New Purdue football coach Barry Odom is set to earn more than any previous Boilermakers coach. This significant financial move comes as Odom agreed to a six-year deal worth at least $39 million, as per a memorandum of understanding released by the school on Tuesday. The deal includes performance and academic bonuses that could further enhance its value. His base salary for the first two seasons is $6 million annually, with an increase of $250,000 each year in years 3 and 4. It then rises to $7 million in year 5 and $7.25 million in the final year.

Assistant Coach Salary Pool and Buyout Details

The assistant coach salary pool, which Odom will use to assemble his first staff, is yet to be determined. Previous coach Ryan Walters was entitled to up to $5.5 million for 10 assistants and one strength and conditioning coach. Purdue also has to pay the $3 million buyout that Odom owes UNLV for backing out of the contract extension he signed earlier this year.

Odom's Previous Contract at UNLV

Odom signed a five-year contract extension with UNLV last spring after his breakthrough first season. This guaranteed him at least $1.75 million for the 2024 season, increasing to at least $2.4 million for 2028. He was also due his first of three potential retention bonuses of $200,000 in March 2026. UNLV athletic director Erick Harper expressed his desire to make a competitive counter-offer to retain Odom but was unable to do so. He mentioned that reaching a certain number was difficult but they had looked at it in detail.

Comparison with Previous Coaches

Odom becomes the highest-paid coach on campus, surpassing Matt Painter's guarantee of $4.85 million for 2024-25. Former football coach Jeff Brohm, who left for Louisville in December 2022 and prompted Purdue to hire Walters, was paid $5.1 million in his final season and was set to make $5.4 million in 2025. Walters, a first-time head coach, agreed to a five-year deal before the 2023 season and made $4.05 million this past season, with a $50,000 increase scheduled for each of the next three seasons. His 2024 salary ranked 16th out of 17 Big Ten public schools. Odom's new salary would have ranked 15th. However, Purdue's head coach salary for 2025 has been surpassed by IU's Curt Cignetti, who was originally hired on a $4.25 million annual deal and received a contract extension with an average annual value of $8 million for leading the Hoosiers to double-digit victories and the College Football Playoff. Cignetti's new contract stipulates $11 million per year for "on-field staff salary and support pool." Purdue administrators hope Odom's success will lead them to revisit this initial deal one year from now.