Born to Harry H. Odell, Howie Odell was one of six children. Odell missed his first season with Washington in 1948 with a kidney ailment. He was fired by the athletic director after his fifth season with the Huskies in December 1952, after a 7–3 season and a third place finish in the Pacific Coast Conference. Odell was officially let go by the university's board of regents a month later.