What to know about the Purdue Boilermakers in 2025
2024 in review
Purdue's 2024 campaign was historically bad, including the worst defensive EPA in the country and the fifth-worst offensive EPA. The Boilermakers kicked off the season with a 49-0 win over Indiana State before being blown out in nearly every other matchup. They forced overtime against Illinois and Northwestern, but couldn't prevail with a conference win.
Head coach profile
After firing Walters, Purdue brought in Barry Odom from UNLV, where he found ample success the last two seasons. In 2023, Odom led the Rebels to a 9-3 record and was named Mountain West Coach of the Year. He followed it up with a 10-3 record in 2024, and had UNLV ranked for the first time in program history. Previously, Odom had a four-year stint as the head coach at Missouri, where he posted a 25-25 overall record highlighted by an 8-5 season in 2018. The Boilermakers are hoping Odom can rebuild the program quickly after doing so at his previous stop.
Top offensive player
Running back Devin Mockobee is one of the few remaining players from last year's team following a wave of departures and a heavy transfer portal haul. Mockobee has been a proven commodity for Purdue the last three seasons, averaging over 800 yards per season. He took a step back statistically last season, largely because he was the only major offensive threat and drew much of the attention, though the Boilermakers are hoping that's not the case in 2025. Additionally, Odom had a strong rushing attack at UNLV, meaning he'll likely make good use of Mockobee's talents.
Top defensive player
Purdue returns just one experienced player from last year's defense, which ranked dead last in the country. They'll be banking on transfers to step into major roles, but none of the new arrivals were considered major additions. Cornerback Tony Grimes has spent five seasons at three different schools, most recently spending the last two seasons with Odom at UNLV. He's been a full-time starter when healthy and play a major role as an experienced leader in 2025.
2025 schedule
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The 2025-26 athletics year should be intriguing for Purdue University in some ways. The men's basketball team is poised to make another run in the NCAA Tournament after advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season in 2025. Meanwhile, the football team is coming off a 1-11 season and has a new coach in Barry Odom. To cover everything there is to know about the Boilermakers and college athletics, we have our Boiler Update newsletter. Our dedicated reporter, Nathan Baird, leads the Purdue beat for the IndyStar.
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