James Odom

James Odom arrived in Lubbock at the age of 16 on a football scholarship to Texas Tech University. He played quarterback through his sophomore year until he sustained a career ending injury. For the next two years, he served as a graduate assistant coach for the Red Raiders. After Graduation, he was hired in 1955 as an assistant football and head golf coach at Monterey High School. In 1962, he left Lubbock to take a head-coaching job in Petersburg, Texas. He won a District Championship his first year at the helm, and during his second season he won the 1-A State Football Championship. He would return to Lubbock in 1964 to the head coaching position for the football team at Monterey. In his second year as head coach, he took the Plainsmen to the quarterfinals. He would continue to serve as Monterey’s head coach for 22 years until he retired in 1985. During his reign as head coach, he compiled a 177-74-11 record and won 15 district championships, 5 regional championships, and 1 state championship.

He was named South Plains Coach of the Year for 5 years and District Coach of the Year for 7 years. In 2011, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Chapter of the National Football Foundation for his contributions to amateur football. In addition to all the coaching accolades, he provided the color commentary for the Monterey Plainsmen home football games for Sports Express Network from 2004-2010.