Purdue coach Barry Odom fired defensive coordinator Kevin Kane on Sunday, ending Kane's second stint as the Boilermakers' defensive playcaller just nine games into the season.
The dismissal came one day after Purdue (3-6, 2-4 Big Ten) surrendered 27 second-half points and multiple big plays in a 34-29 loss to Maryland. The result allowed the Terrapins (3-6, 1-5) to snap a 13-game conference losing streak.
Fans had been clamoring for a change almost from the moment things went south following a season-opening win over FCS school Indiana State. Odom had brushed off suggestions he might make a switch and again declined to discuss a potential move after Saturday's loss, though he sounded more frustrated than usual.
"You can't play as good as we did early on defense, and then all of a sudden you give up four explosive plays, really for touchdowns," he said. "You'll never win games doing that."
Odom was not available to take questions Sunday and has not said who will take over as the playcaller, a duty he has handled himself at his previous coaching stops. He is expected to discuss the change during his regular weekly news conference Monday.
The Boilermakers have struggled since reaching the Big Ten championship game in 2022. Ryan Walters, Odom's predecessor, went 5-19 overall and 3-15 in conference play during his two seasons in West Lafayette. Purdue finished 2-10 last year, going winless in league play for the second straight season while fielding one of the worst statistical defenses in the nation.
After Purdue opened this season with a win, the defensive struggles continued until an October victory over Illinois finally broke the Boilermakers' 19-game losing streak in league play. The defense appeared to be making progress over the last month, which helped quiet some of the cries for a change, but the complaints returned following Saturday's regression.
"I've never been one to comment a lot on that publicly," Odom said when asked specifically about staff changes, adding that everyone "starting with the head coach and all the way down the flow chart" has to do a better job. "Whatever we have done, it hasn't resulted in as quick a result as we have all wanted.. I do think we have good coaches. I think we've got guys that are working really hard. But right now, when we play the way we did, not near consistent enough to play winning ball. I expect more. I know everybody else does too."
Kane served as Purdue's defensive coordinator for both of Walters' seasons. Everyone on staff was let go after the 2024 season, when Purdue suffered the two worst losses in program history to its two in-state rivals, falling 66-7 to Notre Dame and 66-0 at Indiana. Kane spent last season as Minnesota's linebackers coach, also working with the Golden Gophers' nickelbacks, before Odom brought him back to Purdue as coordinator this season.
