Missouri reached the season's midpoint at 5-1, seemingly poised to increase its win total for the third consecutive year under coach Barry Odom. Seven weeks later, Odom is out of a job and the program is at a crossroads.
Odom guided his alma mater through a tough stretch, both for the university and for the program, which received a postseason ban after a tutor for several Missouri teams admitted to completing coursework for athletes. The ban was upheld earlier this week, drawing strong criticism from athletic director Jim Sterk and others.
But a 1-5 finish doomed Odom, who played at Missouri, began his career in recruiting and operations for the program, and spent all but three seasons as a college coach with his alma mater. Missouri was Odom's dream job, but the school opted to fire him Saturday after a 25-25 record (13-19 in SEC play). It didn't help that another AD (Mack Rhoades) hired Odom.
Assessing the Missouri job is a challenge, as the Tigers reached the SEC championship game in two of their first three seasons in the league but finished no higher than third in the East Division in four of the five other seasons they've been in the league. Although the East is the easier division to navigate, Missouri usually will be behind Georgia and Florida, and fighting with Tennessee and others to move up. Former coach Gary Pinkel's incredible run from 2007-14 -- five 10-win seasons, five top-20 finishes, two top-5 finishes -- will be tough to replicate.
Sterk didn't hire Odom and lacks long-term ties to the school or the region. His coaching hires at Washington State (Bill Doba, Paul Wulff) didn't pan out, although he wisely promoted Rocky Long to lead San Diego State's program. It's likely Odom's replacement will have a background on offense.
Here's a look at whom Missouri could consider to replace Odom.
The Candidates
Memphis coach Mike Norvell: If Norvell is interested, Missouri should make a strong push for one of the sport's most exciting young coaches. Norvell, 38, is an elite playcaller who has orchestrated big-play offenses at multiple schools, especially at Memphis in recent years. He has worked in neighboring states -- Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma -- and understands the recruiting landscape. Norvell is more than ready for a Power 5 job and would be an excellent hire if Missouri can get him.
Tulane coach Willie Fritz: He's an experienced, incredibly respected coach who has coached in and around Missouri during an extensive career. Fritz, 59, went 97-47 in 13 seasons at Central Missouri. He has won at just about every level and done a good job upgrading Tulane's program in the competitive AAC. After a first-time head coach in Odom, Missouri might be wise to go with a veteran like Fritz.
Louisiana-Lafayette coach Billy Napier: Several offensive-minded coaches will be considered, and Napier has quickly made his mark as a head coach after spending time as an assistant at programs like Alabama and Clemson. Napier, 40, knows the SEC. While he hasn't worked in or near Missouri, he's the type of coach who can provide a spark both with the scheme and in recruiting.
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell: Fickell would be a good fit at Missouri, but the question is whether he has genuine interest in the job. He's in a great situation in Cincinnati, not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, and likely would only leave for an upper-tier Power 5 job. But Missouri has won before by hiring a Group of 5 coach from Ohio (Pinkel), and could tempt Fickell, 46, to make the jump.
Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz: He has quietly won for years, notching eight or more victories in five of the past season seasons. Holtz, 55, is finally getting traction for Power 5 jobs and should be in the mix at Arkansas as well. He doesn't have direct ties to Missouri but would be a solid choice because of his experience and ability to generate strong offenses.
Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch: Normally, Grinch would be a prime candidate for this job. Pinkel is his uncle, he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Missouri and three more as safeties coach, and he's ready to lead a Power 5 program after coordinator stints at Washington State, Ohio State and Oklahoma. But Sterk likely will look away from the Pinkel tree -- and avoid another defensive-minded coach entirely -- with Odom's replacement.
UCF coach Josh Heupel: A $10 million buyout is the big obstacle here, as many in the industry view it as prohibitive to hiring Heupel this year. But perhaps if Missouri wants him bad enough, it could push to bring back its former offensive coordinator. Heupel thrived in two seasons as Missouri's playcaller, and has continued UCF's success during his tenure as Knights head coach.
UAB coach Bill Clark: This much is clear: Clark can handle difficult situations, both with the program and the university at large. He guided UAB through a two-year hiatus and emerged on the other side, recording 27 wins the past three seasons. The concern with Clark is the jump he'd be making and the fact he has spent only one year coaching outside his home state of Alabama.
Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus: There aren't a lot of viable candidates with ties to Missouri, but Eberflus, 49, qualifies after serving as Tigers defensive coordinator from 2001-08. He has been in the NFL ever since and might not want to return to the college ranks. Like Grinch, Eberflus is from the Pinkel tree and coaches defense, but he excelled in recruiting at Missouri and developed a good number of NFL players.
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman: It's extremely unlikely Klieman departs Kansas State after only one season, but Missouri should at least gauge his interest. He's a proven winner who spent much of his early career working in and around the state of Missouri, before finding big-time success at North Dakota State. Klieman, 52, is a surprising 7-4 in his first season at Kansas State with a win over Oklahoma. He would owe $3 million if he leaves, which could be a stumbling block.
Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott: If Sterk doesn't emphasize Missouri ties and simply wants a coach who can spark the offense again, Elliott could be a good choice. He has been Clemson's primary playcaller during its historic four-year run, which includes two of the past three national championships. Elliott, who recently turned 40, certainly is qualified to lead a Power 5 program but keeps a low profile and can be picky about the jobs he pursues. He might want to stay closer to the Southeast, where he has spent his entire coaching career.
Toledo coach Jason Candle: The Pinkel parallels are noteworthy, as Pinkel came to Missouri from Toledo and, like Candle, comes from northeast Ohio. Candle, 40, consistently produces top-10 offenses. A potential concern is the drop-off in wins since Toledo went 11-3 and won the MAC in 2017. The Rockets are just 13-12 since.
Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson: He's an experienced head coach with a solid profile, never winning fewer than seven games in six seasons at Arkansas State. Anderson, 50, has spent much of his career coaching in the SEC footprint (Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee) but also has ties to Texas that could help in recruiting. His only drawback is no breakthrough season, as he won more than eight games just once.
Indiana coach Tom Allen: He's due a raise at Indiana and might not want to leave familiar settings, but Missouri should at least take a look. Allen, 49, has led Indiana to its highest wins total since 2007 (with two games to play). He's a strong recruiter in Florida and other talent-rich areas, and knows the SEC after spending three seasons at Ole Miss. Although Allen's background is on defense, he embraces exciting offenses and hires good assistants.
Recommendation: Willie Fritz
If Missouri can't land Norvell, Fickell or Klieman, Fritz makes a ton of sense. Yes, he's older and has spent his career outside the spotlight. But he's incredibly well-regarded in the coaching profession and brings experience and a strong record of player development to a program that needs it. Fritz also knows the area extremely well and also can access other key regions for recruiting like Georgia and Texas. He makes smart staffing hires and would benefit from the greater resources Missouri can provide.