Rebuilding Purdue offense continues as Barry Odom fires line coach, 2nd of day
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Purdue football coach Barry Odom reportedly continued to make staff changes Monday to one of the Big Ten’s worst offenses.
Offensive line coach Vance Vice was fired Monday, per Football Scoop. Vice was one of the assistants Odom brought with him from his successful stint at UNLV.
Odom also fired running backs coach Lamar Conard.
Among Big Ten teams, Purdue ranked 16th in scoring offense, 13th in rushing yards per carry, 15th in rushing touchdowns and 10th in sacks allowed per game.
Purdue also struggled to convert in short-yardage rushing situations in the red zone and elsewhere. It finished the regular season with the Big Ten’s worst red zone scoring percentage and third-worst in touchdown percentage.
Purdue began the season with three holdovers as starters on the offensive line — left tackle Joey Tanona, right guard Ethan Trent and right tackle Bakyne Coly. Left guard Jalen St. John followed Odom and Vice from UNLV. Auburn transfer Bradyn Joiner became the starting center. Midway through the season, another UNLV transfer, Hank Purvis, took the starting right guard job.
The two coaching moves in conjunction signal Odom’s desire to stabilize the offense with an improved ground game in 2026. Purdue won its first two games, but lost 10 straight while going winless in the Big Ten for the second straight year.
Vice previously coached offensive line at Virginia Tech and Memphis, among other stops. Per the two-year contract he signed December 2024, he is owed the entirety of his $500,000 annual contract through Dec. 31, 2026.
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Vance Vice fired by Purdue football coach Barry Odom, buyout, offensive line
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos