What's the Dynamic for Purdue's Barry Odom Coaching Against 'Friend' Ryan Walters?

Barry Odom's connection to Ryan Walters dates back more than a decade. The two have worked together on different staffs throughout their careers, but this weekend, they'll be standing on opposite sidelines. Odom will lead Purdue on the field at Husky Stadium, a team Walters was coaching just 12 months ago.

A day after Walters' second season at Purdue concluded, he was fired by athletic director Mike Bobinski. In December, Odom was named the next head coach of the Boilermakers.

It certainly creates a unique situation heading into Saturday's game, as Purdue will play Washington for the first time since the 2002 Sun Bowl.

"Ryan and I have known each other for a long time, maybe since 2008 or 2009," Odom said during his Monday press conference. "I've known him a long time. I consider him a friend."

The two first worked together at Memphis in 2014. Odom was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in his third season with the Tigers. Walters was hired as the cornerbacks coach.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters looks down field | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In 2015, Odom was named the defensive coordinator at Missouri, and Walters took a job as the safeties coach. Then, in 2016, Odom became the head coach, and Walters worked as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach through the 2020 campaign.

Odom was fired by Missouri in 2019.

So, will Saturday be awkward for Odom, having taken Walters' old job? He still considers Walters to be a friend and used his own experience to explain how Washington's defensive coordinator might feel seeing his former team.

"When I got fired at Missouri, I went to Arkansas as the coordinator," Odom said. "From a personal standpoint, it was hard on both sides. You walk across and you see guys you recruited, players who, just a few short months ago, you were coaching and developing."

For Odom, there is no extra incentive for Purdue to win Saturday's game based on who is standing on the opposite sideline. In fact, his brother, Brian Odom, is also on Washington's staff, working as the inside linebackers coach.

While Walters standing on the other sideline might be a talking point among fans and media, Odom said that nothing really changes. He still considers Walters a good friend.

"A number of things are based around relationships," Odom said. "Just because you change colors, that doesn't change the relationship."

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