Purdue hires Big Ten defensive coordinator as head coach

Purdue has hired Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters as its new head coach, the program announced Tuesday.

"I am incredibly humbled and honored to serve as the head football coach at Purdue University," said Walters. "I am grateful to Director of Athletics Mike Bobinski and to President Daniels for this incredible opportunity. Purdue is a world-class university, and our football program will pursue the same excellence exhibited across our campus. My wife Tara and I, along with our boys, are beyond excited to join the Purdue and West Lafayette communities. Boiler Up!"

Walters, 36, has spent two transformational years in Champaign. A defense that finished the 2020 season 108th in yards per play now ranks second, surrendering just 4.26 yards per play.

Walters will be the fourth-youngest FBS head coach and the youngest in the Big Ten, trailing only Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham, South Alabama's Kane Wommack, and Oregon's Dan Lanning. 

Prior to Illinois, Walters spent three seasons leading the defense at Missouri, and the three before that as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. A former Colorado safety, he became a position coach at just 25 years old, leading Arizona's defensive backs for the 2011 season.  

This year's Illini defense not only ranks second in yards per play, it leads the nation with 12.3 points per game allowed. Illinois is also in the top 10 in rushing defense, yards per carry allowed and passing defense. By the numbers, Illinois was the toughest defense to throw against in major college football: opponents completed 49.5 percent of their passes for 165.4 yards per game (5.4 per attempt). Illinois led the nation in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (eight in 370 attempts) and interceptions (22). 

"We are thrilled for Coach Ryan Walters and his family to join us here at Purdue University," said Bobinski. "From an early point in the search process, Coach Walters stood out because of the energy, passion and intelligence he displayed as a defensive coordinator in both the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference. His meteoric rise in the coaching profession is in large part due to his unique ability to connect with his student-athletes as both a coach and mentor. With that in mind, we look forward to the culture and atmosphere of success he and his staff will instill in and around our football program, and we see him as a perfect fit for our University and this community. Please join me in welcoming Ryan, his wife Tara, and their two sons, Aaron and Cason, to West Lafayette." 

He replaces Jeff Brohm, who left after six seasons to assume the head coaching role at Louisville, his alma mater. The Boilermakers won their first Big Ten West crown this season and will close their 2022 campaign against No. 17 LSU in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2. Illinois will face Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest (formerly Outback) Bowl on the same day.

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