Barry Odom and Gary Pinkel are forever linked.
Pinkel is the most successful Mizzou football coach of this era. Therefore, every coach that comes after him will find himself attempting to live up to Pinkel’s standards.
This is where Odom finds himself right now, drowning in the overwhelming shadow left by Pinkel.
It’s not easy to live up to Pinkel’s standards. He found a way to do the impossible, building Mizzou into a nationally relevant program despite obvious disadvantages.
Odom is now expected to do the same.
Is it fair? Maybe not. But Odom knew what he was getting himself into when he took the job.