Pittman announces Odom as new defensive coordinator on television

Sam Pittman was on The Paul Finebaum Show on the SEC Network that he’s hired former Missouri coach Barry Odom as the new defensive coordinator at Arkansas.

“I felt like I needed a guy on my staff that had been a head coach,” Pittman said on the show. “One that I can lean on and talk to.”

Odom was one of the candidates for defensive coordinator that fans and media had discussed when Pittman took over last weekend.

“I’m ecstatic that he is in his car headed down to Fayetteville as we speak,” Pittman said.

He does bring SEC experience to the staff, although his record with the Tigers of 25-25 may not excite a lot of folks, his defenses were pretty good, especially when he ran the defense for former coach Gary Pinkel.

But this past season that finished with a disappointing 6-6 record had defensive numbers the Razorbacks at times were giving up in the first half.

Missouri’s defense allowed 19.4 points a game (sixth in the SEC overall) and just 179.3 yards a game through the air, the second-least in the league.

Odom will be the third hire for Pittman’s new staff, joining wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and offensive line coach Brad Davis, who was also at Missouri last year.