Barry Odom’s name popping up in coaching searches

Man, it feels good to wake up as a Missouri football fan this Monday. The Tigers just wrapped up their best regular season in five years, they’re on their way to a good bowl, and... wait, what’s that?

That, uh. Hmmm. Maybe let’s get a second opinion?

OK! Apparently this is a thing we need to talk about now! Dave Matter, how about you take it away on this one?

Odom’s reported interest in the Louisville job could be his way of angling for a new contract at Mizzou. Heading into the current season, only seven Power 5 schools were paying their coaches less than Odom, according to USA Today’s annual salary report. Bobby Petrino, fired at Louisville earlier this month, was making $3.98 million in guaranteed pay this year.

I’m inclined to think this is the play here. Barry Odom is a Mizzou alum and has displayed his passion for the program and his job several times over the years. Are we really supposed to believe he’d leave his alma mater — and what is likely his dream job at this point — for a program like Louisville or Colorado? Talks of a contract extension for Odom have heated up in the past few days, and this could be his way of making sure that happens.

However, I do want to note that this is not at all a positive development for the program, and likely by extension, Barry Odom. Missouri just came off an exciting regular season and would be well-served by capitalizing on the recruiting trail... specifically when it comes to a certain grad transfer quarterback. If things start getting ugly and public in the efforts to get him a new contract, it won’t have a positive effect on his ability to lock down recruits.

Maybe we’ll look back at this Sunday and laugh after Odom’s extension and new buyout are announced. Maybe it won’t have any adverse affects on the way recruits perceive Missouri and Odom. But there’s always the chance that it will, which makes the way things went down this weekend unfortunate.

Yesterday at Rock M

• It’s okay if you weren’t on board before, but get on board now
• Odom is finally over .500, but is he over the hump?

More Links:

• Another year, another NCAA Tournament for the Fighting Kreklows

Five players also landed All-SEC honors.

• The Missouri women finished off the Gulf Coast Showcase with a victory against Duke, helmed by a career night from junior Hannah Schuchts.

Schuchts went 6-for-6 from beyond the arc and was named to the all tournament team. The team shot almost 50 percent from three as a whole. The 5-2 Tigers will head to Morgantown, WV, this weekend for a road test against the Mountaineers.

• And finally, our last bowl projections are in! We should find out next week where Mizzou is headed.

247 Sports: Belk Bowl vs. Virginia

CBS Sports: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Wisconsin

ESPN: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Michigan State

SB Nation, ESPN: Music City Bowl vs. NC State

Sports Illustrated: Liberty Bowl vs. Oklahoma State