Oklahoma Interim DC Brian Odom Got Lots of Advice for Alamo Bowl, Like 'Be Yourself'

The Sooner defense will look a lot like Alex Grinch's defenses did over the last three years, but Odom will bring his own personality and will add some new twists.

SAN ANTONIO — Brian Odom, interim defensive coordinator at Oklahoma, has a surprise for Oregon next Wednesday in the Alamo Bowl.

“We're going to see a completely different defense, OK?” Odom said Sunday during a press conference at the Alamodome. “We’re gonna run cover zero the whole game. They said put your personality on it. So — no, I’m kidding.”

Brian Odom :: Ryan Chapman / SI Sooners

Odom drew a few laughs — more than once — in explaining how the Sooners’ defense might look against the Ducks.

But the reality is it will look a lot like Alex Grinch’s defense, but with a twist.

A few twists, actually.

“To be honest with you, I've talked to everyone that I have on my phone that's ever called defensive plays,” Odom joked. “So I've talked to a lot of different people.”

That’s funny. But really, how many did he reach out to?

“Probably close to 10,” he said.

Brian Odom :: John E. Hoover / SI Sooners

And what was their overriding message to the first-time play-caller?

“Really, be yourself,” Odom said. “But let your personality come through. And a lot of it was just kinda, you know, they know me, they know the the preparation habits that I have. Just your preparation.

“That's sort of now my job is to reduce any kind of stress or any kind of things that would weigh our guys down. Go out and play fast. Play the defense that we know — that we've ran for the last three years.”

Odom intimated that among the most important things he learned in three years at OU under Grinch was finding a way to minimize weakness.

“In terms of play calling and things that, you know, in talks with Alex over the years — what's your next call and who is now put in stress by that formation or that play call? So what person on the defense am I trying to protect? What person on the defense am I trying to hide? What person on defense in a certain situation do we want to kind of take out of the game? So there's some things that go into it.

“Obviously, I'm not going to sit here and act like I know what I'm doing because I haven't done it yet. So we'll see how it all goes on game day.”

DaShaun White :: John E. Hoover / SI Sooners

Odom is in a unique situation: from inside linebackers coach for three years to defensive coordinator for a bowl game back to inside linebackers coach — at USC.

“It's a little confusing, to be 100 percent honest with you,” said senior linebacker DaShaun White. “I mean, I love coach to death. I mean, I’d do anything for him. I've tried to do my best for him. And I think that we've complemented each other very well over the years. I'm really looking forward to this last one.”

Bob Stoops expressed an appreciation for Odom staying around to coach the bowl game. His players did last week. Some have said the makeshift transition has gone well, others seemed less assured.

Odom loves OU football. He signed with the Sooners out of Ada High School before transferring to Southeastern State in Durant, OK. Being back as an assistant coach was a dream come true. He said the “culture that’s installed” over the last three years is “very evident at times like this.”

He also echoed what Stoops said a few weeks back, that the defensive game plan and game day calls will be a collective effort between him and the other assistants, but also would involve the players and what calls or schemes they like or don’t like.

“I’m thrilled and honored and excited to be able to be in this role,” Odom said. “ … My job is to put them in a position to play well. Give them the keys and let them go get after it.”