First and 10: Purdue season preview
As the Barry Odom era opens, 10 thoughts, takeaways and items of interest ahead of the 2025 opener against Ball State. Plus, two bonus items
• Last year doesn’t matter when the Boilermakers kick off against the Cardinals. It hasn’t mattered for months. The 1-11 record, ending with an 11-game losing streak and the dismissal of Ryan Walters, will be mentioned. However, it’s no longer relevant. For historical purposes, the awful season doesn’t go away, and the program can’t escape the carnage. But everything about this season is nearly 100% different. Coaches. Players. System. Attitudes. Experience is evident throughout the program, and immaturity has moved to a different zip code. It’s basically all new with a fresh and energetic approach. Believing last year’s futility will have an impact on this season’s results is the wrong way to approach Odom’s first season.
MORE: Journey started in Tippecanoe County for Ball State coach
• What will happen this season? Nobody knows for sure. Anyone who claims to know is trying to be the smartest person in the room. The assumption here is that the Boilermakers will be better coached, better prepared, and will eliminate the discipline issues that plagued them a year ago. They’ll make quicker and better adjustments compared to last year. Anything is possible, but it’s unlikely the head coach will try to become the offensive and defensive coordinator to satisfy his ego. A better product is expected on the field, but what it means in terms of wins is unknown. Purdue should be more competitive in the second half of games and avoid the lopsided losses. This much is certain - the Boilermakers won’t be at a disadvantage on the sidelines anymore.
• If Devin Mockobee runs into the record books and finishes as the program’s all-time leading rusher, the Boilermakers will have a successful season. He’s nearly 1,200 yards from Mike Alstott’s mark of 3,635 yards. To set the record, though, Mockobee must produce his first 1,000-yard season. History isn’t on Mockobee’s side. The last 1,000-yard rusher was Kory Sheets in 2007. How the offensive line performs, with a bunch of new faces, is the key to the puzzle.
• Purdue will be a double-digit favorite in the first two games against Ball State and Southern Illinois. The Boilermakers are a 17-point favorite against the Cardinals and should be in the same range in Week 2. But will Purdue be a favorite in its last 10 games? As of now, the answer is likely no. The lookahead lines for the season have the Boilermakers listed as a double-digit underdog in nine of their last 10 games, according to VSIN.com. It ranges from a 33-point underdog at Notre Dame to an 8-point dog at Northwestern. We’ll see how much the numbers change - up or down - throughout the season.
• It’s still hard to wrap your mind around the number of transfers Odom brought in. It’s not a surprise, based on what Odom did at UNLV, but adding 54 players from the portal is difficult to comprehend. But that’s the new reality. Counting Ball State’s transfers, Saturday’s game features 87 portal players.
• During Monday’s press conference, Odom was asked about pregame speeches and if he’s lined up one for Saturday. Odom downplayed the importance, and it’s easy to understand. He’s been preparing the team throughout training camp, and one more speech likely won’t resonate. However, Odom said something interesting that was worthy of a follow-up question:
“The rah, rah throw a frog against the wall and go crazy, that’s not really our style,” he said.
So, has Odom thrown a frog against the wall or witnessed it?
• What will we see from quarterback Ryan Browne after the sophomore won the battle for the top spot in camp? Browne was terrific at Illinois last season, nearly bringing the Boilermakers back from a big deficit. He’ll make his third career start and should embrace the moment and opportunity. It’s difficult to rely on his past numbers to predict the future, as the systems are different. Perhaps the brief stay in North Carolina, listening to Bill Belichick, pays dividends. How much will Browne use his legs compared to his arm? He’ll have up to seven portal receivers at his disposal to provide a spark in the passing game. Will Browne raise the level of the receivers or the other way around?
• Staying with the quarterback theme, what are the chances Odom plays two quarterbacks by design at some point this season?
• Looking for a leader on defense. How about CJ Madden? The Georgia transfer appeared in three games last season due to injury. But the defensive end can be a disruptor and create problems for opposing teams. The Boilermakers will need pressure off the edge, and Madden must lead the charge.
• In the short time watching special teams coordinator James Shibest, don’t be surprised by a few surprises. He comes across as a coach who watches every second of film looking for the opportunity to block a punt, knock down a field goal attempt, or set up a big return. He seems shrewd in his approach. He knows something you don’t and will find a way to take advantage. He reminds me of Tony Levine, who was Jeff Brohm’s special teams coordinator in 2017. Levine tweaked the blocked punt strategy the night before Purdue played at Wisconsin, moving a player 18 inches. The end result was a blocked punt. Keep an eye on Shibest and his group.
BONUS ITEM No. 1
Purdue’s win total is set at 3.5. Are you inclined to go over or stay under that number? If the Boilermakers start 2-0, they’re halfway home, but where do the other two wins come from? They won’t come against USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, and Washington. That leaves home games against Illinois, Rutgers, and Indiana, as well as road matchups against Minnesota and Northwestern. After the first two weeks, those five games should be the focus of this team.
BONUS ITEM No. 2
College football coaches are often viewed as the most paranoid group in America. Why? Because it’s true. Odom doesn’t release a depth chart at the start of the week. We’ve seen this act before. Since Odom didn’t put out a depth chart, Ball State isn’t issuing one.
We have the battle of blank depth charts on Saturday. College football is back.
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Glad to be found
The information was included in its College FB Betting guide in each team preview. I think the lines are based on VSIN's power rankings and applied. I don't think there are actual future lines on Purdue games. There are Game of the Year lines featuring other teams. I can pass along what VSIN posted under the Purdue section if that helps.