Mark Humphrey / AP File (2019)
Barry Odom, who spent the past three years as defensive coordinator at Arkansas after a four-year head-coaching stint at Missouri, will be the next football coach at UNLV, the school announced Tuesday.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 | 5:15 p.m.
Barry Odom
• Age: 46
• Head coaching record: 25-25 in four seasons at Missouri (2016-19)
• Other notable experience: Defensive coordinator at Arkansas (2020-22); defensive coordinator at Missouri (2015).
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• Past history: Odom increased the program’s win total in each of his initial three seasons at Missouri, including an 8-5 record in 2018 that featured a 38-17 victory against No. 11 Florida. But Missouri went 6-6 in his fourth year and he was fired.
• What he brings: Odom is a strong coach, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Memphis ranked No. 117 in total defense in 2011 before Odom was hired as defensive coordinator there. In 2014, his last year with Memphis, the Tigers ranked 28th nationally. And in 2015, his only year as Missouri’s defensive coordinator before being elevated to head coach, the Tigers ranked No. 9 nationally in total defense.
• What’s to like: UNLV athletic director Erick Harper delivered on his promise to hire someone with head coaching experience, grabbing a coach with experience in the Southeastern Conference — the conference for college football. Odom has coached in big-game environments and had many successes. In 2021, his defense at Arkansas allowed just 22.9 points per game and the Razorbacks defeated Penn State in a bowl game.
• Biggest challenge: Odom will need to get up to speed with the Mountain West, a league he has no experience coaching in. He will also have to become familiar with recruiting on the West Coast, from which UNLV draws a majority of its players.
• Final take: This is unlike any other era of UNLV football in that the program has the best resources in the Mountain West with the on-campus Fertitta Football Complex, and plays home games at the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium. Now, it could have a coach to take it from being a perennial losing program to a competitor. It speaks volumes for UNLV to grab a coach from the storied SEC, where coordinators like Odom are typically paid more than head coaches in lower-tier conferences like the Mountain West. His hiring is a significant upgrade and a sign that the university is serious about winning. This isn’t like past hires — a coordinator with no head-coaching experience in Marcus Arroyo, a coach stepping into the college game in Tony Sanchez, or a coach from a lower division like Bobby Hauck. This is a coach who is ready to win immediately. This hire could pave the way for some interesting nights of UNLV football.
