Arkansas has hired former Missouri coach Barry Odom as its new defensive coordinator, the team announced Monday.
Odom, fired Nov. 30 after four seasons leading his alma mater, will join the staff of new Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman. Although Arkansas only announced the hire on Monday, Pittman addressed it Saturday during the ESPN broadcast of the Razorbacks' basketball game against Tulsa.
"Barry and I have been great friends for almost 20 years now," he said. "He tried to hire me when he was at Missouri. We've known each other forever -- what a great guy, great coach. Missouri went on probation and nobody left his team. So that tells you a lot about who he is."
Odom spent the 2015 season as Missouri's defensive coordinator before being promoted to succeed Gary Pinkel. Odom went 25-25 as Tigers coach. He also spent two seasons as Memphis' defensive coordinator, and was a potential candidate for the head-coaching vacancy there.
Odom is the second Missouri coach to land on Pittman's first Arkansas staff, joining offensive line coach Brad Davis. Arkansas plays its 2020 regular-season finale at Missouri.