Will Muschamp declined the opportunity to return to Texas as his defensive coordinator, sources told CBS Sports. Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom is among the top candidates for new coach Steve Sarkisian, now that Muschamp has stepped down.
Muschamp was fired from South Carolina in November, after recording a 28-30 record in five seasons as a coach. His connection with Texas comes from spending three seasons as defensive coordinator for Mack Brown in Texas from 2008-10. Muschamp was named Brown’s successor as the Longhorns’ standby coach in November 2008, but he never saw that promise come true when he decided to take over in Florida in 2010. Brown left Texas three seasons after Muschamp left, while Muschamp was 28-21 in four years with the Gators.
Odom, 44, had a successful first season as an Arkansas defensive coordinator. Although the numbers were almost identical from 2019 to 2020, there was an overall improvement in the first year under coach Sam Pittman. Odom took over as interim coach in the game that Pittman lost due to COVID-19.
Odom is a career defense specialist who helped Missouri in the consecutive SEC Championship Games (2013-14) as Gary Pinkel’s defensive coordinator in 2012-15 Missouri. The 2015 unit finished sixth nationally in full defense, allowing just over 300 yards per game.
Under Odom, the Razorbacks have allowed 34.9 points per game this season, an average of two better than in 2019.