Will Muschamp’s potential return to Texas is now reportedly off the table.

Muschamp was fired at South Carolina in November with a 28-30 record in five seasons as coach. His connection to Texas comes from when he was the defensive coordinator under Mack Brown at Texas from 2008-10. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported that Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom is among new coach Steve Sarkisian’s top candidates now that Muschamp has passed on the position.

Texas was a top six unit in total defense Muschamp’s last two seasons in Austin.

Odom received high marks for his defense in 2020 with the Razorbacks in his first season as a coordinator since he was fired as Missouri’s head coach. Odom offered a glimpse of the promising season early on when the Razorbacks’ D beat a Mississippi State team that came off a win over defending national champion LSU.

Under Odom, the Razorbacks this season allowed 34.9 points per game, an average of two better than in 2019.

Odom made his name when he helped Missouri to back-to-back SEC Championship Games (2013-14) as Gary Pinkel’s defensive coordinator at Missouri from 2012-15. The 2015 unit finished sixth nationally in total defense, allowing slightly more than 300 yards per game.

This Texas coaching staff search will be interesting to watch.