‘Fire Ryan Walters’ chants return as Purdue’s season continues to soar

At least that is the message being relayed.

Scores like Saturday’s — Penn State 49, Purdue 10 — say otherwise.

Or the eight defeats in a row that preceded Saturday, several with correspondingly lopsided scores.

So if talent, or lack thereof, isn’t the problem, why is Purdue the punching bag Big Ten?

Insider: Ryan Walter’s future is not only one uncertain. Purdue’s top players have their own decisions.

Purdue vs. Penn State grades: So bad some Boilers fans couldn’t bear to watch.

“The talent is there. Talent-wise, we have great players. They know what to do,” senior linebacker Kydran Jenkins said. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to execute. That’s what it comes down to. If you want to win games, executing in the big moments is the most important thing.”

Purdue hasn’t executed in big moments.

Or a great many moments this season.

If, as we are told, it is mostly due to execution, then it falls on the coaches. Ultimately, the head coach is the one who carries the heavy load when seasons go like Purdue’s currently.

Ryan Walters said Sept. 14 that he deserves “every ounce of criticism” after a loss to Notre Dame, Purdue’s first of nine straight.

Ounces turned into pounds turned into tons to the point that students had to be warned to call for Purdue’s football coach to be fired at home basketball games. On Saturday, “four Walters” chants came from the stands at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Errors in execution are why a big play, or even several big plays, happen during the game.

That’s not why you score a combined three first quarter points over nine games against FBS programs. Or 29 total points in the first half against opponents not named Indiana State, an FCS program with a 7-26 record over the past three seasons.

That’s not why the defense is dead last in the Big Ten in both yards and points allowed by a wide margin over the 17th-worst team. Or an offense that statistically is just slightly better than Northwestern and Michigan, both of which are significantly better defensively than Purdue to make up for some of the lack of offensive production.

Purdue’s Kydran Jenkins, Max Klare react after loss to Penn State

Purdue lost to Penn State 49-10. Hear what linebacker Kydran Jenkins and tight end Max Klare had to say after the setback.

“I think there’s a combination of a lot of things that led to where we are right now,” Walters said. “Obviously the strength of the schedule and the combination that doesn’t execute and has mental mistakes and mental busts, it’s not a great combination.”

The strength of the schedule is reasonable.

Kind of.

Fans can probably accept that they won’t beat the Notre Dames, Oregons, Ohio States, and Penn States of the world, as long as Boilermakers fight well.

Instead, in those four games alone, Purdue was outscored 195-17. That doesn’t even include the 52-6 loss at Wisconsin to a Badgers team still trying to find itself early in the season.

Verbal commitments began to reopen their recruitment. Fans leave the stadium in droves before the second half begins.

Walters remains convinced that the fire in the dumpster can be put out.

Many others are not so confident.

With two games remaining, the schedule to prove there is light at the end of the tunnel is dwindling.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.