The Purdue Boilermakers moved on from head coach Ryan Walters after just two seasons, as he finished with a 5-19 record. Walters left his job as the defensive coordinator at Illinois to take the Purdue opening following Jeff Brohm's departure to Louisville. He went 4-8 in his first season with the Boilermakers before dropping 1-11 in 2024, ending the campaign with 11 consecutive losses. The nail in the coffin was a 66-0 loss at Indiana, wrapping up a winless Big Ten season. Purdue football has become a more enticing job following conference realignments since the Big Ten is one of the major conferences in college football. The Boilermakers find themselves at a crucial point right now, so a thorough Purdue football coaching search is paramount. If you love the Boilermakers, or just want to know who will call the shots for Purdue football in the future, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at The Boiler Sports Report, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Purdue.
The Boiler Sports Report experts are providing on-the-ground updates on every development surrounding Walter's departure and the future of the Purdue football program, including insights from Sean Williams, who has deep-rooted ties around the Purdue community. Get all the inside scoop on the football program, plus VIP intel on Purdue football, basketball, recruiting and more. Plus get access to the Fort Mollenkopf premium message board where you can connect with other Purdue fans and insiders.
And right now, The Boiler Sports Report is offering 50% off annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up. The team at The Boiler Sports Report already has a list out of several potential candidates on and there are some surprising names on the list. Head to The Boiler Sports Report now to see them all.
Top Purdue football coach candidates
One name the Williams has identified as a potential target on the premium message board is Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell. The 47-year-old has been a finalist for multiple major-conference openings, but he has never been able to parlay his success into a big job. Chadwell led Coastal Carolina to multiple 11-win seasons to wind up as a candidate for openings at Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and others before ultimately taking the Liberty opening following Hugh Freeze's departure for Auburn.
The Flames went 13-1 in 2023 and 8-3 this year, powered by Chadwell's creative offensive schemes. He is a proven talent developer whose unconventional offense might be exactly what Purdue needs as it tries to revive its program. Chadwell has been passed over by some of the bigger schools in college football, so this could be a perfect fit for both sides. See more candidates at The Boiler Sports Report.
How to get insider Purdue coaching staff search updates
The rest of the list includes several other intriguing names, including a national-championship winning coach who "probably translates well to the Big Ten." You can only see who it is at The Boiler Sports Report.
Who are the top candidates in the Purdue football coaching search, and which national-championship winning coach could be a fit? Go to The Boiler Sports Report to see their Purdue coaching hot board and more, and find out.
And reminder, The Boiler Sports Report is offering 50% off an annual VIP membership as a coaching search special, so subscribe now before it's too late.
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