Purdue football appears to be back on track under Barry Odom after starting 2-1 in Big Ten play. Still, there is plenty of work left to do, with Washington coming to Ross-Ade Stadium on Friday night. The Boilermakers will face a short week of preparation, with several storylines surrounding the matchup.
Here's everything Odom had to say about Purdue's preparation and mindset during his Week 7 press conference.
Short week practice plan
Purdue picked up a massive win over Minnesota on Saturday, but it's already time to turn the page. With the Boilermakers set to host Washington on Friday night, they'll have a shortened week of preparation. Fortunately, Odom is familiar with Friday night games after coaching six of them during his second season at UNLV.
“We found out what worked best for us there. Doesn't mean it's just plug and play here. I'm a firm believer in maybe cutting some time, but never the intensity of the drill,” Odom said. “The only way to prepare the right way is, you gotta practice, you gotta work, you gotta go through hard.”
The Boilermakers won't have to travel this week, allowing the team to focus entirely on preparing for the Huskies in West Lafayette. Washington also played on Friday night last week, but now faces a trip from the West Coast to the Eastern Time Zone. Both teams will need to adjust quickly before Friday's matchup, which presents a significant opportunity for Purdue to build on its recent momentum.
Importance of protecting the ball
Ryan Browne has been excellent this season, and one of the clearest signs of his development has been his improved ball security. After throwing 10 interceptions and just nine touchdowns last season, Browne has nine touchdown passes and one interception through six games this year.
While Browne's improvement has been significant, Odom pointed to the entire offense as responsible for Purdue's progress in protecting the football.
“I think you always look at turnover margin, how important it is, and, you know, everybody's got a responsibility for that,” Odom said.
“When we talk about ball security, we talk about, not only the running backs, the tight ends, the wide receivers, the quarterback, but the offensive line. Because we've all got a part in it on taking care of the ball.”
Purdue's improved ball security, combined with a defense that has started to force turnovers, has helped the Boilermakers find success. Purdue committed no turnovers against Minnesota while forcing two of its own. Maintaining that balance will be important as the team looks to extend its winning streak against Washington.
Avoiding a letdown
After two impressive wins, Purdue faces the challenge of avoiding a potential letdown. Minnesota experienced that scenario Saturday after defeating both Washington and Michigan before being dominated by the Boilermakers.
Odom wants his team to focus on one week at a time rather than dwell on past performances, whether positive or negative.
“Whatever we did five weeks ago, we learned from those lessons, and then it's gone. Whatever we did last Saturday, we learned from those lessons, and it's over,” Odom said. “If you focus on where your feet are, right here, the right now, your mind will be exactly where it's supposed to be.”
That mentality will be especially important against a Washington team looking to bounce back with a win. If the Boilermakers can maintain their focus and avoid looking too far ahead, they'll have an opportunity to earn another statement victory.
Importance of football winning to the athletic department
There's no denying that Purdue is traditionally known as a basketball school. However, football success can have a significant impact on an athletic department, and the Boilermakers have an opportunity to change the program's trajectory after two consecutive wins.
Odom believes winning can create a positive ripple effect across an entire university, giving the football program an important role in shaping the campus atmosphere.
“I do think winning is contagious. I believe that. For an athletic department,” Odom said. “The better that we are, the better that we win, it changes the feel on a university campus, and I like having that responsibility.”
“I want the people that go to school here and care about this university, the 600,000 living alumni, I want to be proud of our football team.”
Purdue has a different feel after winning back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 2022. Now, the Boilermakers have a chance to keep that momentum going against Washington on Friday night and continue building toward a more successful future under Odom.
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