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By Nathan Kamal
Contributing Sports Writer
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Purdue has dismissed football head coach Ryan Walters after just two seasons. The Boilermakers ended their campaign with a painful 66-0 defeat to rival Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday, wrapping up the season with a 1-11 record and failing to secure a win against FBS opponents.
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Walters finishes his tenure with a 5-19 record overall, including just 3-15 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers' struggles were highlighted by a season-long defensive collapse, as they allowed an average of 35.2 points per game and gave up 40 or more points in eight of 24 games.
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Walters, hired in 2022 to replace Jeff Brohm, came to Purdue with a strong defensive pedigree, having served as the defensive coordinator at Illinois, where he led one of the nation's top defenses in 2022. That defense played a key role in Illinois' 8-5 season, their best in over a decade.
However, Walters was unable to replicate that success in West Lafayette, as Purdue's defense remained porous and unable to keep up with high-powered offenses.
The Boilermakers also struggled to retain top talent under Walters. This season, they lost key players to other programs, including wide receiver Deion Burks, who transferred to Oklahoma, and defensive lineman Nic Scourton, who moved to Texas A&M—both reportedly lured by significant NIL deals.
As National Signing Day on December 4 approaches, Purdue's 2025 recruiting class has been hit by several decommitments. The class now consists of only nine commitments and is ranked 97th nationally in the 247Sports Composite, placing it 36 spots behind the next lowest-ranked Big Ten class, Northwestern, which sits at 61st.
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In his first season, Walters led Purdue to a 4-8 record, with wins over Virginia Tech, Illinois, and Indiana, but the team's performance significantly declined in his second year. Walters is set to receive 75% of his remaining compensation, totaling $9.34 million, as part of his buyout.
Walters played college football at Colorado from 2004 to 2008, transitioning from quarterback to safety after his redshirt freshman year. He started for three seasons, helping the Buffaloes reach two bowl games and earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors as a senior.
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After going undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, Walters shifted to coaching. He began his career as a student assistant at Colorado, working with the secondary in 2009. In 2010, he moved to Arizona as a graduate assistant and was promoted to defensive backs coach in 2011, becoming the youngest position coach in the Pac-10 at just 25 years old.
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