Razorbacks’ Barry Odom May Not Really Need to Be Head Coach

Nobody seems to want to pay attention to what he's shown he might really want

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Everybody might want to pump the brakes on assuming Barry Odom wants to be a head coach again.

A lot of folks automatically assume he's just waiting for the right job.

Based on what he said Thursday morning, the guy who grew up in Maysville, Oklahoma, just might be happy as the No. 2 guy. If you've ever been to that humble little town south of Oklahoma City you'd understand.

"It fits me here," the third-year defensive coordinator said after practice. "I'm happy with where I'm at."

(Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Too often fans and the media spend a completely ridiculous amount of time speculating about how much somebody else is paid and whether they automatically want to move up to be the main guy.

"It's fun to come to work every day," he said. "We're building something that's going to be sustainable for a long, long time. We're just scratching the surface on some of the things we're going to get done."

Do not assume he looks at his career the same way a lot of fans and media do. As I said, he's a guy from Maysville and they tend to put down some pretty deep roots.

"My family loves it here," Odom said.

He's got kids from a "rising second-grader" to a senior in high school. Somehow you get the unspoken idea from him money isn't the main thing that particularly drives him to climb any ladders.

Odom's already been a head coach in the SEC. He looks much more comfortable just having to deal with us media folks once a year in fall camp as opposed to the daily grind of a head coach.

Sam Pittman has put him in a rather enviable position. Odom has control of the defense, consults with the boss regularly.

And doesn't have to do the multitude of public relations stuff. If they're being honest, most head coaches will tell you that's a necessary evil to make the kind of money they make.

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive coordinator Barry Odom in Thursday morning's practice on the outdoor grass field at the football center in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

At least Odom says he doesn't need it to feed any career-climb desire. He's already making over a million bucks a year and doesn't have the demands of a head coach. For some people, at a certain point you're just contributing to the retirement account.

"I don't need to go take another job for my ego," Odom said Thursday. "I don't need that. Something happens that you can't say no to ...

"But I'm not going out and searching for it. I'm in a really good spot and that means something to me."

It was probably the best thing he said in nearly 32 minutes of talking with the media.

Folks might want to just listen to what he says.

Until there's evidence to the contrary, he might mean it.

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