We're back with our series of the most impressive new staffs of 2023.
At the #5 spot, we've got a first-year head coach who has quietly built a really impressive staff in Purdue's Ryan Walters.
The previous spots on our list are occupied by Charlotte (#10), Western Michigan (#9), Liberty (#8), USF (#7), and Colorado (#6).
As we shared throughout this series, there's no exact formula for putting together a staff that is going to put a successful product on the field Saturdays in the fall. So generally speaking, coaches look for a mix of guys they have a prior relationship with, or have worked with coaches they have ties to and trust, or are excellent recruiters, have a ton of experience, have learned under some of the most respected coaches in the game, or retaining guys that have an intimate understanding of the roster.
Really, any mix of all those and so much more go into building a quality staff, and all while being able to do it with the salary pool allotted.
As a FootballScoop staff, we discussed among ourselves after Walters was hired how important it was for him to find an experienced and innovative offensive mind, as the Boilermakers always seem to be at their best when they've got someone that fits that mold calling the shots on offense, and Walters hit a home run in that department.
COORDINATOR RECAP
Walters brought Kevin Kane with him from Illinois, where he worked with the team's outside linebackers during the program's impressive turnaround on the defensive side of the ball.
Kane brings with him previous FBS coordinator experience as the defensive coordinator at SMU for three seasons, where he developed units that ranked among the top 25 in sacks and TFLs in 2019. He also called the defense at Northern Illinois for a few seasons as well, where they ranked in the top 20 nationally in a number of key areas including third down conversion percentage and rush defense.
Past stops also include Kansas and Wisconsin as well, and knows Walters expectations and system in a way that should prove to be as smooth a transition as possible.
To call the shots on offense, Walters was able to pull Graham Harrell away from West Virginia, where Neal Brown was set to enter a critical year five with the Mountaineers.
The Boilermakers always seem to be at their best with an experienced, cutting edge play caller, and they got that with Harrell.
In addition to calling the plays in Morgantown, Harrell brings experience calling plays at both USC and North Texas. More on him in a bit.
BIGGEST HIRE
This one is a no-brainer for me.
The ability to grab Graham Harrell from West Virginia could prove to be the most impressive coordinator hire of the entire off season in college football, in my opinion.
Purdue teams that have been able to win 8 games or more in a season have both been led by offensive-minded head coaches (Joe Tiller and Jeff Brohm), so Purdue going outside of that trend to land one of the most impressive defensive coordinators in college football as their new leader meant that the offensive coordinator hire was absolutely critical.
In Harrell, the Boilermakers land someone that has called games on big stages, and at a blue-blood program like USC. His philosophy will allow them to maximize the talent on the roster, as there will be some schematic carryover from what Brohm was doing, and will allow them to continue to recruit and develop playmakers on the perimeter and vertical threats, similar to what that they've been churning out the last few years.
Harrell is joined on the offensive side of the ball by associate head coach / wide receivers coach Cory Patterson, running backs coach Lamar Conard, tight ends coach Seth Doege, and offensive line coach Marcus Johnson.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE AHEAD
I can see the offensive transition in West Lafayette going pretty smoothly, with Harrell's system probably a bit more player-friendly to learn than Brohm's.
The challenge I see is defensively.
Starting with the season opener against Fresno State, the Boilermakers will also see Wisconsin and Ohio State at home and Michigan and Nebraska on the road in games that will be critical to their bowl hopes. Success in those games will hinge on the defensive side of the ball.
Walters and Kane were able to engineer a quick turnaround defensively at Illinois, and whether they'll be able to do the same with the Black and Gold I see being the biggest challenge ahead for the program.
The good news is that, in addition to Kane, Walters was able to bring in veteran defensive line coach Brick Haley to mentor the defensive front. With experience at LSU and Texas and in the NFL with the Bears on his resume, Haley infuses some incredible experience on the defensive side of the ball.
Rounding out the defensive staff are safeties coach Grant O'Brien, outside linebackers Joe Dineen (both in their first full-time FBS roles), as well as corners coach Sam Carter, who previously coached the secondary in the SEC at Arkansas and Missouri (where he worked under Walters).
MOST UNDERRATED HIRE
The addition of Haley to coach the defensive line didn't garner a lot of attention, so I see that as the most underrated hire.
Haley and Walters previously worked with each other at Missouri, where Haley held the senior associate head coach title and has numerous stops in the SEC and served as the defensive coordinator at Baylor back from 1999-2001 with stops at Clemson and Houston as well earlier in his career.
A veteran presence, with familiarity with what Walters expects out of the defense, Haley will play a critical role in their defensive staff room and beyond.
KEY OFF FIELD HIRE
Kiero Small was hired as the program's director of football strength and conditioning after previously working with the strength program at Michigan.
While being able to hire someone away from an accomplished conference foe like the Wolverines could prove to be critical, I'm putting Small in this spot due to his combination of on and off-field experience.
Before joining the strength community, Small was a fullback for three seasons at Arkansas and spent two seasons in the NFL.
When you can get a former fullback to lead your strength and conditioning efforts, you get my attention.
MOST INTRIGUING HIRE
Cory Patterson is the only coach on staff with a senior title in addition to his assistant coaching duties as the receivers coach, and that's a good sign that there's more to this coach than you can tell from his title.
Just over a decade ago, Patterson was working in corporate accounting in St. Lous, coaching youth football in the evenings for a local Boys and Girls Club. He'd go on to be an assistant at Christian Brothers College HS for a few seasons before joining the Trinity Catholic HS staff as offensive coordinator, where they'd win a state title.
He'd take over the Trinity Catholic program and go 27-6 in three seasons before leaving for the college level.
Fast forward to last year, and he was coaching Chase Brown to an All American season at Illinois working with the running backs in Champaign, and he spent his first three seasons working with the team's tight ends.
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