Ryan Walters adamant he can still fix Purdue football. Will he be given the chance?

Posted by Admin December 1, 2024 Football

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BLOOMINGTON — Ryan Walters wants to be Purdue football‘s head coach.

But when he’s asked if he’s going to be moving forward, Walters can’t answer that.

He just coached a 1-11 team that suffered the worst loss in Boilermakers history twice in a span of 11 games after Indiana’s merciless 66-0 bludgeoning of Purdue at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

That uncertainty is costing Purdue recruits, who are reneging on verbal commitments.

It’s costing the athletic department fan support and it’s causing frustration for the diehards who’ll ride with the Boilermakers regardless.

To the few still leaning on the collapsing fence, Saturday’s 2024 season finale sent them toppling over.

“The people outside the building, their opinion doesn’t matter,” center Gus Hartwig said.

Well, Hartwig is now outside that building, with a potential future in pro football and no college eligibility remaining. After Saturday’s loss, Hartwig and fellow departing senior linebacker Kydran Jenkins expressed their confidence in Walters moving forward.

“Yeah, he’s a good coach and I definitely think he’s going to do a good job in the future,” Jenkins said.

Walters may very well be a good football coach.

He’s had success in the profession that helped elevate him to leading a Big Ten program. But there’s additional duties when you’re the man in charge.

“It can be hard to have success, but that is my job to find out and figure out ways to be creative and do so,” Walters said.

In his final chance to impress those who have to make a decision on his future, Walters showed no creativity. Purdue seemingly waved the white flag before the first half concluded, electing from midfield to bleed out the second quarter clock and punt in the waning seconds rather than be aggressive and try to get into scoring range.

After saying Purdue was out-everythinged Saturday, including outcoached, Walters also professed he’s the one who can turn the program around, despite 11 straight losses (Purdue’s longest drought in nearly 120 years) and even with three games this season where Purdue couldn’t even put a point on the scoreboard.

Purdue football’s Kydran Jenkins, Gus Hartwig after Indiana loss

Hear what Purdue seniors said after losing to Indiana in the 2024 season finale.

“I know exactly what holes we need to fill,” Walters said. “I’ve got a pretty concrete and solidified plan moving forward that I feel will be beneficial to this program.”

What does Walters need that he currently lacks to execute this plan?

Again, like his future job status, Purdue’s head coach can’t answer that.

At least not publicly.

“It would be unfair for me to speak freely about that right now,” Walters said.

Saturday certainly brought on more questions than answers.

Those questions are for Walters’ superiors, who are now tasked with a decision to make.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.