Mizzou football: 5 candidates Tigers should consider to replace Barry Odom
The Missouri Tigers fired coach Barry Odom on Saturday morning, ending his 4-year run. He finished 25-25, but a look inside that record shows that things were even worse.
Odom went 13-19 in SEC play and 0-2 in bowl games. He had 3 separate losing streaks of 5 games and, perhaps the worst number of all, he went 3-22 against teams that finished the season with a winning record.
In his statement about the decision to fire Odom, Mizzou AD Jim Sterk said the Tigers have “the necessary resources and commitment to compete at the highest level.” Now, we’ll see if he can back that up.
Mizzou’s biggest problem under Odom has been an inability to recruit at a high level. So, when putting together a list of potential candidates, a big personality should be at the top of the qualifications.
Here are a few names the Tigers should consider as they search for Odom’s replacement:
1. Lane Kiffin
I know Kiffin is a very controversial figure in SEC circles, based on his past at Tennessee and how he left Alabama (also with how much attention he gets from the media). However, he’s a solid coach and a great offensive mind.
He’s also a big personality who can recruit at a high level, which is something Mizzou has struggled with under Odom, frequently turning in subpar recruiting classes.
In Kiffin’s first year at Florida Atlantic, he led the Owls to an 11-3 record, a Conference USA title and a bowl victory. He lost OC Kendal Briles to Florida State after that 2017 season, and last year was rougher for the Owls. However, they’re back in a bowl game this year, so Kiffin clearly knows how to coach.
Also, depending on who Florida State hires to replace Willie Taggart, Briles could be searching for a job again, too. Mizzou could hire Kiffin and Briles, hoping they can recapture their 2017 magic, when FAU finished with the No. 8 scoring offense in the country, averaging 40.6 points per game.
2. Mike Leach
Leach almost took the Tennessee job a couple of years ago, before AD John Currie was fired and the search took on an even more bizarre quality. And, after yet another loss in the Apple Cup to Washington on Friday, he might be ready for something different.
The Washington State coach has been critical of his players and the media in Pullman on numerous occasions this season, at one point calling his players “fat, dumb, happy and entitled.”
That sounds like a guy who is ready for a change, and Mizzou should make a call. Leach made nearly $4 million at Washington State this season, so Mizzou would have to pony up some cash to make him come to Columbia, but that would prove that Sterk is serious about winning.
As a great offensive mind with a big personality, Leach is about as opposite as it gets from Odom in the college coaching world.
3. Willie Fritz
Mizzou fans might be afraid to hire another former Central Missouri coach after the Kim Anderson years in men’s basketball, but Fritz has had success at Tulane, making the jump to Missouri a little less intense.
Fritz has gotten Tulane bowl-eligible each of the past 2 seasons, which is no easy task at Tulane. This year will be the 4th bowl game the Green Wave have played in since 2000.
In 13 years at Central Missouri, Fritz went 97-47 with a conference title. That long stint in Missouri means he knows the lay of the land and could potentially have success keeping some of the top in-state prospects home.
4. Bill Clark
Clark has quietly been doing some great work at UAB. Since the Blazers re-established a football program in 2017, Clark has won 8 games, 11 games and (currently) 8 games this season. That’s impressive.
Plus, he has major ties in Alabama and elsewhere across the SEC recruiting footprint. That’s something the Tigers could use as they continue to try to establish themselves in the SEC.
5. Will Healy
Healy is only in his first year at Charlotte, but he has the 49ers bowl-eligible for the first time (and he had a fantastic celebration in response to win No. 6). He’s only 34, so perhaps he’s still a bit young for an SEC job, but this would be an interesting move for Mizzou.
P.J. Fleck was about the same age when he was hired by Minnesota, and that has turned out really well for the Golden Gophers. Healy has a similar passion and energy to his coaching style and might provide a breath of fresh air in Columbia.
Where will the Tigers go from here? That remains to be seen, but it’s fair to consider that the Tigers could make a splash, as the job is seemingly more stable than either Arkansas or Florida State at this point. This will be an interesting search to follow.
Chris Klieman would have been a great option.
You should remind yourself and Mizzou fans of the horrendous 2 decades following the last time Mizzou fired a coach without a losing record. Warren (by God) Powers. We ended up with a toll taker and former Steeler D coach , a Bob nobody, and Larry ( screw stl) Smith. Losers. Bigger losers etc. Now that Sterk screwed up let’s go back to that tree of Power. Mike Zimmer is one . get him. Doug Marrone, ok. Mike Bobo, I’m not sure, or I’d take Leach as long as he’s not so long in the tooth that we get Woody Hayes punching a player. Or better yet Bob Stoops. But I would get most excited about Brent Venables I think. BTW Adam where are we about that 2 decade reminder to all the losers who forgot or weren’t there suffering through it?
