Barry Odom, Purdue brace for test at tradition-rich Notre Dame

No program in America is dipped in more tradition and lore than Notre Dame.

There’s the Golden Dome. Touchdown Jesus. The Grotto. Hollywood has buffed the mystic with “Rudy” and “Knute Rockne, All-American.”

You love the Irish, you hate the Irish … but you don’t ignore the Irish. It’s almost impossible, especially with home games blasted coast-to-coast on NBC for over 30 years. You can find this Saturday’s Purdue at No. 24 Notre Dame game there (3:30 p.m. ET).

“You look at the history of college football and the success that they’ve had, I mean, much respect for that,” said Purdue first-year coach Barry Odom.

While Odom knows the traditions that wrap the storied program, he never has been to Notre Dame. Not as a player at Missouri nor during any of this coaching stops since. Odom never even has passed through as a tourist to check it out.

“My wife went on a recruiting visit with my one of my sons,” said Odom. “I didn’t go on that. Obviously, know the history of Notre Dame and great respect for their tradition and history since the beginning of time with football. But I have never been there personally.”

That’s about to change. Odom will trek 108 or so miles north for this week’s game. And when he gets there, he’ll find an angry Irish team whose College Football Playoff hopes already are pressed against the wall following an 0-2 start. Notre Dame opened with a 27-24 loss at Miami (Fla.) and then got dumped at home 41-40 by Texas A&M.

Odom’s own team is coming off a defeat–its first of the season. There’s plenty to correct following the 33-17 loss to USC. So, forgive Odom if he doesn’t go on a campus tour or take pictures while in South Bend.

“As far as getting caught up in any of those traditions, for us, and again, great respect for them, they got great players, great coaches,” said Odom. “But our job and opportunities to create winning football start with our habits.”

Among Purdue’s issues as it preps for the junket to South Bend: Improving the offensive line play, generating its first takeaway of the season and improving the pass rush, among other points of focus. ND knows this visit from Purdue is for all intents and purposes a must-win game.

Purdue has had little success winning at Notre Dame. The last victory came in 2004. (ND has won nine straight overall since, the last Purdue win coming in 2007.) Before that 2004 triumph at ND, the last win under the Golden Dome was 1974. Purdue is 11-31 all-time in South Bend.

The schools played each season from 1946-2014. Since then, they have met twice. The Irish thumped the Boilermakers in West Lafayette last season, 66-7. And Purdue fell in South Bend, 27-13, in 2021.

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Part of the Notre Dame-Purdue lore: The Shillelagh, a trophy that goes to the winner. The bauble was first presented in 1957, donated by Joe McLaughlin, a merchant seaman and a Fighting Irish supporter who brought it from Ireland. Nineteen miniature gold “P” footballs signifying Purdue victories adorn the base of the Shillelagh, while Notre Dame has “ND” in 40 such footballs.

Does Odom know what the Shillelagh is?

“I don’t have my notes in front of me, but I’ve seen pictures of the trophy,” he fessed. “I looked at it, I’ve studied it, and at this point, this would be where (football SID Adam) Kuffner would come in and say, ‘Hey, Coach, remember it’s this.’ I’m still waiting on that.

“I know it’s the 89th meeting, I believe, if my memory serves me correct, played a long time. Been a lot of great battles over the years between the two programs, and I’m honored to have a chance to represent Purdue in a trophy game.”

If Purdue is gonna win, it will have to do so as a heavy underdog (+26.5, per BETMGM). How does Odom feel about being a long-shot to win Saturday?

“It doesn’t make me feel any differently than if you would not have made that comment,” said Odom. “I have not looked at that or thought about it. It’s about us getting ready to go play. I’m excited about the opportunity, and whatever the favorite or the underdog is, I’m excited about who we are and the progress we’re making.”