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Missouri hires defensive coordinator Odom to replace Pinkel

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 file photo, Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom walks on the field before the start of their NCAA college football game against Tennessee in Columbia, Mo. Missouri has promoted defensive coordinator Barry Odom to replace the retiring Gary Pinkel as head coach. The school said in a release Thursday night, Dec. 3, 2015 that Odom had agreed in principle to a five-year deal that will need to be approved by the school’s board of curators next week.(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson, File) FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 file photo, Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom walks on the field before the start of their NCAA college football game against Tennessee in Columbia, Mo. Missouri has promoted defensive coordinator Barry Odom to replace the retiring Gary Pinkel as head coach. The school said in a release Thursday night, Dec. 3, 2015 that Odom had agreed in principle to a five-year deal that will need to be approved by the school’s board of curators next week.(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson, File)

By Associated Press December 3, 2015 1 min read

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Missouri has promoted defensive coordinator Barry Odom to replace the retiring Gary Pinkel as head coach.

The school said in a release Thursday night that Odom had agreed in principle to a five-year deal that will need to be approved by the school’s board of curators next week.

The 39-year-old Odom will be formally introduced Friday at a news conference.

Pinkel announced last month he had cancer and was retiring after the season. The Tigers finished 5-7.

Odom was an assistant under Pinkel from 2009-11, then did a three-year stint as defensive coordinator at Memphis before returning to Missouri this season as defensive coordinator.