Former Purdue QB Returning to West Lafayette as Member of Barry Odom's Staff
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Austin Appleby is returning to West Lafayette, this time in a new role. The former Purdue quarterback has joined Barry Odom's staff as an offensive analyst, according to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel.
For the past three seasons, Appleby worked at UAB as the wide receivers coach. He also had stops with Missouri State (FCS), Central Michigan and Mount Union (Division III).
Sources: Former Purdue/Florida quarterback Austin Appleby is expected to join the Purdue staff as an offensive analyst. He’s worked at UAB, Missouri State, Central Michigan and Mount Union. pic.twitter.com/5Vvt1tJYVI
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 2, 2025
Appleby was a quarterback at Purdue from 2012-15. He played in 16 career games with the Boilermakers, which includes seven starts during the 2014 campaign. He ended his time in West Lafayette with 2,777 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. The quarterback also rushed for 290 yards and nine touchdowns.
Following the 2015 season, Appleby decided to transfer to Florida. In his lone season with the Gators, Appleby appeared in nine games and started seven times during the 2016 season. He threw for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Gators reached the SEC Championship Game at the end of the regular season.
It's been an active spring for Odom, adding several pieces from the transfer portal and now bringing Appleby in as a member of the staff ahead of the 2025 college football season.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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