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Purdue Is Reportedly On Verge Of Head Coaching Hire

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Dec 8, 2024 11:37 AM ET

Purdue is reportedly closing in on a new football head coach.

The Boilermakers fired Ryan Walters after going 1-11 with zero Big Ten victories. Purdue ended the season with a 66-0 loss to Indiana, its 11th straight defeat.

The program has a replacement in mind. According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Purdue is targeting Barry Odom as its next head coach.

No deal is final, but as of Sunday morning, they're "working towards an agreement." ESPN's Pete Thamel said Purdue officials went to Las Vegas to meet with Odom, the program's "priority candidate."

After going 25-25 at Missouri, Odom has rebuilt his coaching stock by reviving UNLV. The program endured nine consecutive losing seasons before notching 19 victories in the last two years.

UNLV has collected 10 wins in 2024, its highest tally as a Mountain West Conference member. Although starting quarterback Matthew Sluka left the team after a 3-0 start amid an NIL dispute, the Rebels have averaged 36.2 points per game behind the nation's fifth-best rushing offense.

Boise State defeated UNLV for the conference championship on Friday night.

Odom would face a tall task if accepting Purdue's job. The program ranked 130th in points scored (15.8) and 131st in points allowed (39.9) during a disastrous season. Purdue allowed the most total yards (452.7) of any Big Ten team in a brutal schedule that included blowout losses to four probable College Football Playoff teams (Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame).

The Boilermakers won just five games in two seasons under Walters, but Jeff Brohm previously led them to 17 victories in his final two years before going to Louisville. Purdue hasn't produced double-digit wins in a season since going 10-2 in 1979.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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