Purdue University’s athletic director, Mike Bobinski, made the decision to terminate head coach Ryan Walters on Sunday following two disappointing seasons at the helm of the Boilermakers. An individual familiar with the situation disclosed this information on the condition of anonymity, as the announcement had not yet been formally shared with the public.
Walters ended his tenure with a subpar overall record of 5 wins and 19 losses, including a mere 3 wins against 15 losses in Big Ten competition. His final season was particularly grim, concluding with a staggering loss in his last 11 games, marking the longest streak of consecutive losses in a single season in the program’s history. Additionally, the Boilermakers experienced winless outcomes in conference play for just the fourth time since 1946.
This season, Purdue faced an exceptionally challenging schedule that included five opponents ranked in the Top 10 as of the previous week. Unfortunately, the on-field results did not improve, with the team suffering six losses by 35 points or more. Noteworthy among these defeats were the two most significant losses in the program’s history: a 66-7 defeat to then-No. 18 Notre Dame in September and a recent humiliating 66-0 loss to No. 10 Indiana. For the first time since 2013 and only the second instance in the contemporary era of college football, Purdue failed to secure a victory against an FBS opponent.
Despite his dismissal, the university will still owe Walters approximately $9.5 million as part of his original five-year contract. Such financial commitments are not uncommon in the realm of collegiate athletics, especially when coaching changes occur amid challenging seasons.
