Purdue has named Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who led the best scoring defense in the Big Ten and the NCAA in 2022, as its next head coach.
Walters has spent the last two years at Illinois and was a finalist for this year's Broyles Award, given to the best assistant coach in college football. Walters replaces Jeff Brohm in the role after he accepted a position to be the head coach at Louisville, his alma mater.
"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," Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski said in a statement. "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."
In his two seasons in Champaign, Walters transformed an Illinois defense that ranked near the bottom of the NCAA before his arrival. The Illini ranked 97th nationally in scoring defense (34.9) and 114th in yards allowed per game (466.8) in the 2020 season. but in Walters' first year in 2021, he elevated that side of the ball to 29th (21.9) and 49th (367.0), respectively. This past season, the results were shown nationwide as Illinois heads into the bowl schedule No. 1 nationally in scoring defense (12.3) and No. 2 in yards allowed per game (263.8).
Before Walters' time with Illinois, he coached for six programs, including Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, North Texas, Memphis and Missouri.
Walters' contract with Purdue, a five-year agreement, is pending formal approval by the University's Board of Trustees. He will spend the remainder of the month appointing his staff, recruiting and observing Purdue's preparation for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against LSU on Jan. 2. Walters will be introduced as the program's head coach at Noon ET on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
"I am incredibly humbled and honored to serve as the head football coach at Purdue University," Walters said. "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 COACHING CAREER
- 2022-Present Purdue Head Coach
- 2021-22 Illinois Defensive Coordinator
- 2019-20 Missouri Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
- 2018 Missouri Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
- 2017 Missouri Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
- 2016 Missouri Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
- 2015 Missouri Safeties
- 2014 Memphis Cornerbacks
- 2013 North Texas Cornerbacks
- 2012 Oklahoma Graduate Assistant/Cornerbacks
- 2011 Arizona Defensive Backs
- 2010 Arizona Graduate Assistant
- 2009 Colorado Student Assistant/Secondary
