Introducing Odom’s new staff
It’s complete. New Purdue football coach Barry Odom has put the finishing touches on his team of 10 assistant coaches.
The group includes four assistants from UNLV who are following Odom to West Lafayette. Two are coming from Arkansas, while another will arrive from Memphis. There also is an assistant from USC set to join, and one who was at UCF. Odom also retained one assistant from the former Purdue staff.
Strength and conditioning coach Kiero Small and his staff have been retained, as well.
Meet Odom’s coaching staff:
2025 Purdue football assistant coaches
| Josh Henson, offensive coordinator/tight ends | Three key points |
| Age: 48 Alma mater: Oklahoma State Purdue bio | • College coach for 25 years who has spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator at USC • Coached in Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and Pac-12 • Worked with Odom at Missouri (2009-15) |
| Mike Scherer, defensive coordinator/linebackers | Three key points |
| Age: 31 Alma mater: Missouri Purdue Bio | • Odom’s DC at UNLV past two seasons • Played for Odom at Missouri as linebacker from 2012-16 • began career at Missouri in 2019 when Odom was head coach (2016-19) and worked at Arkansas from 2020-22 as LB coach under Odom, who was Hogs’ DC |
| James Shibest, special teams | Three key points |
| Age: 60 Alma mater: Arkansas Purdue bio | • Spent last two years at UNLV under Odom • Coordinated special teams at Arkansas (2000-07), Ole Miss (2008-11), Memphis (2012-15) and Virginia Tech (2015-21) • Widely considered one of top special teams minds, having won Special Teams Coordinator of Year award at two previous stops |
| Cornell Ford, assistant head coach/receivers | Three key points |
| Age: 59 Alma mater: Toledo Purdue bio | • Spent last two seasons with Odom at UNLV as running backs coach • Native of Gary, Ind., also worked with Odom at Missouri, coaching safeties in 2001-03 and cornerbacks from 2004-19 • Has coached quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, safeties, cornerbacks. |
| Darin Hinshaw, quarterbacks | Three key points |
| Age: 52 Alma mater: UCF Purdue bio | • Spent past two seasons as offensive coordinator and QBs coach at UCF • 26 years of experience at collegiate level, including 12 as OC • OC in five different conferences during coaching tenure. |
| Vance Vice, offensive line | Three key points |
| Alma mater: Oklahoma State Purdue bio | • 35-year coaching vet joins Odom after duo spent past two seasons coaching UNLV • Has coached o-lines at Virginia Tech (2015-21), Memphis (2012-15) and Louisiana-Monroe (2009-11) • Vice’s line paved way for UNLV to rank fifth in country with 68 rushing touchdowns, seventh with 5,838 rushing yards past two seasons |
| Charles Clark, defensive backs | Three key points |
| Age: 40 Alma mater: Ole Miss Purdue bio | • Spent past five seasons at Memphis, including 2024 campaign as Tigers’ associate head coach • Coached secondary at Ole Miss, Oregon, Colorado, San Jose State, Duke • Tigers won 42 games with Clark on staff, including an undefeated mark in bowl games |
| Lamar Conard, running backs | Three key points |
| Age: 47 Alma mater: Purdue Purdue bio | • Only member of previous staff retained • In third season as running backs coach at Purdue following five seasons as running backs coach at Miami (Ohio) • DB for Boilermakers (1996-99); first walk-on at Purdue to be awarded scholarship under Joe Tiller (1997) |
| Kelvin Green, defensive line | Three key points |
| Alma mater: Clemson Purdue bio | •Worked with Odom at Arkansas in 2022 • Served as senior defensive quality control past two seasons after beginning at Arkansas as defensive quality control during 2022 campaign • Prior to Arkansas, Green spent nine seasons at Delta State, including three as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator |
| Jake Trump, defensive ends | Three key points |
| Age: 28 Alma mater: Missouri Purdue bio | • Spent past five seasons at Arkansas as defensive quality control, including three when Odom was Razorbacks’ defensive coordinator • Prior to Arkansas, Trump was defensive GA at Nevada in 2020 • Played under Odom at Missouri (2015-18) before joining staff in 2019 |
MORE: GoldandBlack.com content hub: Welcome to the Barry Odom era | Transfer tracker: Who is coming?
