Cliff Odom named Mississippi State’s Special Teams Coordinator coach

Story from MSU Athletics:
Cliff Odom was named Mississippi State’s Special Teams Coordinator coach on Dec. 18, 2023.

Odom is rejoining forces with head coach Jeff Lebby after the two coached together at Central Florida in 2018 and 2019. Their paths also crossed at Baylor when Odom was a player, and Lebby was on the coaching staff.

Odom comes to Starkville after spending the previous two seasons at New Mexico State as the defensive backs coach. He helped the Aggies reach back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1959 and 1960.

Prior to his time in Las Cruces, N.M., Odom spent two seasons at Eastern Illinois coaching the defensive backs. While coaching the Panthers, he helped lead a group that ranked 34th in the FCS in total interceptions. He also guided three defensive backs to All-OVC honors between 2020 and 2021.

Odom spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Central Florida as the program’s special teams quality control coach. During his time in Orlando, Odom helped the Knights compile a 22-4 record to go along with winning the 2018 AAC Championship. Odom and UCF played in the Fiesta Bowl against LSU that same season.

A native of Arlington, Texas, Odom spent a season at Stetson before moving to Central Florida. Odom coached the Hatters’ defensive backs in 2017 and was responsible for coaching the Pioneer Football League Defensive Newcomer of the Year during the 2017 season.

Before his time at Stetson, Odom was a graduate assistant at the University of Missouri, where he worked with the Tigers cornerbacks during the 2016 season. He oversaw the development of scouting reports for the passing game of each week’s opponent, including analysis of formations and personnel. He helped coach a Missouri defense that led the SEC in interceptions.

Prior to his year in Columbia, Odom spent a season at Texas Christian University as a defensive graduate assistant, also working with the Horned Frogs’ secondary during the 2015 campaign. TCU posted an 11-2 record that year and captured the Alamo Bowl Championship.

Following his playing career at Baylor University, where he was a four-year letter winner and team captain, Odom spent three years at Martin High School in Arlington. He served as the secondaries coach, strength and conditioning coordinator and a track coach, working with the sprinters.

As a player at Baylor, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication in 2011, Odom was recognized on the Big XII Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was in leadership roles with the SAAC and FCA.

Odom is the son of 13-year NFL veteran Cliff Odom, Sr., who played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins. Odom’s brother Chris also played in the NFL.