Plot twist: Graham Harrell could coach against USC in 2024 Big Ten football season
The Big Ten Conference is one year away for the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins. In 2024, the new era begins for the Los Angeles schools and for the Big Ten as well.
When the Trojans make the jump, there will probably be a very familiar face coaching on the sidelines for one Big Ten program — if he doesn’t get fired before then. That coach is Graham Harrell, the former USC offensive coordinator who went to West Virginia in the same role.
After just one year with the Mountaineers, Harrell is joining the Purdue Boilermaker staff with new head coach Ryan Walters, who was the defensive coordinator at Illinois. It is quite a turn of events in the coaching carousel, and it puts USC in Purdue’s path, though a 2024 Big Ten football schedule has yet to be revealed. That’s the next big point of uncertainty which still has to be resolved.
Source: #Purdue is set to hire Graham Harrell as its offensive coordinator, under new coach Ryan Walters. Harrell spent this season as #WestVirginia's OC after a three-year run in the same role at #USC.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 16, 2022
West Virginia finished just 5-7 this season, although the Mountaineers averaged 30.6 points per game (90th in the country). Former USC QB JT Daniels got most of the work for the Mountaineers.
Purdue’s offense averaged 28.1 PPG (130th in the nation), and we can only imagine what it will look like with Harrell’s air-raid-style offense.
Walters was a strong candidate for the Colorado Buffaloes job — his alma mater — before the school hired Deion Sanders. Nonetheless, he got a Big Ten job and takes over the team that won the Big Ten West this season.
In 2024, Graham Harrell will face the USC Trojans — in the Big Ten. Who ever saw that coming?
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