Jeb Odam

Jeb Odam graduated from Taylorville High School in 1996. He was a three-year starter and letter winner in football, and a two-year letter winner in basketball and track. It was on the gridiron that Odam made his greatest impact.    Under the guidance of Taylorville football coach Scott Alberssen, Odam set the standard for future Tornado quarterbacks. During his career, Odam achieved school records by passing for 4,460 yards on 593 attempts and 4857 yards of total offense. Each of those records still stands today. He also holds the Tornadoes records for pass completions in a game (23), and pass completions in a career (29'7).    In addition to the records he still holds, Odam also holds Taylorville's second most passing yards in a game at 306, pass completions in a season at 120, completion percentage at 58% and total offense in a season at 2053 yards.    While the quarterback for Tornadoes in 1994, Odam lead the team to one of the most memorable victories in Taylorville history. With less than a minute to play and trailing 13-6 against the state's number one ranked Sacred Heart Griffen Cyclones, Odam move the Tornadoes down the field and Joe Norris ran for a touchdown to bring the Tornadoes to a 13-12 score. The two point conversion attempt failed but following a successful recovery of an on-side kick, Odam completed two passes, the second to Chad Math= at the five yard line with one second showing on the clock. Those plays set the stage for a game winning field goal by Michael Flynn. The win not only upset the number one team in the state, but established the Tornadoes as a team to respected in the Central State 8, and allowed Taylorville to gain a share of their first conference Championship.

Odam was an all Central State 8 conference selection in 1994 and 1995. He also was selected to the Decatur Herald and Review all area teams in 1994 and 1995. In 1995 the Champaign News Gazette placed Odam in the top 100 players in the state and the Illinois Football Coaches Association named him to their All-State team in 1995. Odam complete his high school football career by participating in the IFCA Shrine All- Star Game.

But football was not the only sport that Jeb Odam contributed to at Taylorville High School. He was a three-year letter winner and two year starter on the Tornadoes basketball team scoring 514-career points.

In the spring, Jeb Odam played on the baseball team and was selected to the Central State 8 All- Conference Team in 1996. He also was chosen to represent Taylorville in the State Journal Register All Area All Star Game. Jeb Odam received a scholarship from Eastern Illinois University, where he played quarterback for the Panthers and earned his bachelors degree. Odam currently is a teacher in the Science Department at Taylorville High School. He is also the Varsity Track Coach, and has served as an assistant coach in the football and basketball program.