I hesitate to post this because most know I am an avid Odom guy...but with so many good posters I know who are surprisingly turning on him now...I feel compelled to write this.
Many of you may have the impression that my support of Odom is merely that he is some type of close personal friend and that I have my head-in-the-sand because of some kind of blind loyalty...but I can assure you that is not the case...so here goes:
Firstly, I think Odom would be the first to admit that he has blame in our struggles.
He made his share of mistakes (some on scheme, some on game day decisions, some on staff hires)...but I guarantee he has learned from everyone of them.
He will be a better Coach this year. in upcoming games...and he will be much better each coming season because of experience.
Secondly some will point to other examples of young, first time Head Coaches having immediate success...like Lincoln Riley at OU.
I would counter that by pointing out in those cases you will find:
1) stepped into a ready-made roster or a ready made staff or both
2) A team in a league with fewer monsters at a place that has many advantages over others in their league.
Am I dissapointed in Odom's win-loss record so far? Sure...we ALL are.
Am I 100% surprised at Odom's lack of early success or is my faith in Odom waning? No.
Like it or not...Odom is learning on the job. He knows this school and this league which is an advantage...but he is building a roster and a staff at the same time and that is not easy to do.
STAFF TRUST & CHEMISTY...HUGE...cannot be overstated enough. Football is the ultimate team sport...and team must believe in each other, trust each other, and play together to be 100% effective.
You can win some games just on talent...but not the really tough ones.
It's hard for a TEAM to play 100% together if you don't have a staff that is 100% together. I have been there...it's really tough.
Very soon Odom will have a staff that he 100% trusts...he's probably 8/9ths of the way there right now.
Team leaders? Absolutely necessary...and does Odom have them yet? I'm not sure he does.
If Odom did not continue with GP's "Leadership Council" he needs to reinstate it yesterday. Leadership is somewhat a natural trait and skill...but it needs to cultivated and nurtured.
Some will say he wasn't ready for this job...and that is true...no first time Head Coach is 100% ready.
We shouldn't HAVE to let someone learn ON THE JOB many will say. Maybe at a select handful of places...that is true...but that list is short...and Mizzou ain't on it.
Top notch, experienced Coaches weren't lining up for this job...and any experienced Coach who would have taken it had some warts and red flags..I guarantee it.
Odom WAS and still IS by far and away the best man for this job. Yes he was young and yes he lacked Head Coaching experience. But he is very talented and he 100% wanted this job over any other in the country.
In two or three years...he will be considered a "Rock Star" among the CFB talking heads...right now he is "in over his head" according to them and according to a lot of you.
Odom has Lost some games thus far that down the road would have been wins....but he is getting better every month he is on the job...but to not see what he is building and to throw him away too soon would be a huge mistake.
And to be clear...Odom is not my close friend...we have never shared a meal or a beer and I have never talked to him for more than a few minutes at a time.
However... I know the man well and he knows me. He has opened up and confided in me a few times. I know how smart he is...how he leads, how he coaches and how he treats people.
If a smart person could make a check list of every characteristic to look for in a guy capable of becoming a highly successful Head Coach...and I mean traits of every aspect...Barry Odom would check every box
The man will succeed here and win BIG if we give him time. What ever Missouri's ceiling is..he will reach it and sustain it...and likely for 20-25 years.
People say he stepped into ready made program...and I respectfully disagree. Good program? Absolutely. Without any issues or obstacles? Please.
IMO...Barry Odom has already done a lot of the heavy lifting...although we are not out of the hole yet.
We need more WINS...I get that....but you have your head in the sand if you don't see progress going on inside the program that is going to pay off with more wins in the very near future.
Give the man time and your patience will be rewarded ten fold...and rewarded handsomely for years and years to come.
Many of you may have the impression that my support of Odom is merely that he is some type of close personal friend and that I have my head-in-the-sand because of some kind of blind loyalty...but I can assure you that is not the case...so here goes:
Firstly, I think Odom would be the first to admit that he has blame in our struggles.
He made his share of mistakes (some on scheme, some on game day decisions, some on staff hires)...but I guarantee he has learned from everyone of them.
He will be a better Coach this year. in upcoming games...and he will be much better each coming season because of experience.
Secondly some will point to other examples of young, first time Head Coaches having immediate success...like Lincoln Riley at OU.
I would counter that by pointing out in those cases you will find:
1) stepped into a ready-made roster or a ready made staff or both
2) A team in a league with fewer monsters at a place that has many advantages over others in their league.
Am I dissapointed in Odom's win-loss record so far? Sure...we ALL are.
Am I 100% surprised at Odom's lack of early success or is my faith in Odom waning? No.
Like it or not...Odom is learning on the job. He knows this school and this league which is an advantage...but he is building a roster and a staff at the same time and that is not easy to do.
STAFF TRUST & CHEMISTY...HUGE...cannot be overstated enough. Football is the ultimate team sport...and team must believe in each other, trust each other, and play together to be 100% effective.
You can win some games just on talent...but not the really tough ones.
It's hard for a TEAM to play 100% together if you don't have a staff that is 100% together. I have been there...it's really tough.
Very soon Odom will have a staff that he 100% trusts...he's probably 8/9ths of the way there right now.
Team leaders? Absolutely necessary...and does Odom have them yet? I'm not sure he does.
If Odom did not continue with GP's "Leadership Council" he needs to reinstate it yesterday. Leadership is somewhat a natural trait and skill...but it needs to cultivated and nurtured.
Some will say he wasn't ready for this job...and that is true...no first time Head Coach is 100% ready.
We shouldn't HAVE to let someone learn ON THE JOB many will say. Maybe at a select handful of places...that is true...but that list is short...and Mizzou ain't on it.
Top notch, experienced Coaches weren't lining up for this job...and any experienced Coach who would have taken it had some warts and red flags..I guarantee it.
Odom WAS and still IS by far and away the best man for this job. Yes he was young and yes he lacked Head Coaching experience. But he is very talented and he 100% wanted this job over any other in the country.
In two or three years...he will be considered a "Rock Star" among the CFB talking heads...right now he is "in over his head" according to them and according to a lot of you.
Odom has Lost some games thus far that down the road would have been wins....but he is getting better every month he is on the job...but to not see what he is building and to throw him away too soon would be a huge mistake.
And to be clear...Odom is not my close friend...we have never shared a meal or a beer and I have never talked to him for more than a few minutes at a time.
However... I know the man well and he knows me. He has opened up and confided in me a few times. I know how smart he is...how he leads, how he coaches and how he treats people.
If a smart person could make a check list of every characteristic to look for in a guy capable of becoming a highly successful Head Coach...and I mean traits of every aspect...Barry Odom would check every box
The man will succeed here and win BIG if we give him time. What ever Missouri's ceiling is..he will reach it and sustain it...and likely for 20-25 years.
People say he stepped into ready made program...and I respectfully disagree. Good program? Absolutely. Without any issues or obstacles? Please.
IMO...Barry Odom has already done a lot of the heavy lifting...although we are not out of the hole yet.
We need more WINS...I get that....but you have your head in the sand if you don't see progress going on inside the program that is going to pay off with more wins in the very near future.
Give the man time and your patience will be rewarded ten fold...and rewarded handsomely for years and years to come.
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