The center of the college football universe the past 24 hours may very well be Columbia, Missouri.
Fresh off landing Clemson transfer QB Kelly Bryant on Tuesday, Tigers head coach Barry Odom received even better news for his future at his alma mater as the school announced a contract extension through 2024 that will see the head coach’s salary elevated to $3.05 million a season.
“Coach Odom has a tremendous passion for teaching and developing our student-athletes, on and off the field, which aligns well with our departmental philosophy to Win it Right,” MU athletic director Jim Sterk said in a release. “With this new contract, we felt it was important to recognize Coach Odom’s commitment to our football program and University, and we look forward to his continued leadership and watching him make a positive difference in the lives of our student-athletes.”
After going 4-8 and then 7-6 in his first two years in charge, Odom did enter 2018 with a bit of a hot seat given that Sterk didn’t hire him but he wound up leading the program to eight wins for just the 17th time in program history and a top 25 ranking from the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. The 2018 campaign also produced several big wins for the Tigers, including victories over Purdue, Florida and Tennessee to go with a heart-breaking loss at the goal line against Kentucky.
The extension also increases Odom’s incentive package as well by some $1.8 million all told and includes provisions for additional years should he reach specific win totals.
The Tigers will take on old Big 12 rival Oklahoma State on New Year’s Eve in the Liberty Bowl.