Gary Pinkel: Mizzou hired Odom as DC due to his experience
Many fans and media members expressed a desire for long-time defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski to assume the coordinator role after Dave Steckel departed for Missouri State.
Instead, coach Gary Pinkel tabbed former Memphis defensive coordinator Barry Odom for the position.
To be fair, Odom did a terrific job with the Tigers defense this season, the 48 points allowed against a Taysom Hill-less BYU in the bowl game aside. But Kuligowski has spent 23 years on Pinkel’s staff and probably deserved a shot.
Either way, it’s a win for Missouri, as now the staff includes both of those gentlemen, and they both should be assets in recruiting.
On Christmas, after practice in Orlando, Fla., ahead of next week’s Citrus Bowl, Pinkel explained the decision.
Pinkel on Odom: "He knows what we are, what we're about. For him to go out and have that success, it was a perfect fit for us."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
Pinkel: "My job was to get the most experienced, most qualified person."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
Pinkel: "Anybody on the staff, if they'd had the same experience and success, they're the person I would have gone to first."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
Pinkel: "I've got guys on my staff who are very, very capable. But I have to make that decision."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
Pinkel: "He's going to use his personality to run" it. "He's going to be Stec. He doesn't want to be Gary Pinkel. I guarantee you that."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
Pinkel also had a good quip about the all-gold swag outfit he wore on the team’s recent “NFL day,” put together by equipment specialist Don Barnes.
#Mizzou's @GaryPinkel representing his hometown of Akron at practice w/ exclusive @KingJames shoes. #GOLD #NFLDay pic.twitter.com/ugLX2lW7FQ
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) December 21, 2014
Barnes told Pinkel he could keep it if he wanted: "You think I'm going to wear this to the mall or something? You kidding me?"
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 25, 2014
The Mizzou contingent seems to be enjoying Orlando and the surrounding tourism hot spots, as it should with a week yet before kickoff against Minnesota.
Important part of @MizzouFootball bowl trip is striping helmets of Highway Patrol who escort us around all week! pic.twitter.com/oGDWdIdBBq
— Chad Moller (@ChadMo1) December 25, 2014
Rock Bridge's A.J. Logan, playing a very capable Thing 1. MT @MizzouFootball Thing 1 and Thing 2 at @UniversalORL. pic.twitter.com/uy13lHJghb
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 24, 2014
This ride hurt my brain a little, but I'm dumb enough that I'm going to ride it another 10 times I bet. pic.twitter.com/BFX1FO3kR5
— Chad Moller (@ChadMo1) December 24, 2014