Odom era begins at Missouri

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of previews of the 2016 SEC football teams:
Missouri:
2015 was not a good year for the Missouri Tigers.
The offense stunk, the team held a brief boycott when the campus was dealing with racial tension and then head coach Gary Pinkel announced his retirement after being diagnosed with lymphoma.
Staying in-house and going with Barry Odom won’t be a bad choice. The Tigers defense allowed only 16.2 points per game this season, ranking seventh in the country.
A longtime fixture wiht the Tigers, Odom takes over a program he has been immersed in at every level for some 14 years – including six in an administrative capacity (2003-08), four as a coach (2009-11, 2015) and four as a highly-successful student-athlete (1996-99).
He spent the past four seasons as a defensive coordinator, including three at Memphis (2012-14) and one at Missouri, where his units were considered among the best in the nation.
Keeping someone familiar with the program will be good for the Tigers. They had a down year at 5-7, but that was in large part due to playing freshman quarterback Drew Lock after Maty Mauk’s suspension.
Junior receivers J’Mon Moore and Nate Brown will be joined by Alabama graduate transfer Chris Black as key receivers along with tight end Sean Culkin.
The running game will be led by Witter, Trevon Walters, Damarea Crockett and Oklahome graduate trasfer Alex Ross.
But the key to the Tiger offense remains the strength of the offensive line led by Nate Crawford, Alec Abeln and Tyler Howell.
Injuries could be devestating to the line and thus the entire offense could struggle again this season.
Defense was the Tigers’ best group last season led by ends Charles Harris and Walter Brady, and tackles Josh Augusta, Rickey Hatley and Terry Beckner Jr.
Senior linebackers Michael Scherer and Donavin Newsom back along with cornerback Aarion Penton and safety Anthony Sherrils.
The Tigers ranked ninth in the nation in total defense, allowing just 302.0 yards per game – the first time in MU history that Mizzou has had a top-10 defense.
Odom’s defense was also ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense (16.2 avg.), seventh in pass defense (169.2 avg.) and second in tackles for loss (8.8 avg.).
The Tigers open the season at West Virginia (loss) before a win over Eastern Michigan.
Missouri opens SEC at home against Georgia –which will be another loss.
The Tigers should defeat Delaware State but then Missouri travels to LSU and Florida.
Missouri takes on Middle Tennessee for homecoming before battling Kentucky, South Carolina and Vanderbilt – the best chances for the Tigers to win consecutive games this fall.
Missouri closes the season against Tennessee and Arkansas which a loss against either might keep the Tigers out of a bowl with the second straight 5-7 finish.
The SEC East has new head coaches at Georgia and South Carolina, but Odom will have the toughest task ahead.
A resurgent offense will be the difference between success and failure in his first season as head coach.