PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 30, 2024

Ryan Walters

Press Conference

RYAN WALTERS: Yes, so you know, the thought process is obviously you can't wholesale change in the middle of the season. Guys know the vocabulary, and there are a lot of things that we do conceptually that give us a chance. Didn't want to wholesale change. I feel like there are things that we could add to help and concepts that we already have that need.

Can't wholesale change in the middle of season, and concepts that we already have need to be called a little more. I didn't want to disrupt the flow of like the position coaches having coaching their position and adding more to their plate. And so through evaluation and a lot of conversations, with everyone involved in the building, felt like the guy that gives us the best chance to operate efficiently and still have has poise and a good outlook on what we're trying to look like as a team on game days, is Jason Simmons.

So collectively, we'll put together a game plan. I'll help a little more in that room just to add another set of eyes and some insight. Different guys are responsible for different areas of the game plan but on game day, Jason Simmons will call the plays.

Q. Where will Jason be during games and if it's in the box, who will be his eyes on the field, if he's down shares, who will be his eyes in the sky?

RYAN WALTERS: I think operationally, will be the same. Like he's been in the box up to this point. So I think he'll be comfortable up there the. And then, you know, we'll operate like we have been in terms of communication and signaling and/or huddling.

Q. Why make the change now?

RYAN WALTERS: Obviously it was not easy. I've got a lot of respect for Graham and I appreciate what he has poured into this program up to this the point. Both him and his family, obviously not an easy conversation. But this is a business. It has nothing to do with anything personal. I wish him and his family nothing but the best and I think Graham is a great coach who just for whatever reason, it just wasn't working here.

The decision to do it now is for a couple reasons. One, I believe that we have a better team than we have been showing the last three weeks, and so there's a lot of football still to be played. We've played a quarter of the games and I feel like if I didn't do anything right now, it would be kind of like waving a white flag on the season. Nobody in that building is ready to do that. And so you know, if a change was going to be made in December, I just didn't feel like it would be fair to draw that out for everyone involved. And so after careful consideration and a lot of thought process and a lot of evaluation, I felt like it was best for the program and best for our team to give us a chance to go be who I believe we have the potential to be, was to make a very tough -- a very tough decision right now.

Q. What will you do after the season? Is Jason going to be the guy in '25? Will you have a national search? How will you handle that after the season?

RYAN WALTERS: I will get there when we get there. Right now we are focused on trying to put the best plan, offense, defense, special teams in a ballgame against a team that this program hadn't beaten in a long time.

Q. Can you go into more specifics about what you felt like this offense wasn't doing that it's supposed to be doing besides the larger, scoring points?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, obviously you want to be able to sustain drives and put points on the board. I think Hudson Card is a talented quarterback and he hasn't looked like himself. We are not as explosive as I think we can be. I think we are doing a good job running the football but it's been hard to find easy throws and getting people in advantageous situations depending on coverage and the shell defensively that's being presented pre-snap. And we haven't played complementary football. That's why I made the decision hey made.

Q. Who is overseeing the quarterback room now?

RYAN WALTERS: We have Stanton Keane is the quarterback analyst, and I'll be more involved just to oversee what's being taught, how we are practicing, just so I can make sure that the communication is being -- being spoken the same throughout the offense.

Q. Obviously as a quarterbacks coach, Graham would have had a relationship with someone like Marcos and the quarterbacks you're bringing in. What conversations have you had with those people to reassure them of where things are going to be in the future?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I've started with the quarterbacks already in the room. They trust what I've done up to this point. You know, I've been very open and honest and transparent with all those guys, and you know, again, like it's human nature to feel bad for Graham, everybody loved Graham in the building. Still do.

But they also are excited about the direction moving forward and are excited to go out and compete, the remaining three quarters of the season.

Q. You mentioned before maybe you'll be more involved now. How much have you been involved week-to-week with giving some oversight to the offense and how is that going to change?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, you know, I've made suggestions and interjected where I saw fit. You know, so now, like obviously I'll be more -- more involved, more in there during the game plan process. You know, I don't want to get in the way and I don't want to speak on things that I don't know.

