Why was Graham Harrell fired? Exploring Purdue's decision to part ways with OC

The Purdue Boilermakers' underwhelming start to the season, highlighted by subpar offensive performances, seemingly led to the firing of second-year offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.

Boilermakers coach Ryan Walters spoke with the media following the firing of Harrell just four games into the season with Purdue sitting on a 1-3 record.

“Decisions like this are never easy,” Walters said in a statement. “After evaluating our start to the season, I felt that it was best for our team to make a change now. We are appreciative of Graham’s contributions to our program and wish him the best going forward.”

Graham Harrell's sacking means the highest-paid assistant in the program won't see the end of his three-year deal. He had experience with other top programs, including West Virginia, USC, North Texas and Washington State, during the last 10 years.

After Harrell joined Ryan Walters' staff in 2022, the program was able to land transfer quarterback Hudson Card. Purdue improved significantly offensively, scoring 49 points and 35 points in wins over Minnesota and Indiana late last season. However, the 2024 season has seen a significant drop off.

Purdue's 23.9 points per game from 2023 saw a steep decline to 21.8 ppg through four games this season. After a 49-point outing against Indiana State in the season opener, they have averaged just 12.6 ppg in three games.

With a third of the season already done, Hudson Card, while efficient (65.9% pass completion rate), has already thrown four interceptions. While he has consistently gotten near the endzone, he hasn't been able to lead his team to touchdowns.

Purdue (1-3) has less than a week to find a replacement for Graham Harrell as it is scheduled to face Wisconsin on Saturday. Meanwhile, Harrell can look forward to landing a new gig. His player resume and coaching experience could help in that regard.

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