Day 1: Purdue’s search for a new coach

Purdue enters its first day in search of a replacement for Ryan Walters, who was fired on Sunday, Dec. 1. Here are some thoughts and buzz surrounding the program during the search …

• Purdue AD Mike Bobinski is set to meet the media at 11 a.m. ET on Monday to discuss the opening. He met with the players on Sunday after Walters was let go.

Bobinski supposedly said he will have a coach in a week to 10 days. And he wants experience with a staff. There is urgency, as the early signing period starts on Wednesday, Dec. 4. And the transfer portal opens Dec. 9. Bobinski supposedly told players he wants a coach who can–among other things–develop players and maximize talent.

• Walters was not thought to be in the meeting when Bobinski talked to the players. Strength coach Kiero Small, ops man Pete Roley and Deputy AD Tiffini Grimes were in the room. It is believed Small and Roley will remain on staff during the transition.

• Bobinski met the assistant coaches. And all 10 have been let go, along with GM Noah Joseph. They all got the news together. The next coach will have discretion to retain which assistants he wants–if any.

• Word is, Bobinski supposedly wanted Walters back. And most of the BOT did, but not all. Don’t believe the president Mung Chiang wanted him back. Walters really may have had a chance to stay had Purdue played respectably at Indiana. That may be why they didn’t make an announcement one way or another leading into the finale at IU. But when Purdue lost like it did in Bloomington, decision-makers had no choice.

• Walters is disappointed, frustrated and mad but kind of relieved at the same time, it is thought. The staff was in a lot of limbo, which made things difficult.

MORE: GoldandBlack.com Analysis: The end for Ryan Walters at Purdue and what may lie ahead | It’s over: Purdue pulls plug on Ryan Walters era | Hot board 1.0

• The last search was led essentially by three people: Grimes, BOT chair Mike Berghoff and Chad Chatlos of search firm TurnkeyZRG. Chatlos helped place Grimes at Purdue in August 2022. It will be interesting to see who leads the charge on this search. Berghoff is set to step down from the board on January 1. Gary Lehman, who currently serves as vice chair, is set to succeed Berghoff as chair. Mike Klipsch is set to serve as vice chair.

• Is this search for a head coach just starting? It sounds and seems like it. Again, the thought was Walters would be back, so a search for a head coach had not begun in earnest. There has not been a shred of info from any national reporters on Purdue vetting possible head coach candidate. Still, it’s difficult to think no preliminary work has been done in looking for a Walters’ replacement.

• One guy we feel certain is pushing for the job: Marshall’s Charles Huff. The word is he may not return to Marshall despite a 9-3 mark in 2024. He could be in line for the Southern Miss job. But, Huff would prefer the Purdue job. He worked with Grimes at Alabama, where Huff was assistant head coach/running back from 2019-20 in Tuscaloosa.

• Sounds like this offense was not overly complex. After the first series, defenses often knew what was coming.

• Gonna hear a lot of names and scuttlebutt in coming days. One guy who came up who is not on my hotboard: UNLV coach Barry Odom. He was head coach at Missouri from 2016-19, going 25-25. Odom has led the Rebels the last two seasons, going 19-7 with a 10-2 mark this year. He is a defensive-oriented coach with an engaging personality. Keep him on your radar. His OC, Brennan Marion, is a rising talent.

• Western Kentucky coach Tyson Helton checks a lot of boxes. It was thought the job came down to him and Walters back in 2022. Grimes pushed for Walters, supposedly. Helton is not as sharp a football mind as Jeff Brohm, but he’s a better CEO. Helton, 47, is 48-30 in six years in Bowling Green and set to get a sixth bowl bid in a row.

• Purdue currently has nine 2025 commitments, who can begin to sign on Wednesday. Paperwork was sent out Friday to all the commits. Not sure if anyone will sign.

• RB coach Lamar Conard could be an assistant worth retaining, as he is tied very closely to RB Devin Mockobee. It is thought Mockobee would very much like to remain a Boilermaker if the circumstances are correct. No doubt, he has suitors.

• With the coaching change, a 30-day transfer portal will now open up for Purdue players just 8 days out from the official opening of the college football transfer portal nationally. TE Tayvion Galloway has done just that. How many more will follow suit in coming days in advance of the portal opening Dec. 9?

• Sunday was OL coach Marcus Johnson’s birthday. What a bummer.