Ryan Walters fired after disastrous second season at Purdue

Purdue released a statement Sunday announcing a change in leadership for its football program. Ryan Walters, who has been the head coach for the last two seasons, is out after a disastrous 1-11 campaign that was punctuated this weekend by an embarrassing 66-0 blowout loss to rival Indiana.

The statement from AD Mike Bobinski included the following:

“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.”

Walters went just 5-19 overall and won just 3 total Big Ten games, all last year. He was the first defensive-focused head coach hiring for Purdue since 1986, having spent the previous seven seasons as defensive coordinator at Illinois (2021-22) and Missouri (2016-20). His Illini defense was one of the nation’s best in 2022, but Walters’ success as a DC did not translate to head coaching success with the Boilers.

credit to Purdue Athletics for the image