The Purdue football program took a step in a new direction Sunday when they announced the hiring of Barry Odom as the school’s 38th person to take over the head coaching reins.
Odom comes off two highly successful seasons as the head man at UNLV. His Rebels reached the Mountain West championship game in consecutive years, and he compiled a very respectable 19-8 record in his tenure in Las Vegas.
Purdue hopes Odom can turn around the Boilermakers just as he did with the Rebels.
UNLV lost this year’s conference championship on Friday to Boise State, 21-7.
Purdue Football Fans Starving For Football Success
It is not a secret that Ryan Walters, the Boilermakers former head coach, will not be missed by Purdue football fans. Walters was unceremoniously fired last month after winning just five games in two years and ending this season on an 11-game losing streak.
Odom brings a defensive background to West Lafayette. He was a star linebacker at Missouri, and his various coaching stops led him to be defensive coordinator at his alma mater as well as Memphis and Arkansas.
At UNLV, Odom was able to keep his ship afloat despite much controversy earlier this season. After winning their first three games, Rebels starting quarterback Matthew Sluka abruptly announced his desire to enter the transfer portal. Odom did not allow this upheaval to derail his team, instead guiding them to a successful season that saw UNLV stay in the national rankings for the majority of the season.
Purdue football fans Odom can steer the Boilermaker Special down the right path in 2025 and beyond.
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