What happens in college football when you don’t get fired? You get a contract extension! And Barry Odom is evidently working on his as we speak.

Six straight wins later, the school and the coach have started negotiations on a contract extension, a university source confirmed. Odom has three years remaining on his original five-year contract that pays him a guaranteed salary of $2.35 million plus incentives.

It always seemed like Gary Pinkel lost the game after his contract extension — if I remember right, he finalized one right before Mizzou lost to Iowa State in 2006 — so congrats in advance on your 7-6 final record, Coach!

By the way, Odom already has the third-longest tenure in the SEC East, tied with Georgia’s Kirby Smart and South Carolina’s Will Muschamp. Vandy’s Derek Mason is one of the names being tossed around for the vacant Arizona State job, too, so he could move up to a tie for No. 2 soon!

Really, though, it’s good to just be sitting this year’s coaching carousel out. It’s gotten weird.

The extension talks are occurring while five Southeastern Conference schools have either hired or are searching for new head football coaches. Florida poached Dan Mullen from Mississippi State. Texas A&M fired Kevin Sumlin. Arkansas fired Bret Bielema immediately after Mizzou beat the Razorbacks on Friday. Tennessee continues to search for a coach after fans revolted against the program’s original pick, Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, and Ole Miss decided to make interim coach Matt Luke the Rebels’ permanent choice.

More Football Links:

• What happens when you throw another five touchdown passes in a rivalry win? You get SEC offensive co-player of the week honors.
• Yesterday at SB Nation, I wrote about Glen Mason Territory and how firing winning coaches — as Arizona State and Texas A&M just did — almost never actually makes you better. Happily, Mizzou wasn’t one of the examples used because Mike Alden didn’t fire Gary Pinkel in 2005 (or 2012). Alden had plenty of faults, but he gave his coaches rope, and it paid off handsomely for Pinkel.
• The Missourian put together Odom’s top quotes of the year, something I’d have never thought to do. And yes, No. 1 is “It's called an ass-kicking."
• Here’s today’s Where Might the Tigers Bowl? piece.
• Care for the latest episode of TWIMF?

More Links:

• Kassius Robertson’s “just gotta keep shooting” mantra appears to have paid off, but Mizzou still needs a point guard.
• DeMarre Carroll’s got Cuonzo thoughts.

• Tickets! Get your NCAA Volleyball tickets (in Wichita) here!