Odom back in the news
When I spoke to ex-South Carolina coach Dave Odom last month, he said it would take “a unique situation” for him to return to coaching. Well, two jobs have apparently become unique enough for him to explore.
The Charlotte Observer reported Monday night that Odom was in the mix for the Charlotte job, which became available when Bobby Lutz was surprisingly fired after the season. Odom declined comment to The Observer.
I don’t know if Odom will get the job, but indications are he’s at least interested. His son Lane lives in Charlotte, and he could recruit another son, Ryan, down from Virginia Tech to be a top assistant and possible coach-in-waiting.
UPDATE: The Observer is also reporting that ex-Clemson coach Larry Shyatt, now the top assistant at Florida, is in the running. No word on whether Rick Barnes, Eddie Fogler or George Felton are on Charlotte’s list too.
Meanwhile, The Wilmington News-Star is also reporting that Odom met with UNC Wilmington last week about its vacancy. Ed Conroy, the coach at The Citadel, is also reportedly in the mix for that job.
East Carolina was speculated as a possible landing spot for Odom, since ECU athletics director Terry Holland is one of his closest friends in the business. (Holland attended Odom’s last home game at South Carolina.) But ECU hired Jeff Lebo, recently fired as the coach at Auburn, and himself a former Gamecock assistant.
UPDATE NO. 2: Not that this is the reason, but Odom’s house in Columbia has finally been sold, after two years of being on the market.
Ken Potosnak, who was on Lebo’s staff this past season and on Odom’s the final two at USC, could be a candidate to join Lebo’s new staff, or go with Odom if he returns to coaching, or possibly even stay at Auburn, depending on who the eventual hire there is.
4 Comments to “Odom back in the news”
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State newspaper sports writer Seth Emerson blogs on University of South Carolina basketball and baseball.
Odom is not a good look for UNCC… They need a young hungry coach who can prove to be a great recruiter. Much in they way of coach Horn. UNCC is actually an excellent opportunity in a terrific city in one of the better non-BCS conferences. The right coach would flourish there!
You really don’t inform the reader very well in your blog which job(s) is/are available. Your first 3 paragraphs don’t tell the reader anything.
Seth:
What did Odom get for his house? Were the NIT Trophies part of the deal? Didn’t do us any good but maybe it helped him. Bobby Lutz is a fine coach who apparently got rail-roaded out. I’d hire him back sooner than I’d hire Dave Odom.
I agree with Dr. Hoops, and Doc: nice to see you go old-school and use the UNCC moniker…I detest calling it “Charlotte,” it’s completely inaccurate because it’s not the “University of Charlotte.”
And yes, Odom would be a terrible choice. (If he wants a coaching job again, he should stick to a low-key low-stress laid-back situation…Big South conference or Division II). Fran McCaffrey gets my vote, he knows the state, but he also knows the Northeast and the A-10 is really a northeastern league. Need a guy who can recruit regionally and good x and o’s guy too.