So you don’t think it’s possible Mizzou learned from past mistakes? That’s pretty sad on your part. Also, pretty funny how you had to talk your way around “fired a coach without a losing record.” Yeah, he was 25-25, that’s not a winning record either, pal.
Also, he was 3-22 against teams that finished the year with a winning record. That’s awful.
And yes, they whiffed when they tried to replace Powers, but you only focus on the negative. They also eventually hired Gary Pinkel. Should they just never have done that?
Hiring Pinkel wasn’t as important as letting him build his program. Pinkel’s first 4 or 5 years were anything but stellar, in fact there was a large portion of donors who were wanting him fired just like Odom. Mizzou isn’t a place that has the resources to fire coaches and get the pick of the litter to replace them with. That’s a big reason why getting back into a bad cycle of coaches like zoucat mentioned is a real possibility at a place like Mizzou. Eventually they have to let a coach have more than 3 or 4 years like they did Pinkel. If that’s not going to be the case then there was no reason to fire Odom yet.
20 years later. And I see it as 3 bowl elible seasons out of 4. That’s winning. You don’t find Barry’s passion for his school from coaches that aren’t from here. And Mizzou is not a prime job. You don’t get coaches considered for blue blood schools to look at Mizzou. Mizzou is a proving ground school. It’s not plug and play like being a coach at ND or bama etc. It’s the ultimate proving ground but you don’t get proven coaches.
All those names are powers tree. Ok not all. But.
Sterk didn’t hire Odom so he’s not the one who screwed up.
Zoucat, you’re right MU fans are terrible, they don’t like mediocrity and complain about it.
If 6-6 isn’t acceptable to Missouri, then none of these 5 coaches is going to improve that in any way.
Missouri had a mediocre season because it no longer had Drew Lock and because the super power teams in the East are waking up and getting good again. That has nothing to do with Barry Odom.
Cool story Hansel…
Who Kentucky? Tennessee? They suck. They always sucked. They get lucky to beat Vanderbilt or Florida. We beat them all in our second season. And they all had top ten classes except vandy. We beat them anyway. And every way. And soon we would every day. But now we have to start all over. Great
You haven’t beat Kentucky in 5 years. So who were you referring to sucking?
Your team. Beating us 5 yrs has never made you division or conference champ since what early 1900s? But at least you have that. Keep stoops. He’s already maxed his potential.
Steal Matt Campbell from Iowa State.
With all due respect, Mizzou’s biggest problem is that:
A) they are a former Big 12 North school moving to the more physical, athletic SEC (even if it is only the SEC East)
B) moving from the Big 12 to the SEC East cut them off from their secondary and tertiary recruiting grounds, which were Texas and Ohio. They had a window to replace those with Florida and Georgia but didn’t take advantage
If Mizzou is going to be an actual SEC program, they need to dump the spread stuff and build a program based on recruiting both lines and playing power football. Mizzou was able to do well when they first joined because Florida, UGA and Tennessee were all varying shades of bad. Now all 3 programs have good coaches and so does Kentucky. That would put Mizzou #4 in the SEC East pecking horder to be honest.
If Mizzou can steal away Stoops – which could happen if FSU is too dumb to make the obvious hire – then great. Otherwise they should make a run at the Auburn DC with Mike Bobo as the OC.
If they MUST hire an offense/spread guy make it the Wake Forest head coach. He has a lot of experience building a program and recruiting players in the southeast.
You’re stupid if you think the sec is any where near as good as the big 8. And Mizzou has more upsets against top ten teams than any one I can think of. Granted they were in the 60s and 70s but that was when the big 8 dominated the sec and everyone ekse
We were the third place team in a conference that had two top 5 teams year in and year out.
Besides how do you overcome bias referees that the sec office instructs to be biased?
Reality is your friend. You should try it.
Did you really just reference the 60’s and 70’s for your argument? You realize 1979 was 40 years ago making anything in your argument obsolete.
We need to stop talking about the big 12 as inferior. It got inferior when Mizzou left and helped to improve the sec. You’re welcome.
We are why you have a national sec network
You are delusional
Is there a word for beyond delusional?
Mentally retarded but I think that would be an insult to mentally retarded people
i can’t tell if he is serious. Can you tell us more how Mizzou was able to bless the SEC with national exposure?
Clearly this is a troll, or this guy is so high on meth his hearts about to have a coronary. Thought he was just stupid until the “Mizzou’s the reason the SEC has a national network.” Wow.
Lol
Nonetheless. Btw you just an opportunity to beat Mizzou a second year in a row . don’t blow it. Oh! Wait ! It’s FU. You already did.
Haha enjoy your bowl game. Oh wait
zoucrap you need to stop posting, all you do is embarrass yourself.
Please hire Lane Kiffen
No
Omg! Did unaffiliated just insinuate that mark stoopid is an improvement over barry??? That’s retarded Appalachian poop.
