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.

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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.

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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.

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