But you know, I do feel like having eyes from the defensive perspective can sort of give insight or generate discussion on how best to attack certain coverages, how best to attack certain leverages. You know, how to get guys eyes in the wrong spot, things like that, that give defenses problems.

Q. Obviously Jason doesn't come from a background, extensive background of calling or coming up with a game plan at the college level. Extensive high school experience, very successful. Is there something now that you've had both jobs, that head coach mentality, is that something you considered here, and in what ways can it be beneficial for him?

RYAN WALTERS: I think the thing I have been most impressed with Jason just in the time he's been here is his presence, his confidence. He's sort of got like a calm confidence to him, and his ability to relate to and hold 18- to 22-year-olds accountable, our team respects him. You know, had conversations with some of the guys on offense and let them know what direction I was going in in terms of the play calling, and all were excited that it was him.

You know, there's a lot of successful OCs in the college ranks right now that started as high school OCs. I think the fact that he has not only led a side of the ball but led an entire team, it was definitely attractive to me in terms of what our team needs right now.

I've got a lot of confidence in him. I've got a lot of trust in him, and I think he's going to do a great job.

Q. When you use the term complementary football, what's your definition of that and how does that apply to what you want to do defensively?

RYAN WALTERS: The definition, so offense and defense working together to try to win a ballgame.

So if it's a long drive that the defense has been on the field for, you know, it's probably not the wisest thing to go fast the next drive, right.

You know, it's taking advantage of momentum swings and being you know, strategically aggressive on offense and strategically aggressive on defense, depending on what's going on on either side of the ball throughout the course of the game.

And knowing that, you know, what the plan going into the game. So you know, I thought we did a slightly better job of that the last week. Just weren't able to take advantage of some of the opportunities that were being presented.

Q. Is it your view that you can pass the ball and possess the ball at the same time?

RYAN WALTERS: Absolutely.

Q. I don't believe things don't have to be mutually exclusive?

RYAN WALTERS: Absolutely. I just think it's hard to do so when you can't find easy completions; that gets difficult. And like I said, to be strategic about when to take shots and when not to, and how to scheme up what your seeing week-to-week, and having new wrinkles and things that you haven't shown and just to set up plays that complement each other as well, all things that I envision the offense looking like moving forward.

Q. Is there any option pursued to bring in something in-house season as an extra set of eyes or something to help?

RYAN WALTERS: Had a lot of people reach out that are sort of out of it right now, a lot of big name, big resumé. I think it's hard to bring in somebody new in the middle of a season that doesn't know the roster, that doesn't know the vocab or the system. Again, like you can't wholesale change in the middle of year.

And so I vetted a couple people, and if I feel like we need to bring somebody in, then that's the decision I'll make. But I feel like it's best for the program and best for our success to rely on who is in the building, then that's what I'll do, as well. I'll making decision I feel like is the best that gives us the best chance to win.

Q. Before spring ball when you made the decision to bring Jason over from Miami, what did you like about him then that you thought fit this group?

RYAN WALTERS: Just the things I talked about earlier. One, I liked the fact that he had been a head coach, albeit the high school ranks and had been an offensive coordinator, albeit the high school ranks and the success he had, and his familiarity with this area and his passion for the game of football. And just the way he carries himself and his ability to reach people.

Q. We talked about this last year, but it's been a long, long time since Purdue beat Wisconsin. I'm sure you know about the fumble game when game day was here 20 years ago. How much can this be a benefit when you switch things up and get some new Mojo on the offensive side of the ball in the middle of the year?

RYAN WALTERS: We'll see on Saturday, right. I am hopeful and I expect there to be some -- you know, just excitement just because it's something new. I definitely think we need a kick start on that side of the ball and really just inject some energy into the program overall. It's been fun today just to do something different and to hear people's ideas. You know, there's been a lot of guys up to grab game plans and to study. The attitude and the mood of the locker room what I want it to be right now, and we're excited to get to practice tomorrow.

Q. You said on Saturday you thought K.J. would be fine. Is that the case?

RYAN WALTERS: Yes.

Q. And Antonio Stevens, any update on him?

RYAN WALTERS: I'll get that injury report here in a couple hours. I saw him earlier today. He said he's feeling a little bit better. I don't know what that means for Saturday. But obviously I'm hopeful and would love to have him back.

