Hot Board—coaching search

The search is on for Ryan Walters‘ replacement. Given the epic failure of hiring an inexperienced first-time head coach with a defensive background, it would stand to reason that this is non-negoitable: Purdue’s next hire must be offensive-minded and also have head coaching chops. It would seem to be prudent, given the school’s reputation as the “Cradle of Quarterbacks.”

Still, Purdue could cast a wide net, looking at candidates from a variety of backgrounds. Purdue AD Mike Bobinski said in a statement he will have a “national search.” And there is a sense of urgency with Signing Day on Dec. 4 and the transfer portal opening Dec. 9.

Coaches are in alphabetical order, not order of presumed priority.

Troy Calhoun, Air Force head coach
Age: 58
Home: McMinnville, Ore.
Alma mater: Air Force, quarterback from 1985-88
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Air Force, 130-82 (2007-present)
Salary: $3 million
Coordinator experience: Ohio OC (1997-2000); Wake Forest OC (2001-02); Texans OC (2006)
NFL experience: Broncos (2003-05); Texans (2006)
Skinny: He has been on Purdue’s radar in the past, even interviewing for the job during the search that landed Jeff Brohm. Has the ship sailed on Calhoun being a viable option? He has been coaching the Falcons since 2007, forging a reputation for detail and discipline while pushing the buttons on a triple-option offense. The 58-year-old Calhoun has guided Air Force to 13 bowls and an 130-82 mark overall (77-54 conference). In the past, Calhoun has played up his NFL background as a counter-point to the stigma option-minded coaches often face during hiring processes.

Jason Candle, Toledo head coach
Age: 44
Home: Salem, Ohio
Alma mater: Mount Union, WR 2000-01; also WR at Geneva from 1998-99
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Toledo, 2015-present
Salary: $1.1 million
Coordinator experience: Toledo OC, 2012-14; Mount Union OC, 2007-08
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Candle is one of the hottest commodities in the college ranks. He has forged a reputation as a keen offensive mind in building the Rockets into a top Group of 5 program. Candle won two D3 national titles at Mount Union in Ohio as a receiver, joining the staff upon graduation as wideout coach. He then matriculated to Toledo to work for Tim Beckman. After Beckman left to coach Illinois, Candle was promoted to OC under Matt Campbell. Once Campbell left for Iowa State, Candle got the Rockets job in 2016 and forged a 65-35 mark (43-19 MAC) entering 2024. He has taken Toledo to six bowls in eight seasons, winning two MAC titles (2017, 2022). Candle was MAC coach of the year each of those championship seasons.

Jamey Chadwell, Liberty
Age: 47
Home: Caryville, Tenn.
Alma mater: East Tennessee State, quarterback from 1995-99
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: North Greenville, 2009-11; Delta State, 2012; Coastal Carolina, 2019-22; Liberty, 2023-present
Coordinator experience: Charleston Southern OC, 2004-08; Coastal Carolina OC, 2017-18
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Still not 50, Chadwell already is in his 15th season as a head coach, succeeding at the D2, FCS and FBS levels. A quarterback in college, Chadwell began at D3 North Greenville. Chadwell came to prominence at Coastal Carolina, where he went 39-22 from 2017-22 with three bowls in five seasons. He took over for Hugh Freeze at Liberty in 2023, forging a 13-1 mark and bid to the Fiesta Bowl en route to winning a league title.

Bob Chesney, James Madison head coach
Age: 47
Home: Kulpmont, Pa.
Alma mater: Dickinson, defensive back from 1996-99
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Salve Reginia (2010-12); Assumption (2013-17); Holy Cross (2018-23); James Madison (2024-present)
Coordinator experience: Delaware Valley DC (2002); Johns Hopkins DC (2007-09).
NFL experience: None
Skinny: OK, we said no coaches from the defensive side of the ball. But Chesny’s resume is hard to ignore. One of the more interesting names on this list. Chesney rebuilt off-the-radar programs at D3 Salve Reginia and D2 Assumption, showing an ability to rebuild and excel without great resources. He also had success at FCS Holy Cross. Now, he’s at FBS, keeping James Madison rolling in the wake of Curt Cignetti’s departure. But can Purdue take a chance on another coach from the defensive side of the ball?

Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan head coach
Age: 55
Home: San Francisco
Alma mater: Kenyon College, quarterback from 1988-90
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Wabash (2001-2007); Drake (2008-2013); Eastern Michigan (2014-Present)
Coordinator experience: None.
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Creighton’s ties to Indiana are extensive and he’s well respected in the coaching community, having done a solid job at Eastern Michigan, where his Eagles won at Purdue in 2018. He’s led the Eagles to seven or more wins four times. He’s in his 11th season at EMU, one of the toughest jobs in the nation, taking the program to six bowls amid budget and talent issues in Ypsilanti. Could Purdue look past his 52-69 mark at Eastern Michigan?

Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky head coach
Age: 47
Home: Gainesville, Fla.
Alma mater: Houston, quarterback from 1996-99
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Western Kentucky (2019-Present)
Coordinator experience: Western Kentucky OC (2014-2015); USC Passing Game (2016-2017); Tennessee OC/QB (2018)
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Helton would seem to check a lot of boxes and line up closely with everything Purdue prioritized when it hired Brohm. The parallels are actually striking. Helton has some NFL connections and he’s a quarterbacks guy, which is important at Purdue. Helton rebuilt Western Kentucky into a winner after succeeding Brohm’s successor, going 40-26 entering 2024–his sixth in Bowling Green–with bowl bid each season. Helton began his career in 2000 as a GA to June Jones in Hawaii.

Charles Huff, Marshall head coach
Age: 41
Home: Denton, Maryland
Alma mater: Hampton, FB, TE, OL from 2001-05
Big Ten ties: Penn State running backs and special teams (2014-17)
Head coaching experience: Marshall (2021-present)
Coordinator experience: None
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Cut his teeth working as Nick Saban’s assistant head coach from 2019-20 prior to taking over Marshall. He worked for James Franklin at Penn State and Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State, where he was an assistant head coach. There’s a connection to Purdue in that new Boilermaker associate A.D. Tiffini Grimes was at both Penn State and Alabama during Huff’s years at those programs. He is in his third season in Huntington, owning a 22-17 record entering 2024.

Lance Leipold, Kansas head coach
Age: 60
Home: Jefferson, Wis.
Alma mater: Wisconsin-Whitewater, quarterback from 1983-86
Big Ten ties: Wisconsin GA 1991-93; Nebraska assistant 2001-03
Head coaching experience: Wisconsin-Whitewater 2007-14; Buffalo 2015-20; Kansas 2021-present
Coordinator experience: Nebraska Omaha OC (2000-06)
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Leipold had a bonkers 109-6 mark at D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater, winning six D3 titles. He gained some notice by going 37-33 at Buffalo, earning bowl bids his last three years. He entered 2024 with a 17-21 mark at KU, breathing life into one of the most down-trodden programs. Leipold’s Jayhawks are struggling this season, but his body of work speaks for itself. He has been pursued by schools like Washington, Nebraska, Illinois and Michigan State, opting to stay in Lawrence. Do this year’s struggles cause him to re-think his decision to remain at Kansas? Leipold would be perfect in West Lafayette in many ways.

Joe Moorhead, Akron head coach
Age: 50
Home: Pittsburgh
Alma mater: Fordham, quarterback from 1992-95
Big Ten ties: Penn State OC (2016-17)
Head coaching experience: Fordham, 38-13 from 2012-15; Mississippi State, 14-12 from 2018-19.
Coordinator experience: Georgetown (2003); Akron (2005-08); UConn (2009-11); Penn State (2016-17); Oregon (2020-21).
NFL experience: none
Skinny: Like Calhoun, Moorhead also has been a Purdue target in the past. During that same search that netted Jeff Brohm, Purdue talked to Moorhead, who was then an OC at Penn State. The 49-year-old Moorehead pushed the buttons on a Nittany Lions offense that won the Big Ten in 2016 and produced 22 wins in his two seasons. Moorhead landed the Mississippi State job, where he was an odd fit. He still managed a 14-12 record and two bowls in his two seasons. He was hired by Akron this past offseason, his third head coaching job. Purdue likely would have hired Moorhead had Brohm fallen through years ago, but now that he took a tough job at Akron and endured a predictable 2-10 season there, how would that affect Purdue’s potential interest?

Dan Mullen, ESPN
Age: 52
Home: Drexel Hill, Pa.
Alma mater: Ursinus, tight end from 1992-93
Big Ten ties: None
Head coaching experience: Mississippi State 69-46 (2009-17); Florida, 34-15 (2018-21)
Coordinator experience: Florida OC (2005-08)
NFL experience: none
Skinny: He cut his teeth under Urban Meyer, working for the disgraced coach at Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04) and Florida (2005-08). He was a QB coach who helped groomed the likes of Alex Smith and Tim Tebow. Big-time proven head coach who also has connections to the DHR International search firm that Purdue has used in the past.

JaMarcus Shephard, Alabama associate head coach, passing game coordinator, wide receivers
Age: 41
Home: Fort Wayne, Ind.
Alma mater: DePauw, receiver from 2001-04
Big Ten ties: Purdue, OC/WR (2017-21)
Head coaching experience: None
Coordinator experience: Purdue, co-OC (2018-21)
NFL experience: None
Skinny: Yes, he’s never been a head coach–or even a play-caller–put Shephard’s ties to Purdue and Indiana merit his inclusion on this hot board. “Shep” is a dynamic personality who resonates with players and connects with recruits. He is a rising star who cut his teeth under Jeff Brohm, first at Western Kentucky and then at Purdue. Shephard knows the state and understands what it takes to win at Purdue. He has been part of some big-time programs since leaving Purdue, helping Washington reach the national title game last year. He followed Kalen DeBoer to Alabama.