Moving coordinators from field to box proves fortuitous for Purdue, Ryan Walters

Sometimes a different perspective can make a big difference. That was the case for some Purdue assistant coaches on Saturday during the Boilermakers’ 44-19 homecoming win vs. Illinois.

Ryan Walters had defensive coordinator Kevin Kane move from the field to the press box. The two worked in concert in calling the defense, with Walters signalling in the calls from the sideline. (Safeties coach Grant O’Brien was Kane’s eyes in the sky; he has been moved to the field.)

“Kane for the last two years, and even when he was at SMU, was upstairs,” said Walters. “So, I felt like the communication that he and I had the last two seasons (at Illinois) when he was in the box was very informative and quick and concise. Nobody knows the defense or the signals the way I do, and so just made sense for him to go upstairs and for me to be signalling and for us to communicate that way on game day.”

There was a similar swap on offense. Like Kane, coordinator Graham Harrell moved from the field to the booth while Harrell’s eyes in the sky–tight ends coach Seth Doege–flipped from the box to the field.

“Graham has spent a lot of the time in the box,” said Walters. “He’s spent more time up than he has down. I think with Hudson’s (Card) maturity and understanding of the offense now, it allowed Graham to go up top, because you can see better from up there, right?

“Graham has great communication with Doege, and Doege is a former quarterback, so he can talk to the Qs in between series to relay messages that Graham has. So, that’s why we made that move offensively.”

It was hard to argue with the results Walters got from the switch in location of the three coaches, as Purdue ended a two-slide slide with an emphatic win.

Things will remain the same for this Saturday’s visit to Iowa, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.

“Obviously, it worked, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?” said Walters.

Purdue is 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten as it kicks off a critical October that also includes a visit from Ohio State (Oct. 14) and trip to Nebraska (Oct. 28); Purdue is off Oct. 21.

The Boilermakers have won four of the last five meetings with the Hawkeyes, going 2-1 in the last three trips to Iowa City. Iowa is 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten.

Purdue will take a relatively healthy team to Iowa. The status of TE Max Klare remains murky after he was helped off the field with a leg injury on Saturday. Otherwise, Purdue’s key offensive personnel will be ready. The defense likely will get a boost from ILB OC Brothers, who “should be available” after missing the Illinois game.

“To me what makes them dangerous is Iowa is going to be Iowa, and they have been since 1999 (when Kirk Ferentz took over),” said Walters. “They’re going to play really, really sound defense and not make mistakes, make you earn it.

“Special teams is going to be a weapon for them, and then they’re going to manage the game on offense and not try to do things just to do them. They’re going to try to control the clock. If they can win the game 9-6, that’s the style of play they like. I know people out that way are upset with that model, but it’s worked since 1999.”

Iowa is expected to be without No. 1 quarterback Cade McNamara, who according to reports will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury suffered last week in a win vs. Michigan State. With McNamara out, Iowa will turn to Deacon Hill, who hit 11-of-27 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown and interception vs. Michigan State after McNamara was hurt.

No matter who is under center for the Hawkeyes, Walters is wary of the proud Iowa program.

“Getting to know Coach Ferentz over the last couple years and then now as a head coach, you can just tell that program operates the way it operates, and they don’t care what anybody else thinks about it because that has been a winning formula for them,” said Walters.

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