Replacing Jeff Brohm at Purdue would be a tough task for any coach, and ultimately Ryan Walters took on the challenge in 2023. After a 4-8 campaign in 2023, the bottom fell out in 2024, as Purdue went just 1-11 and 0-9 in Big Ten play.

Zyntreacs Otey, a three-star cornerback in the 2025 recruiting class, is holding off on his official signing after Purdue decided to fire coach Ryan Walters.

Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski spent weeks creating a list of coaching candidates and perfecting his pitch to the finalists. He is also talking about increasing NIL and coaching budgets while monitoring negotiations to keep players from leaving.