Q. How much of a focus has it been for you to calm the waters here even as you try to win football games and what's the conflict there at this point in the season?

RYAN WALTERS: Calm the waters in terms of?

Q. Just with your team and coaches of this change and moving forward.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I've always been pretty transparent, pretty open, pretty honest with staff, with the players and just everybody that's in our building.

Because of that, I feel like I've gained the trust of the people in the building and it was like -- you know, when I made that decision, it was, all right, like this was what Coach wanted to do. And so now, it's like, all right, what do we do moving forward, and what does that look like and let's go attack the adversity in the moment.

It's been positive. Like I said I'm looking forward to this work week and looking forward to playing a good Wisconsin football team.

Q. With the offensive struggles, defense has been on the field a lot. Do you feel like they have been playing tired? How much do you think that's impacted what they have been able to do?

RYAN WALTERS: It's hard to -- I don't want to make excuses, you know what I mean. I felt like two weeks ago, we played decent defense for three quarters and you know made some bone head mistakes at the end of it. You know, last week again, I thought for about three and a half quarters, they were pretty dialed in and you know just let a couple plays sort of get outside of us. You know, had some stupid penalties that extended a drive there that ended up in a touchdown.

But you know, I have seen improvement from that side. I've seen guys playing the game the way you need to play on that side of the ball, which, toughness and physicality and speed, and so we'll -- hopefully that continues, that improvement continues.

Q. The whole roster, the whole program really seemed very bought in early. What are you doing now over the past few weeks and now looking forward to five undefeated teams and four ranked teams, what are you doing to maintain the morale in the locker room?

RYAN WALTERS: Just being ourselves every day and resting our laurels on the work that's needed to compete and win ballgames. Morale is not low. Guys aren't -- there's no like "woe is me" or finger pointing. I think the team knows what it's capable of and they see the potential. You know, have seen improvement, and I think they are excited to get to work this week.

Q. I don't know how many time you had yesterday to go through Wisconsin but they obviously, against USC, they were up and they had a chance to really win that game, a couple bounces the right way and they were in the game at the end. What are you seeing about them? They are also a team that is improving under a second year coach. What are you seeing from them right now?

RYAN WALTERS: You're seeing what the Badgers what you typically see. They are big and physical up front. They can run the ball well. They are pretty balanced. Probably more so this year than they were a year ago. They have got talented players on both sides of the ball. You know, defensively, they do a good job of disguising coverages and giving you different presentations up front and they strategic about when they big pressure and trying to take away what you are good at offensively, well-coached. A talented football team.

Q. When did you exactly decide it make this change? Was it Saturday night? Sunday? When did you decide, hey, we got to do this?

RYAN WALTERS: You know, I had -- obviously I've been evaluating the season. I never want to make decisions directly after a game. You tend to be emotional after a contest. And so on Sunday after processing and evaluating, watching the film, and just looking at what the program looks like moving forward, you know, decided to make that decision Sunday afternoon.

Q. So you told Graham then. How did he react?

RYAN WALTERS: He reacted with grace and appreciation. Obviously he's disappointed. You know, I told him, I love him to death. I love his family to dental. I'm sorry it didn't work out, and that nobody envisioned this happening and transpiring the way it did.

But he was very gracious. You know, he's like, "Coach, I love you to death and I believe in everything you're doing. I'm sorry it didn't work out, as well." There's no animosity either way. Would I help Graham with whatever and I'm sure he would do the same.

Like I said, I wish him and his family nothing but the best.

Q. Were you forced to make this decision or was it your own decision?

RYAN WALTERS: It was my decision.

Q. With Jason what do you need him to do and be here, and your extensive background as a coordinator, anything you've tried to convey to him in this short time to get him started there?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, we had a lot of conversations. You don't just make a decision like that without fully vetting and fully evaluating what it looks like moving forward. You know, I've expressed the things that I would like to see on game days and need to see from that side of the ball, and he and the rest of the staff are in agreement. And so like I said, are there wholesale changes in no.

But there are definitely a lot of tweaks, and maybe emphasizing things that we already have a little more and de-emphasizing things that we are doing already. Like I said, I'm confident and comfortable and excited to see what that looks like throughout the course of this week, and definitely on game day.