Odom is not a good coach. At least your AD recognizes that.
What is odom’s record against Stoops?
Maybe you can dig out some reference to the 1940s to illustrate how great Missouri is these days, because as we all know, how your team was several decades ago has everything to do with how good you are now, right?
Lord have mercy you’re as sharp as a bowling ball.
Well I don’t why you expect recent success in a post where a coach was fired but I’m the delusional one. That word is repeated in every post on every team board . that’s quite a vocabulary you have down south. Is that thus years new word? KC and STL tv markets are how we helped to bring the sec network to fruition. Look that one up I’m not here to be your dictionary. Dictionary? Omg you probably never heard of those. You want recent success storirs first tell me one concerning Tennessee. I’m tired of hearing how they are on a down cycle. It’s not a cycle it’s who you really are. And always have been. Here’s a prediction I like. Fuentes becomes head coach in sec and odom his DC at . . wait for it . . Arkansas.
When was the last time Mizzou has ever been successful? What was the last time they won their conference, had 11+ win season, won a NC? UT I’d and will always be better than Mizzou overalls
Overall
Not sure your list is serious but saying Mizzou recruiting has been weak is the understatement of the millennia. Mizzou hasn’t recruited well since Dan Devine left. It’s questionable that Dabo Saban could recruit at Mizzou but if there is one coach out there that might be able to do it, it would be Kiffin.
If that’s not enough Kiffin has a better OC mind than anybody at Mizzou in your lifetime. Heupel is the only OC that has even been close. Of course some Mizzou snoots will talk about Kiffins morals, though they would be the first to defend Pinkels driving while plastered and wife cheating history.
Kiffin is the way to go if MU wants to have an immediate impact at winning. After that might as well take a safe hire like Campbell or the kid from Boise St.
You’re stupid if you think the sec is any where near as good as the big 8. And Mizzou has more upsets against top ten teams than any one I can think of. Granted they were in the 60s and 70s but that was when the big 8 dominated the sec and everyone ekse
I was trying to erase that last one to post this one. Devine did not recruit any better than onafrio. And Devine was a traitor. And since when do we need the headaches of 5 star playrrs to beat the sec? We done it with 2 star players so don’t tell me it’s recruiting. That’s just more stupid tigurr crap
Please don’t bring a loser like kiffin in. He has no loyalty
You have some retarded notions about what other posters are saying and whatever it is you are babbling about nobody really cares.
Tigurr is more of an antifan. He’s one of those that think Missouri was a non slave northern state and west Virginia was a southern state because it has Virginia in its name
I’m the kind of fan that knows you’re a moronic pile of crap.
I get it now. Zoucat is Mizzou’s Paris10 in this site. The guy that bashed all things UK and claims to be a fan.
The pinkel era resulted in a number of retarded morons who believe MU was a National Champ in the Big 12. No I’m not making that up, they are literally that retarded.
Adam, Odom should have been given one more year. Mizzou’s not a destination job and it will be extremely hard to hire someone with as much passion for the school as Odom. Mizzou had some horrendous injuries this season.
My biggest knock on Odom is he’s too loyal to subpar assistants.
The coaches he has now were loyal and a better group than his first. Heupel is suggested by Dave matter. No Dave! Will you please move on Mr matter? You are not a fan of Mizzou and it’s biggest detractor after Sallee who I wish someone would stab
Anybody who suggests Lane Kiffin as a serious coaching candidate in the SEC instantly loses all credibility.
He’s better than muschimp
No. Muschamo is credible but average. Kiffin is desperation. And temporary. No thanks.
I only suggest it for the teams I want to suck like mizzou
The coaches he has now were loyal and a better group than his first. Heupel is suggested by Dave matter. No Dave! Will you please move on Mr matter? You are not a fan of Mizzou and it’s biggest detractor after Sallee who I wish someone would stab
There are some well traveled coordinators in the SEC who have coached at multiple SEC locations that I would consider before anyone on this list. But Norvell and maybe Graham might be worth a look. Nation had some good suggestions
well mizzou, you dont pay attention much do you? we should have never fired houston nutt….yeah might not have ever got to that sugar bowl petrino got us too….but we would not have hired petrino then have to fire him, give a senile geriatric keys to the program for a 10 month contract, make a splash hire for bielema who refused to recruit texas, fire his fat ass, then hire chad dumbass from smu, lose to colorado st, san jose state, and a western ky team that started our former qb… i mean nutt had us competitive and got to a couple sec title games, a cpl capitalone citrus bowls and a cpl cotton bowls.
think wisely before jumpin to fire and hope for a miraculous savior of a coach.
Why not hire that crazy nazi anti free speech professor or a BLM/Travon/Ferguson hate hoaxer for coach.
I spit on Missouri. They belong in the same league as berkley.