ISC Purdue

BREAKING: Ryan Walters Fired as Purdue Football Coach

Ryan Walters, Purdue’s 38 year old head coach, has been relieved of his duties following a woeful 1-11 season, it was announced Sunday. The announcement, coming from Athletic Director Mike Bobinski, highlighted the difficulty of the situation for the Purdue Athletic Department. Walters had just completed his second full season as a first time head coach.

Bobinski’s statement:

“After an ongoing assessment, and in consultation with President Mung Chiang and the University’s Board of Trustees, I have made the decision that a change in the leadership of our football program is necessary.

As college athletics enters an entirely new era in 2025, it’s a pivotal time for Purdue, and we must take the steps necessary to best position our football program for success. We are determined to provide the University and our incredibly loyal fans football performance that reflects the excellence of Purdue and is worthy of their continued support.

“This was a truly difficult decision, as head coach Ryan Walters continued to lead the Boilermakers with integrity, resilience and poise in the face of considerable challenges. We thank Ryan for his steadfast commitment to Purdue and our student-athletes and wish him and his family the very best in his future endeavors.

“A national search has commenced to select new leadership for the Boilermaker football program.  We will conduct a thorough search process and look forward to bringing aboard a new head coach equipped to restore Purdue Football to its proud tradition of success.”

The young and charismatic Walters was highly sought after following his award winning tenure as Defensive Coordinator at Illinois. While his recruiting acumen was precise, his lack of experience as a head coach was ultimately his downfall. Walters’ defensive philosophy never translated to West Lafayette, with the Boilermakers ranking in the bottom of defensive effectiveness in his two seasons. Likewise, an offense with proven talent, never showed progress throughout his tenure. This combination led to the 2024 season, which will go down in infamy as statistically the worst football season in Purdue history.

In 2024, Purdue broke multiple records for ineffectiveness, setting the record for most lopsided losses twice in the season. At the time the 66-7 loss to rival Notre Dame was the most lopsided contest in the Boilermakers 137 year history. That record held for 10 weeks, culminating in a 66-0 loss to Indiana in the Old Oaken Bucket contest. The two worst losses in program history, in the same year, against Purdue’s most historic rivals. The general ineffectiveness as a program was highlighted by Purdue only scoring 1 first quarter touchdown the entire season, losing 11 straight games, amassing 3 shutouts, and not defeating an FBS opponent.

Going forward, Purdue is at a major crossroads in their program. New hire coaches are often not immediately successful, but in current climate of NCAA football, the value of football success is at an all time high. Mike Bobinski and crew will have their work cut out for them finding the right fit for the program. Transitions such as this are often a shock to the system, but Purdue needed to make a move.