any of his four seasons.
The 2019 season got off to a rocky start with a loss at Wyoming, but Missouri rolled off five straight wins and suddenly entered contention for the SEC East. Then, offensive struggles and other issues contributed to a conclusion of the season that included a loss to Vanderbilt and five straight defeats before Friday's win against Arkansas.
The ups and downs of the season came as a disappointment to fans who saw the arrival of Kelly Bryant, taking over for the record-shattering Drew Lock, and figured this could be a team to contend with Georgia and Florida in the SEC East. Missouri was picked third in the preseason poll at SEC Media Days, trailing only the Bulldogs and the Gators and even received a couple first-place votes.
Odom, a former player at Missouri from 1996-99, was a popular choice to take over for Pinkel when the promotion was announced, but the school's current athletic director, Jim Sterk, did not make that decision. Yahoo! Sports' Pete Thamel reported that the school "had begun vetting candidates in the weeks leading up to the final game" meaning Friday's result against the Razorbacks may not have had in impact one way or another on Odom's future.
Missouri's next move will be interesting because it has thrown its hat into the ring in an offseason where three Power Five jobs have already opened, including its Battle Line trophy rival Arkansas. As for Odom, he'll immediately be a candidate worth targeting for any head coach looking to fill a defensive coordinator position. Many are already pointing to a potential Memphis reunion with Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech, since Fuente will be looking to replace Bud Foster (retiring at the end of the season).
