Report: Barry Odom wants to bring Arkansas LBs coach Michael Scherer to UNLV

As Barry Odom gets his staff together at UNLV, it appears he’s going to try and bring some staffers with him from Arkansas. It appears he’s in pursuit of Razorbacks linebackers coach Michael Scherer.

Odom is expected to try and bring Scherer with him to Las Vegas, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported. Feldman added Scherer could get a coordinator role with the Rebels.

Scherer played for Odom while at Missouri from 2015-16 and served as a graduate assistant with the Tigers in 2019. Then, he followed Odom to Arkansas in 2020 as a defensive analyst and moved up to linebackers coach the next season.

UNLV announced it’s hiring Odom earlier this week. He worked as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator for the last three years, but now is preparing to head back to the head chair with the Rebels.

Barry Odom pens thank you message to Arkansas fans

Barry Odom is moving back to the big chair. The former Missouri head coach was named the next head coach at UNLV this week after three years as the Arkansas defensive coordinator, and he had a message for Razorbacks fans after the announcement.

Odom took over as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator in 2020 after four years as the head coach at Mizzou, where he totaled a 25-25 overall record and a 13-19 mark in SEC play at his alma mater. Now, he’s returning to the head coaching ranks at UNLV, and thanked Arkansas fans for the support over his three years on Sam Pittman’s staff.

“It has been such an honor to be the Defensive Coordinator at The University of Arkansas and live in this community for the past 3 years,” Odom wrote. “My family and I are overwhelmed with gratitude… thank you! I am so thankful for my players, Coach Sam Pittman, and Athletics Director Hunter Yurachek. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to be On The Hill. I also want to thank all the wonderful fans and support of the Razorbacks — you guys are the best. Continued Success… WPS!!”