By The Associated Press’s Michael Marot
Ryan Walters was hired by Purdue to maintain a bright program close to the top of the Big Ten Conference.
Two years later, Walters is unemployed and the Boilermakers have fallen to previously unheard-of depths.
After a disastrous 1-11 season in which the Boilermakers created all the wrong kinds of history, athletic director Mike Bobinski sacked the first-time head coach on Sunday, an individual with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.
They endured the two most lopsided losses in program history, lost their final 11 games to set the school’s single season record, went winless in conference play for just the third time since 1946, and failed to defeat an FBS opponent for the first time since 2013 and the second time in the modern era of college football.
Even for a program like Purdue, which doesn’t often fire coaches this fast, it was just too much to overlook.
Since the judgment had not yet been made public, the individual talked to the AP under the condition of anonymity.
Following Purdue’s 2022 Big Ten West Division title run, which concluded with a Big Ten championship game loss to the Michigan Wolverines, who were headed to the playoffs, Walters took Jeff Brohm’s place.
For Walters, however, things fell apart rapidly.
The sixth-youngest coach in the FBS lost his first game against Fresno State, started with a 2-3 record, and then lost four straight games, three of which were by 17 points or more. This pattern persisted into his second season and ultimately led to his downfall.
Despite a challenging schedule that includes four games against top-five teams, including Saturday’s 66-0 thumping of rival Indiana, few anticipated Purdue’s full collapse, even though they were predicted to finish last in this year’s expanded 18-team Big Ten.
That was the worst offensive performance I’ve ever witnessed. “There was nothing we could do,” Walters remarked afterwards. I didn’t anticipate this. Even though we had a successful practice week, we realize how far we still have to go when we play top-10 opponents.
It was how they lost, not just the losses.
In the last 2 1/2 minutes of the first half, Purdue allowed 21 points to then-No. 18 Notre Dame, a frenzy that resulted in the most lopsided loss in school history at the time, 66-7. The Boilermakers only gained 67 total yards and lost for the sixth consecutive game by 35 points or more on Saturday, suffering their third shutout.
The competitive games were a complete bust. Walters played for the win in two overtime games, taking big chances. Both were unsuccessful, and Michigan State’s second-half rally was unsuccessful.
The supporters that continued to attend home games became frustrated with what they seen.
Just prior to a 45-0 loss to Ohio State, Walters stated, “There are plays that are right there.” To take advantage of those kinds of plays, we must figure out how to get through in such situations, and we will.
However, they didn’t.
To what extent did things deteriorate?
School officials threatened to remove anyone spotted yelling about the football coach’s employment situation and bar them from future games when the Purdue basketball team’s student section began calling for Walters’ termination.
There was also a sense of anarchy behind the scenes.Just 16 games into his job, offensive coordinator Graham Harrell was fired by Walters, who then gave play-calling responsibilities to Jason Simmons, a veteran Indianapolis prep coach in his second season of collegiate coaching. In Week 7, Walters, who has coached college defenses his entire coaching career, began guiding the offensive plays after Purdue responded with a 52-6 loss against Wisconsin.
That also didn’t work.
Maintaining players on board also got tough.
Prior to the Wisconsin game, starting cornerback Markevious Brown departed the team for personal reasons and never came back. With the mounting losses, Purdue recruits began to decommit more and more.
The calls for Walters’ removal, of course, intensified. Thus, on Sunday, Bobinski ultimately terminated Walters’ term. As a result of Walters’ first five-year contract, which cost the university almost $9.5 million, Purdue still owes him for three seasons.
Despite winning both of Purdue’s trophy games in 2023 and losing both in 2024, Walters ended his tenure with a 5-19 overall record, 3-15 in conference play, and no bowl appearances.
It’s unclear what the Boilermakers will do next.
After serving as Illinois coach Bret Bielema’s defensive coordinator for the previous two seasons, Walters came to Purdue.
After his playing days ended in 2008, he transferred from quarterback to safety at his father’s old mater, Colorado, and started his coaching career right away. Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, North Texas, Memphis, and Missouri were among the places he coached.
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