Mizzou Football: Six potential successors to Barry Odom

Group 1: The Coordinators

Joe Brady, Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, LSU Tigers

Maybe you’ve heard, but the LSU Tigers offensive is incredible now. Sure, that has to do with the players on the field, including quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and wide receivers Justin Jeffeson and Ja’Marr Chase, but the biggest change preceding this offensive explosion was the team’s hiring of Brady away from the New Orleans Saints.

Brady is only 30 years old, but what he’s done with one of the most dormant offenses in the SEC cannot be ignored. Under his tutelage, the former Sean Payton protege, the Tigers rank third in the NCAA in yards-per-game (535.9), second in passing yards per game (377.6), and fourth in points per game (46.8).

On the surface, it seems like hiring such a young coach without a ton of experience would be a huge leap of faith. But you can’t argue with those results, especially when the team putting up those numbers battles in the SEC West.

Matt Eberflus, Defensive Coordinator, Indianapolis Colts

Cue Peaches & Herb: this would be a homecoming for Eberflus, who was the Tigers defensive coordinator from 2001 through 2008 before leaving for the pros. First he coached linebackers for the Browns and Cowboys, but landed the defensive coordinator gig in Indianapolis in 2018.

Under Eberflus in 2018, the Colts ranked 11th in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. This season, the Colts, leaning hard on its defense in light of Andrew Luck’s retirement, ranks 15th and 19th in those categories. And yet, the team is 5-2 and the defense has smothered the Chiefs (19-13 road win in Week 5) and Texans (30-23 win in Week 7).

Wouldn’t hurt the Tigers to check in with their former defensive coordinator regarding the top job. The worst that could happen is he says no. But if he’s interested, the Tigers would add a head coach with NFL pedigree and could sell recruits on not only playing in the SEC but knowing what it takes to get to the ultimate level.

Alex Grinch, Defensive Coordinator, Oklahoma Sooners

Perhaps this would have made more of an impression before the Sooners lost 48-41 to the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan this past Saturday. And yet, Grinch is still a coach on the rise, one who took over and drastically improved the defense at Washington State under Mike Leach before heading to Norman to do exactly the same thing.

The loss to K-State represents a hiccup, sure, but Oklahoma still ranks 30th (of 130) in total defense allowing 338.8 yards per game. In the Big 12, where offenses still reign supreme, that ranks first (of 10, because #math). As far as scoring defense, OU comes in at tied for 42nd, allowing 23.0 points per game. In the Big 12, that ranks fifth behind Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Texas A&M.

To boot, Grinch used to coach safeties for the Tigers, back in 2013 and 2014, and before that started out as a defensive graduate assistant for Mizzou. The learning curve wouldn’t be that steep.