In the transfer portal era, roster overhauls have become commonplace. But the sheer volume of Purdue’s transformation is staggering.
Mostly out of necessity, the Boilermakers executed one of the most ambitious roster rebuilds in college football history ahead of the 2025 season, bringing in 82 new players. Fifty-two of them arrived via transfer — the most of any Power Four program this year.
From the moment first-year coach Barry Odom and first-time general manager Brandon Lee arrived in West Lafayette, they faced the logistical challenge of managing an endless cycle of visits and recruiting pitches. Travel schedules had to be balanced against competing offers in a chaotic portal market, all while trying to restock an entire roster.
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For Odom, though, it wasn’t uncharted territory. He managed similar situations at UNLV, where he took on 55 transfers in his first season and 50 in his second.
“I knew at some positions it would be a complete overhaul,” Odom said this summer. “I’m not new to the fact of what that is. We had 55 (transfers) my first year at the last place, then we had 50 the next year. You look at the national trend of what that is, I can’t compare us to anyone else, I just know what we needed to do to put together a team for 2025.”
Through two games, Purdue’s roster experiment has paid off. The Boilermakers cruised past Ball State and Southern Illinois. The real test comes Saturday against USC.
What makes Purdue’s overhaul notable beyond the sheer volume is the variety of newcomers. Odom brought eight players with him from UNLV, including defensive back Tony Grimes. He added Power Four transfers such as receiver Nitro Tuggle (Georgia) and tight end Rico Walker (Auburn), as well as proven Group of Six performers looking to step up in competition. Memphis defensive back Tahj Ra-El leads the team with 14 tackles.
The most fascinating case may be starting quarterback Ryan Browne.
Browne left Purdue last winter after a 1-11 season and transferred to North Carolina to play for Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels saw him as a contender for the starting job, particularly general manager Mike Lombardi. But after spring practice, UNC pivoted to South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez, sending Browne back into the portal — and back to Purdue. He has thrown for 484 yards and four touchdowns in two games.
Purdue is not alone in turning over its roster. Rich Rodriguez brought in 51 transfers at West Virginia, though the Mountaineers are 1-1 following a 17-10 loss to Ohio. The process of meshing that many newcomers is never simple, but overhauling quickly — as Odom and Rodriguez did — may bring dividends in the long run.
The Boilermakers have already doubled last year’s win total entering Week 3. The schedule toughens considerably with No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 9 Illinois looming after USC, but Odom’s blueprint is showing early signs of success.
He proved it could work at UNLV. On Saturday, we’ll see how his nearly brand-new Purdue program stacks up when the competition intensifies.
How to watch USC vs. Purdue live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ross-Ade Stadium — West Lafayette, Indiana
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Streaming on Paramount+ Premium
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