Uncovering the Ideal Qualities for Purdue's Football Future
Ledman's Perspective
In my view, what we need is a coach who is passionate and knowledgeable. Take a look at Matt Painter and Dave Shondell, Purdue's most successful coaches. They aren't flashy; they're just deeply immersed in their sport. You can see Painter's evolution in coaching style over time and Shondell's continuous improvement. It's not just about winning; it's about having a coach who learns from history and is committed to growth.
It's easy to focus on winning and specific offensive strategies, but that doesn't guarantee success. There are no foolproof hiring formulas; it's a complex process.
Ryan's Take
For me, it's quite simple. I'm looking for a former head coach with an offensive mindset and proven success over multiple seasons. Tyson Helton from Western Kentucky fits the bill. Purdue has had success in the past by pulling from the Hilltopper coaching pool, so why not try again? Helton was close to getting the Purdue job over Ryan Walters, showing the desire is there. Be sure to catch the Conference USA Championship game this Friday to see him in action.
Jed's Criteria
When considering a candidate for the Purdue job, several factors stand out. Firstly, a head coach should call an offense that is truly their own, not just their offensive coordinator's. This ensures stability if there's success and a bigger program comes calling. Secondly, a coach who builds successful assistant coaches is crucial. Matt Painter has shown this to be effective as good coaches want to work under him. Thirdly, a head coach with growth and success at previous jobs knows what it takes to succeed. The last staff lacked this, and it showed in their performance this season. Finally, strong public relations are essential in the era of NIL. A coach who can connect with the Boilermaker community will have more support. Western Kentucky's Tyson Helton meets many of these criteria. He's been at WKU for 6 seasons, made a bowl game each year, and is known as a quarterback developer.
Sometimes, the obvious choices are the hardest to make. Bobinski had the right instinct about Helton two seasons ago, but for some reason, he was swayed otherwise. We can't make that mistake again.
Competitive Dynamics and Challenges
During the week-long search for Ryan Walters' replacement, it became increasingly likely that the next coach would be involved in a conference championship game. Odom's Runnin' Rebels faced a setback as they lost to Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game for the second consecutive year. At Missouri, Odom experienced a similar competitive landscape compared to the SEC's national powers. UNLV had only 29 wins in nine seasons before his hire in 2022 and only two seasons with more than eight victories since 1978.In his debut season at UNLV in 2023, the Runnin' Rebels went 9-5 and reached the Mountain West Championship game. This year, with a 10-2 regular season, they returned to the championship but lost to playoff-bound Boise State 21-7. Odom's defensive background influenced Athletic Director Mike Bobinski's decision not to hire an offensive coach to succeed the defensive-minded Walters. The next big question is whether UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion will join Odom.Odom inherited a program coming off a 1-11 season, with a 11-game losing streak after a season-opening victory over FCS Indiana State. The streak included the most lopsided loss in program history against Notre Dame (66-7) and a more decisive defeat (66-0) at playoff-bound Indiana in the Old Oaken Bucket game.The new coach inherits a roster in transition, as is typical with coaching changes. As of Saturday evening, 19 Purdue players had entered the NCAA transfer portal. Some key players like safety Dillon Thieneman, tight end Max Klare, defensive end Will Heldt, and quarterbacks Ryan Browne and Marcos Davila are keeping their options open and could return depending on the new coach.Although Odom's most recent experience was at the Group of Five level, he spent most of his career in the Big 12 and SEC. His college coaching career started at Missouri, where he climbed the ranks from graduate assistant to director of recruiting and then to position coach over safeties and linebackers. He later left for three seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Memphis before returning to the Tigers as Gary Pinkel's defensive coordinator in 2015 and taking over the following season.Missouri had a 4-8 record in Odom's first season and improved to 7-6 in his second. The Tigers returned to the AP Top 25 poll in 2018 with an 8-5 record but were fired after a 6-6 finish in 2019, including a five-game losing streak in the second half of the season.“I thought I got a bad deal at the end, too,” Odom said on the Coaches and the Mouth podcast last summer. “You live and you learn. But I also look at it as if we had NIL the way it’s rolling out, we probably could have recruited a little differently at my alma mater.”Odom spent three seasons as defensive coordinator on Sam Pittman's Arkansas staff. He was hired to transform a UNLV program that had been to only one bowl game in 22 seasons and none in the previous nine. Now, he is tasked with elevating a program that has tasted success and expects to do so again soon.Georgia's Michael Jackson Seeks New Opportunities in the Transfer Portal
Jackson's Time at Georgia
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound receiver never managed to establish a prominent role within the Georgia offense. He primarily focused on special teams, playing as a kickoff returner against Tennessee and Georgia Tech. Despite his efforts, Jackson appeared in only three games this season and has 47 career receptions for 508 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
His inability to crack Georgia's wide receiver rotation led to career-low numbers during his time with the Bulldogs. However, this situation might work in his favor as he should be able to redshirt since he played in only three games in 2024.
The Transfer Portal Timeline
The transfer portal opens on Dec. 9 and will remain open through Dec. 28. Jackson is not alone in this decision as he joins cornerback Julian Humphrey as the first two Georgia players to announce their intentions to transfer. This indicates a potential shift in the team's roster and dynamics.
For Jackson, this is a crucial time as he looks to find a new home where he can showcase his skills and potentially have a more significant impact. The transfer portal offers him the opportunity to explore different programs and coaching staffs.