Purdue fires Walters after 2 seasons

Purdue fired head coach Ryan Walters, the school announced Sunday.

Walters went 5-19 in two seasons after taking the job in 2023. He served as Illinois' defensive coordinator for two years before landing with the Boilermakers.

Purdue fell to 1-11 and 0-9 in Big Ten play after a 66-0 loss to Indiana on Saturday. Six of the Boilermakers' losses this season came by 35-plus points.

Walters' .208 win percentage is the lowest mark of any Purdue coach in program history. The last Boilermakers head coach to not hold the job for at least four seasons was Bob DeMoss, who left in 1972.

The 38-year-old led one of the best defenses in college football in 2022 before replacing Jeff Brohm at Purdue. Illinois ranked second in the nation in points per game allowed and fourth in yards per contest allowed that season.

Walters failed to replicate that success with Purdue, as the Boilermakers allowed 43.5 points per game this season.