Odom’s coming ‘home’ for a visit, but Mizzou’s focused on the opponent, and Senior Day
COVID-19 considerations postponed the game a week, but the Missouri Tigers are finally hosting the Arkansas Razorbacks.
It’ll be former Mizzou coach Barry Odom’s homecoming at Faurot Field as the Razorbacks’ defensive coordinator. Mizzou will also celebrate Senior Day to honor those leaving the program. And MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz will be battling his hometown team — he grew up at nearby Alma, Arkansas.
On top of all that, the Battle Line trophy will be up for grabs. So there are plenty of potential distractions at play for the Tigers (4-3) as they prepare to play the Hogs (3-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Drinkwitz is electing to focus on his players and the game itself — not external factors.
“There’s all kinds of different storylines in this game,” Drinkwitz said Tuesday. “But the reality of it is, this is a player’s game and we’re excited to compete against their team. And as coaches, we have to do a great job preparing for difficult schemes.”
The original Battle Line date was Nov. 28, but that was pushed back because of COVID-19 concerns within the Arkansas program.
Drinkwitz said he breathed a “sigh of relief” upon learning the Tigers will have 61 scholarship players available to play on Saturday, though MU still has two more COVID-19 tests to go this week. Drinkwitz noted that the virus’ incubation period is 2-5 days, meaning Tuesday’s tests should show whether there were any new positives from Thanksgiving last week.
“We’re almost at full strength,” Drinkwitz said. “It is what it is. I know our guys are going to fight their guts out. I don’t know what full strength is like for them.”
Drinkwitz said he spoke to his players Sunday about playing an Odom-coached team — many of them were recruited by the former Mizzou coach and player. Odom was MU’s head coach from 2016-19, compiling a 25-25 record. He was fired on Nov. 30, 2019, by MU athletic director Jim Sterk.
Drinkwitz retained three coaches from Odom’s staff: defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, defensive line coach Brick Haley and secondary coach David Gibbs. Odom was even Walters’ mentor, dating to their days of coaching at Memphis.
“There’s no hiding it,” Drinkwitz said of the Odom connections. “... But again, this is a player’s game. When the kickoff starts, it’s going to be about the men on that field and the jobs they do.”
The Tigers will celebrate Senior Day Saturday even though they’ll still have one more home, against Georgia, scheduled. Drinkwitz admitted the festivities are taking place this week in case 2020 deals MU another schedule change or cancellation.
Not all of the team’s seniors will be honored Saturday, however. All fall senior athletes have been granted a blanket waiver by the NCAA, meaning they have the option of returning for the 2021 season. Some have already told Drinkwitz they plan on returning next year, so they won’t take part in the Senior Day festivities.
Seventeen upperclassmen will be celebrated Saturday, and five seniors or graduate students are noticeably absent from that list: linebackers Jamal Brooks and Sci Martin Jr., defensive tackle Kobie Whiteside, wide receiver Micah Wilson and punter Grant McKinniss.
That doesn’t mean everyone who’s honored Saturday will leave. Drinkwitz said some of his seniors are undecided about their future — and considering MU still has three games left in 2020, decisions could change.
“They deserve all the credit,” Drinkwitz said of the Mizzou seniors. “It has very little to do with me and more to do with them and what they’ve been able to create as far as the consistency of performance and consistency of work ethic. … They just kept coming to work every day.”
Personnel update
Mizzou will be closer to full strength Saturday, but some players definitely won see action against the Hogs.
Backup quarterback Shawn Robinson won’t be back until Sunday, Drinkwitz said. With Robinson unavailable for Saturday’s game, true freshman Brady Cook will again serve as the backup to starter Connor Bazelak.
Cook got into last weekend’s blowout of Vanderbilt late in the game. He was 4 for 4 passes for 62 yards, including his first career touchdown, in his college debut.
Tight end Daniel Parker Jr. and wide receiver Jalen Knox are questionable against Arkansas, Drinkwitz said. Both will be re-evaluated later in the week. Knox was hurt after playing some early snaps against Vanderbilt, while Parker has been out since the Kentucky game on Oct. 24.
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 3:17 PM.