Never question Barry Odom's commitment to UNLV. He found a creative (and dangerous) way to raise funds for his football program: Riding a live bull in front of an arena packed with fans and supporters. Despite an inspired effort, Odom, who wore extra protective gear and sported UNLV colors while attempting the stunt, didn't last long.
He just made it out of the gate on the bull before he was thrown off, just under a second into his glorious ride. To his credit, Odom was back on his feet quickly and made it off the dirt without much issue.
His entire ride can be seen below:
Barry’s Big adventure!!! UNLV coach Barry Odom riding a bull to raise money for his FB program. Who does that? BARRY DOES@unlvfootball #UNLVFB @Coach_Odom pic.twitter.com/Jy6JvBNvpA
— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) March 3, 2024
Odom is entering his second year with the Rebels. In his first season, he guided the program to its best win total since 1984. UNLV also made its first Mountain West Conference Championship Game appearance in program history. The Rebels earned a berth to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl -- its first bowl game since 2013 -- and eventually came up short against Kansas to cap a 9-5 year.
UNLV's nine wins in 2023 exceed its win total from 2020-22. Given UNLV's quick turnaround, Odom's name was tied to some prominent openings during the 2023-24 coaching carousel. Ultimately, nothing came to fruition, and Odom returned to Las Vegas with a chance to build on the momentum he established in Year 1.
