Barry Odom issues heartfelt message in his first public comment since dismissal at Missouri
By Keith Farner
Published:
Four days after he was dismissed as coach of Missouri, Barry Odom issued his first public comments about the events.
Odom of course has a long history at Missouri, both as a player and assistant before his 4 seasons as head coach.
“From the first day I was recruited by Coach Larry Smith, and stepped on campus as a student-athlete, this place became HOME,” Odom wrote on Twitter. “This was never just a job to me! I am so thankful for Coach Gary Pinkel giving me a job in college coaching … I am so thankful for all of my players over the years, you guys have changed my life for the better.”
Odom was 25-25 in 4 seasons in Columbia, but a string of losses this season, most notably at Vanderbilt, led to his firing. He’s considered a beloved person by many fans as he helped stabilize the program but ultimately failed to win enough games.
The Tigers were expected to contend in the SEC East this season with the addition of Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant at quarterback. But the season began with a loss at Wyoming and Mizzou couldn’t win enough, especially on the road. The Tigers were 6-6 in 2019.
This past week, the school lost its appeal of NCAA penalties
— Barry Odom (@Coach_Odom) December 4, 2019
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
