Walters recruiting—nothing but first-class

Purdue raised some eyebrows when it hired Ryan Walters, a 36-year-old first-time head coach, in December 2022.

While many expected Purdue to follow the conventional path of hiring an experienced head coach to replace Jeff Brohm, the Boilermaker administration bet on the rising defensive coordinator from rival Illinois.

Undoubtedly, part of the calculus was that Walters’ youthful energy would translate to success on the recruiting trail, bringing a high-caliber athlete to West Lafayette. That theory continued as Walters filled out his staff, putting together a collection of mostly young coaches.

It didn’t take long for results to show. After a red-hot summer on the recruiting trail, Walters’ inaugural recruiting class finished 30th nationally and ninth in the 14-team Big Ten, per On3. In the recruiting rankings era, spanning most of the 21st century, this class stood as one of Purdue’s highest-regarded.

“For a talented prospect in-state or a ballyhooed guy they really lock in on, you can’t count out Purdue”

On3 Vice President of Recruiting and the Transfer Portal Steve Wiltfong used the above quote when asked about Walters on the recruiting trail through his first year-plus with Purdue. He cited the relationship building from the staff and the support received from the university as factors helping the Boilermakers.

While the 2024 class saw Purdue bring in fewer homegrown players than usual, Purdue pulled in several highly recruited out-of-state players. Particularly, Purdue saw success recruiting the defensive backfield, where it landed three recruits with a four-star billing per On3’s industry average. The eight-man class of defensive backs drips with potential entering their freshman season.

Not only did Purdue cut against the grain by hiring a young, first-time head coach, but it went contrary to the program’s offensive-minded history by hiring a head coach with a defensive background.

“To have a coach that is so focused on the defensive side of the ball is unique, especially at Purdue,” said West Lafayette High School coach Shane Fry. “You tend to have neutral head coaches or you have offensive guys.”

A personal approach

Since taking over in West Lafayette, a common refrain from the recruiting trail centers around the on-campus visit, where recruits are greeted at the door of the Kozuch Football Performance Complex by the entirety of Purdue’s coaching staff.

“It was the first visit both my parents went on, and when we got there, the whole staff met us at the door, which I’d never had happen to me. That kind of sums up their goal as coaches to do everything as a family,” said 2025 Purdue quarterback commit Sawyer Anderson.

Although the Air Raid passing game concepts used by offensive coordinator Graham Harrell initially drew Anderson to the Boilermakers, he quickly developed a relationship with Walters.

“He sat me down in his office and told me about his background,” said Anderson. “He’s really about family, care, and building a community and family.”

The attention to detail on the recruiting trail extends beyond just the athlete. When Anderson fielded scholarship offers, Purdue reached out to him nearly daily, asking about his family and life off the football field. While the Boilermakers were in contact frequently, Anderson said many other schools who offered him rarely touched base.

“Some offers I’d get, I’d get a call once every couple weeks. They’ll offer you then you won’t hear from them. You’d hear from Purdue on a daily basis,” he said.

On the coaching side of high school recruitments, it didn’t take long for Fry and Walters to become acquainted.

“He came into the school, if it wasn’t the first day he was at Purdue, it was at least in the first couple,” said Fry.

Fry explained that in many cases, high school coaches don’t often see the head coach. Rather, the assistant assigned to the geographical area visits high schools.

Youth movement

Few programs in America boast a coaching staff that is more youthful than Purdue’s. Immediately, it stood out to Fry that most of Purdue’s staff is under 40 years old.

“Normally, there are multiple 50 and 60-year-olds on the staff. It’s a young staff, but it’s not like they don’t have guys with experience. They’ve been in big-time places,” Fry said.

Fry, who coached current Boilermakers Yanni Karlaftis and Mo Omonode, said the two rave about their experience playing for Walters and Co.

For Anderson, he noted the correlation between Purdue’s forward-thinking defense and Air-Raid-based offensive principles and the youth of the coaching staff, remarking that it fits the modern game.

Wiltfong describes today’s recruiting landscape as putting on the gas all the time, and some older coaches don’t necessarily match the energy and attention that high-caliber recruits can require.

“It’s still a developmental program that will make most of their hay by getting guys like Dillon Thieneman and other overlooked, high-upside guys that fit schematically and culturally. That’s going to be the recipe for Purdue.”