In familiar territory, the Tigers look for redemption yet again

For the second time this season, a Missouri football debacle has become the new narrative.

By rattling off five home wins, the Tigers showed that what happened in Wyoming may have been a fluke— until it wasn’t. The loss in Nashville last Saturday may have stung worse for Missouri fans than the season opener. With a newly earned AP poll ranking and reinvigorated fan confidence, there was ‘special season’ talk circulating again. The loss to what was a 1-5 Vanderbilt team took a lot of hope out of the fan base. Now, Odom and the Tigers seem to be starting from scratch again. Missouri faces a familiar situation: a road loss against what was supposed to be an inferior opponent and a new chance at redemption.

Coach Odom reflected on the loss and what it can do for the team. He acknowledged the mistakes they may give them an opportunity.

“Shortcomings provide.. the ability for us to understand the reasons we didn’t play well and what we can do, and will do, to fix that to make sure that we can control the narrative. We control the outcome or the story for the next five weeks.”

Odom said that he and his team wouldn’t shy away from the challenge of rebounding after a loss.

“We’re not gonna run from it, we understand that life is difficult,” he said. “There’s gonna be times that you don’t get everything that you want and there’s reasons, usually, for why that happens.”

Odom also took responsibility for the loss to Vanderbilt. “I’m not in the position to put blame other than, put it on me,” he said.

Scouting Report

Odom noted that Kentucky will likely put together a dual quarterback attack. His main praise though, was for the Wildcat defense.

“They’re built tough and strong and aggressive and sound. They’re great tacklers and they play so extremely hard,” he said. “You look up front, they’re big inside, they’re long on the perimeter. Their linebackers are active. They’re playing terrific pass defense.”

On the Tigers

Both Bryant and Odom acknowledged that the quarterback might have scrambled too early at Vanderbilt. “Let’s not go and try to chase things– just play it like it is. If we go through our progression and read and then it’s time to try to take off then let’s do, let’s not force it.”

Odom praised how his team has attacked this week in the wake of the upset.

“I like the feel of what we did today. So we gotta do it again tomorrow and do it again Thursday, Friday and then go execute it on Saturday.”

As for the overall health of the team?

“We’re banged up just like any other team is in college football going into week eight of the season.” He also said that of all the guys that played last week, they’ll all be in position to play again.

Other Notes

• With Missouri basketball announcing a future slate of games against the state to the West, Barry Odom was able to chime in. “I think Missouri and Kansas should always play. They should play in every sport. That rivalry, it’s still there. It goes back for generations.”
• Odom addressed the team’s penalty problem at Vanderbilt. “That’s something that obviously, we correct, we fix and we can’t have that and won’t stand for it moving forward.”
• There will be a rotation of players to help cover in Tyree Gillespie’s absence. Gillespie will miss time as a result of the targeting penalty he committed against Vanderbilt QB, Mo Hassan, last week.
• Odom talked about what went down following the penalty. “He’s sobbing uncontrollably because he knows he made a mistake and he didn’t mean to hit the guy in the fashion that took place. But he did, it was a mistake, and he’s obviously paying for it.”
• On Martez Manuel, who stepped in for Gillespie last week. “He’ll play really well. Now that his number is called– it’s time, let’s go.”

With the ability to control their own fate sitting at 5-2, the Tigers are far from losing hope over a couple bad losses.

“We’ve got an opportunity to control the narrative here for the next five weeks,” Odom said. “It’s up to us— let’s go do it.”