Purdue head coach Barry Odom is set to bring one of his top assistants with him from UNLV to West Lafayette, as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Mike Scherer will join the Boilermakers' staff. Boiler Upload can confirm the initial report from FootballScoop. Scherer will also coach the linebackers in addition to his duties as the defensive coordinator.

The 31-year old defensive mastermind helped improve the UNLV defense over his two years leading the Rebels' defense. This season, UNLV ranked 37th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 21.9 points per game, while also ranking in the top 50 in total defense. That effort was headlined by the 16th-ranked run defense in the nation, holding teams to 109.8 yards per game on the ground.

A defense that ranked last in the Big Ten in scoring and total defense, as well as last in run and passing defense will now officially have new leadership in the form of Scherer. The Boilermakers had their worst defense in program history in 2024, allowing an eye-popping 39.9 points per game, which was only better than Ball State, Tulsa and Kent State this fall.

Scherer has been with Odom for the eight years as a player and an assistant. The former Missouri linebacker played under Odom with the Tigers, where he racked up 266 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and six pass breakups during his playing career, before later becoming a graduate assistant for Odom's final year in Columbia.

He then followed Odom to Arkansas for three seasons and then to UNLV the last two years as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Rebels. Scherer now follows Odom once again, as he heads to West Lafayette to join the new staff with the Boilermakers.

Scherer becomes the first official hire for Odom that comes from UNLV. Purdue now has two coordinators in place for 2025 and beyond, with Scherer joining new offensive coordinator Josh Henson on Odom's staff.