Barry Bails
Favored defensive coordinator Odom backs out of UConn job search, will accept Boise State offer; UConn has four finalists to fill coaching vacancy
Stunning news breaking out of the UConn head coaching job search as defensive coordinator Barry Odom, considered the favorite to fill the role, has backed out of consideration and has accepted the vacant head coaching job at Boise State.
Odom declined comment when asked if Bobby Valentine played a role in his decision. Bobby V, of course, pushed Coach Diaco out the door for good.
This will be Odom's first head coaching gig. The Broncos have slid to the bottom of the Mountain West in recent seasons, and fired coach Bryan Harsin in December.
The 44 year-old Oklahoma native came to UConn from Memphis in 2018. He was viewed as the odds-on favorite to succeed Bob Diaco as the head coach, primarily because of his youth and the likelihood to maintain stability in the program moving forward. Instead, with UConn declining to interview offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, UConn will now have to hire out of the box.
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Patterson, Orlovsky, McDaniels, Stephen Belichick set for formal interviews with UConn
After a series of informal interviews over the last seven days, UConn has winnowed their list of head coaching candidates down to four.
New England Patriots assistant coaches Josh McDaniels and Stephen Belichick, along with former TCU head coach Gary Patterson and surprise candidate, former UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky, have emerged as finalists for the vacant head coaching job. All four will interview formally again in the next week before athletic director Bobby Valentine and school president Susan Herbst make a final decision.
Patterson is currently viewed as the most logical choice now that Barry Odom has backed out of the race. The former TCU coach makes the best sense as a hire for UConn right now given his long history in building the TCU program to a national contender and his experience at the college level.
Orlovsky, a record-setting QB at UConn in the early 2000s, was a late entrant into the interviewing process, but Bobby V says the former NFL QB has "potential" as a coach and interviewed well last week.
Valentine also raved about 34-year old Patriots defensive assistant Stephen Belichick, the son of Hall of Fame head coach Bill. Valentine said that "the future is very bright for someone with the extremely rigorous work ethic that he maintains", and that he "relates well to the kids".
McDaniels has never had head coaching experience at the college level. He has shown interest in the job, but the fit is questionable right now. Nevertheless, he is a fantastic offensive mind with ties to the northeast.
CAC alumni Dale Miller, who has decided to accept the head coaching job at Vanderbilt, and Sam Freday, who will remain at UNLV in 2021, both interviewed earlier this week after being considered possible targets early in the search process. Former LSU head coach Les Miles also interviewed, but will elect to remain in retirement.
Bobby V has otherwise kept mum on who exactly he is favoring at the moment, but says that the public will know soon.