Former UNLV Football Coach Barry Odom Returns To Las Vegas — For Big Ten Media Days As Purdue’s Head Coach
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Lots of people dump on the media.
Not Barry Odom. The new Purdue Boilermakers head football coach whose UNLV football program won 20 games in 2023 and 2024 thanked the media for telling college football’s stories during his 15-minute chat at Big Ten media days.
Las Vegas is a homecoming for Odom. The former Missouri coach and Arkansas defensive coordinator rebuilt his coaching career with two Mountain West Conference title game appearances, leading the former laughingstock UNLV football program to a win away from appearing in last season’s inaugural 12-team college football playoff tournament.
Odom looked at Allegiant Stadium from his hotel room last night and thought, “What great memories.”
UNLV was in no position to keep Odom when Purdue came calling with the big money. UNLV was paying the straight-shooting Odom a $1.75 million base salary and Purdue easily blasted that out of the water. It was reported that Odom’s Purdue contract was for six years and for at least $39 million. UNLV could not compete with that.
So Odom left Las Vegas with pleasant memories and a rejuvenated coaching career.
“We embraced the city and the city gave us back,” Odom said.
