2019 SEC Media Days: 5 things for Vols fans to focus on

2. War of words with Barry Odom

Now this is where things get very interesting. Forget the fact that former Tennessee football head coach Derek Dooley is the offensive coordinator for the Missouri Tigers now. The relationship between the two schools is getting intense for other reasons.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

Barry Odom and Mizzou take the stage Monday at SEC Media Days. And it’s worth noting he has complained about Jeremy Pruitt’s practices this offseason. Due to the bowl ban and sanctions, UT took advantage of an NCAA rule to target Missouri players.

For his part, Odom complained about that back in February, which you can read about here. His specific shot was directed at the Vols, noting that Pruitt and his coaching staff were targeting his players non-stop.

He even had to throw a shot in there, noting that Mizzou beat UT 51-17 last year. Of course, Odom is probably angry about losing players to a school he has dominated the past couple of years. And maybe he has a point.

Simply put, Odom is beyond salty about this situation, and with the sanctions still in place as of this moment for Mizzou, those issues have likely not died down. That he singled out Tennessee and has UT’s former head coach as offensive coordinator only makes this more interesting.

Now, the Tigers could end up getting lucky and have their bowl eligibility restored. That’ll be a discussion worth paying attention to as well, as it’s another twist in this saga. But pay attention to what Pruitt, Odom and potentially other coaches say about this specific situation this week.