Sources: Barry Odom expected to be next head coach at UNLV

Barry Odom is expected to be the next head coach at UNLV, sources told FootballScoop on Tuesday. Matt Zenitz of On3 first reported the news.

Odom, 46, was in deep discussions to be the head coach at Tulsa before the two sides ultimately could not come to an agreement. Tulsa has since hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson.

Odom went 25-25 as the head coach at Missouri from 2016-19. He has spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas.

Despite -- or perhaps because of -- its location, UNLV is one of the toughest places to consistently win in FBS. The Rebels fired Marcus Arroyo despite improving from 0-6 in 2020 to 2-10 in 2021 to 5-7 this fall. 

UNLV made its first bowl game in 1984 and has appeared in three since, most recently in 2014. A 1994 Big West title is the program's only conference championship.

In Odom, UNLV has an established FBS coach with defensive bona fides that can perhaps build a solid foundation in the desert. 

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.