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THE MANEATER

AUGUST 30, 2017 • THEMANEATER.COM

Odom’s comfort brings confidence to the Tigers A greater sense of comfort for head football coach Barry Odom has provided the Tigers with a boost ahead of the 2017 season. ELI LEDERMAN

Sports Editor

It’s hard to imagine many situations in which head football coach Barry Odom is uncomfortable. The man projects power in just about anything he does. On the practice field, Odom moves from each individual drill with speed and intensity; look down, and he’s no longer where you left him, now supervising another group of players 40 yards down the field. In press conferences, he oozes confidence even as he discusses his young and unproven

defense or his ailing secondary. When he leads his team out of the tunnel on game day, he still looks just as much a football player as he might have when he played for the Tigers nearly 20 years ago. In his first year as the head coach of the Tigers last season, however, Odom was at times insecure and uneasy, even as he swaggered around Faurot Field and the Tigers’ practice facility. Earlier this summer, Odom detailed some of those struggles to Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star, telling Gregorian that he experienced some unrest early on. “I’ve always for whatever reason had some trust issues,” Odom told the Star. Given the state of Missouri football, and the entire university for that matter during the past two-plus years, one could see from

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where those issues may have stemmed. Now entering his second season, Odom feels those issues have dissipated, and there are reasons for Missouri’s head coach to feel more relaxed. The Tigers have 14 starters returning from last season’s team. There is stability in the Athletics Department as Athletic Director Jim Sterk appears to be at Mizzou to stay, a stark contrast from the administrative revolving door Odom knew early on in his time here. Perhaps most importantly, he has a year of experience under his belt. Whatever the reason, Odom has an increased sense of comfort as the season approaches. “...It’s been easier this year,” Odom told Gregorian. “There’s not any hidden agendas in the room, which I can’t always say was the case.”

DEFENSE

Missouri football counting on young players to stabilize defense Amidst major roster turnover, Head Coach Barry Odom is looking for contributions from every area of the roster. GARRETT JONES

Staff Writer

The preseason rumblings questioning the Missouri defense aren’t new to the Missouri coaches or players. Many pundits are quick to point out the 63 points allowed vs. Tennessee last Nov. 19. Others highlight the team’s 116th ranking in total defense among 128 Division-I programs. Perhaps the biggest question surrounding the team is one that many college football teams find themselves asking in the preseason: “Who’s stepping up?”

“There’s a lot of pressure on the young guys, including them, to step up,” Head Coach Barry Odom said on the freshmen. “It’s so important to have every guy ready, and it’s important as a coaching staff to execute.” Here’s a comprehensive look at just who Missouri added, brought back and lost — both on the coaching staff and player roster — to offer more insight into that very question. Losses The most significant loss for the Missouri defense came back in April, when unquestioned defensive leader Charles Harris was drafted 22nd overall in the first round of the NFL draft. Key contributors Donavin Newsom, Michael Scherer and Josh Augusta all left to graduation. Those four combined for a whopping 210 total tackles for the

Tigers’ defense last season, and whether or not the 2017 Tigers can make up for their lost production will go a long way in deciding games for Missouri. Returning Starters At safety, junior Cam Hilton and freshman Jordan Ulmer were named starters when Mizzoui announced it’s depth chart Tuesday. Redshirt senior Anthony Sherrils and senior Thomas Wilson were listed as backups. “I think we’re going to lean on four guys to go play,” Odom said Tuesday, referring to Sherrils, Ulmer, Hilton and Wilson. Nonetheless, Sherrils emphasized the collective goal of the unit, no matter who suits up on the field. “We have one message … Go get the ball,” Sherrils told Mizzou Network. “We have poise, we’re detail oriented, and we’re ready to

go out and ball.” When the news broke of redshirt freshman Christian Holmes’ season-ending shoulder injury, the cornerback position entered a state of flux. After Holmes’ injury, sophomore DeMarkus Acy is No. 1 on the depth chart, with senior Logan Cheadle likely to line up across from him to start the year. Freshman Adam Sparks and redshirt junior Finis Stribling IV are next in line. “Acy’s probably the lead guy to start, but outside of that we’re not really set,” defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross told the Columbia Daily Tribune. “Him and Sherrils are probably the two strongest candidates right now to start in the secondary.” As far as linebackers go, junior Terez Hall, sophomore Cale Garrett

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