COLUMBIA, MO. • It was one step forward, one step back Friday for Barry Odom’s Missouri coaching staff.
As the Tigers resumed practice for the Dec. 27 Texas Bowl contest, against Texas, Odom announced that he has promoted secondary coach Ryan Walters to defensive coordinator.
It is a move months in the making, since Odom fired coordinator DeMontie Cross after the second game of the season. Odom gradually had shifted more on Walters’ plate during the year and now must hire a linebackers coach to replace Cross’ on-field duties.
“He’s going to do an outstanding job,” Odom said of Walters, who coached with Odom at Memphis then followed him to Mizzou in 2015.