Everything Purdue Coach Ryan Walters Said at His Week 1 Press Conference

Purdue coach Ryan Walters met with reporters on Monday, as the Boilermakers prepare for their season opener against Indiana State on Saturday.

Dustin Schutte | Aug 26, 2024

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters blows his whistle / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

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With the first game just around the corner, Purdue coach Ryan Walters met with reporters to talk about the Boilermakers' season opener against Indiana State.

Here's everything the second-year coach said on Monday.

On how the team is different from last year ...

Walters: "I think it's entirely different. One, we've got a new locker room — even the guys that have been here who are returning, they're older, they're more mature, their bodies are different, their understanding of what were doing from a program picture and schematic picture is higher.

"As a staff, we've grown. It's no secret, last year, that was my first rodeo. So, you find ways to improve the program. You take the things that worked and enhance them and the things you need to get stronger in, you dive into them and embrace that feeling of being uncomfortable.

"I think for me, personally, just understanding how best to use my time in order to help the program from a football standpoint. I think a year ago there were a lot of things that we were tweaking and changing — just the stuff on the periphery, the ins and the outs of the program that had nothing to do with the playing field. So, now that everybody's been here for a year, they understand how we want to operate, there's no need to micromanage. Now you can dive into football a little more.

"I just think we're in a much better place. I look back to this time a year ago, knowing what I know now and seeing what we're seeing, it's not close."

On if Corey Stewart is definitely playing on Saturday ...

Walters: "I would say he's questionable right now. We'll see how this week goes. Not out of the question, but still a possibility."

On if he knows who his best offensive linemen are right now ...

Walters: "Corey's in the top-five. There was no question about that. And then past that, there are a few guys that missed a little bit of time in camp that we still want to see a little more from. Obviously, the guys who have been there, we know what we're getting from that standpoint. We're happy with the depth we've created at that position."

On how playing FCS opponents fits into his scheduling philosophy ...

Walters: "You play nine conference games, so, if you could have three of them, that would be great. No, but I think it's a good opportunity for the FCS opponents to play in a Power Four, Big Ten-type atmosphere against those type of opponents. I know as a coach, you like to go up against the best of the best and see where you stack.

"For us, it's a good chance to really dive into the process and fully respect the preparation and your opponent and go compete. I think anytime you can do that early in the year, it's good for both programs."

On how the team has come together ...

Walters: "I would say this is the closest team I've been around. And that's not only as a head coach, but as an assistant, as well. I think we did a lot of things in the winter, spring and summer to provide opportunities for organic relationships to form. I think the guys have done a really good job of reaching out to guys in the locker room that they wouldn't normally hang out with, just to get to know each other.

"I think that showed up in the way we practiced. There wasn't a whole lot of fights out there. There were guys that were competing at a high level, but also taking care of each other.

"We did a lot of things where you had an opportunity to be vulnerable and talk about things that weren't football related to get to dive deeper into the individual. Everybody is going through different things, different walks of life and everybody's got their own problems. So, you kind of get to know why people act the way they do and why guys might communicate a certain way. I think anytime you have that background and that understanding, it just allows for more efficient communication."

On having Elijah Jackson returning kickoffs ...

Walters: "He's really, really fast. He was a track guy in high school and that definitely translates to the gridiron. He's put on a lot of muscular weight since last year and he's shorter in stature — once he gets behind some blockers and when he gets into the open field, it's pretty electric."

On the team-building experiences Purdue used in the offseason ...

Walters: "I think one of the first things we did — we created teams of six, seven, eight guys, and we were strategic about who was on those teams. It was a guy returning, a guy that was incoming in January, different position groups, different backgrounds. We took them to escape rooms in town. That kind of got people to communicate and we were able to see who got out of there the fastest.

"You got to see leadership, you got to see problem-solving and you got to see them interact. I thought that was a cool experience. We brought them back to the indoor one night, broke them up into different teams strategically and had a dodgeball tournament. You got to see them compete — that was the most competitive dodgeball I've ever seen. But you got to see guys compete, have a lot of fun. Nothing to do with football.

"We rented out The Tap for one of the playoff games and made guys sit with people they didn't know. So, you got to break bread, have fellowship, watch ball, kind of an icebreaker then.

"And then in fall camp, we had 45 minutes at the end of every day before our final walkthrough, before they headed home to get some rest, we had breakout sessions where it was four or five guys per group with a coach as a moderator. Every day, you had a different team, never with the same guy twice. We asked them life questions. First off was who are you? Where are you from? What was your family dynamic growing up? Then I would present a question or two for the group to ask, just to generate some thought and dialogue. I felt like that really helped us get to know each other, find out what people's motivations are, what they're afraid of and what they're hopeful for. I thought that was a great way to get to know each other and develop chemistry."

On how he defines success ...

Walters: "I think I would be better suited to answer that question at the end of the season. Right now, success for us is scoring more points than Indiana State on Saturday. That's my answer to that question."

On if he had any mentors in the offseason ...

Walters: "There's a bunch of guys that I've worked with that I talked to frequently. I would say my biggest mentor is my dad. That's probably who I talked to the most. He has a pretty level head and kind of sees things for what they are at face value and is not afraid to shoot you straight. So, I do a lot of leaning on him."

On if Purdue will open up the playbook or stay reserved vs. Indiana State ...

Walters: "I'd rather dive into it. I've been part of programs where you try not to show things. Ultimately, you're trying to win a ball game. We all know how difficult it is to win. And also, I think the more you show, especially early in the season, the more your opponent has to work on. So, we'll show what we need to show and try to be strategic in that aspect."