Tommy McClelland didn’t run away from Thursday’s ill-timed jab at Indiana. Purdue’s new athletic director owned it and explained how it happened during two media interviews on Friday.
Also Friday, Purdue’s Board of Trustees approved McClelland’s term sheet, which includes a six-year contract and $1.25 million in guaranteed compensation in his first year.
Here’s the skinny on both
ICYMI - and I don’t see how - McClelland said: “We are here to win championships. If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana. Purdue may not be the place for you.”
The Hoosiers won college football’s national title in January, and McClelland’s comments became the story on social media around the country. In fact, you didn’t need social media to understand the firestorm he created.
McClelland appeared on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis with host Jake Query and was a guest on ESPN’s "The Pat McAfee Show.”
He addressed it directly with McAfee at the start.
“First of all, obviously, I know they won the national championship. I was at the game with my youngest son,” he said.
His press conference was going well until the Indiana comment, which came during his opening statement.
"I'm having a great day (Thursday), giving our vision and sharing what we're going to do here at Purdue," McClelland told McAfee. “I made an offhand, unscripted comment about an in-state rival that didn't land well. I knew it the second it left my mouth."
He compared the situation to his golf game.
"Every now and then, you line it up on the first tee, and you're really excited about that round, and I put it right into the water,” McClelland told McAfee. “I gotta put it back, tee it right back up, and I got 18 more holes to play.”
During the interview with Query, McClelland said he went “off script, off the cuff, a joke that didn’t land well.”
McClelland added: “The thing that bothers me more than anything is it becomes a distraction to what the focus is.”
McClelland would’ve preferred not to be answering questions about what happened Thursday. But he did, using humor and humility to navigate the situation. He didn’t come across defensive. He had to explain himself.
To do that, he had to jump into the deep end and “sit in it,” as Purdue men’s basketball coach Matt Painter often says.
Based on what we know about McClelland to this point, the 44-year-old doesn’t appear to live in a world where his public statements are filled with “hot takes.” He doesn’t seem to be a guy trying to gain attention in this manner.
If there’s a positive, it’s this: A lot of national media and people in general were talking about Purdue the last 48 hours. Maybe not in the positive light the school prefers, but the notion that any publicity is good publicity might apply in this situation.
Just think if McClelland would’ve sailed through his press conference - minus the IU comment. Would Pat McAfee want to put McClelland on his show? It’s unlikely the Dan Patrick Show, a daily national sports talk program, even mentioned Purdue hired a new athletic director.
The Athletic, one of the nation’s top sports journalism websites, and ESPN.com both published stories. They would’ve had little interest otherwise. Social media roasted him and had a field day, but at least now everyone knows McClelland’s name and where he works.
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Here are the particulars about McClelland’s financial term sheet, which will be converted into a long-form contract:
▶ Six-year deal that runs through June 30, 2032.
▶ $1 million base salary with a $50,000 increase each July 1. Additional base salary increases may be awarded entirely on merit and based on criteria upon which the President and Athletic Director will mutually agree.
▶ $250,000 in deferred compensation delivered on May 30.
▶ Up to $300,000 in incentives based on weighted metrics in key areas not necessarily limited to:
Graduation Success Rate
Cumulative Grade Point Average
Big Ten Placement
Big Ten Championships
NCAA tournament success
NCAA Championships
▶ Guaranteed compensation in Year 1: $1.25 million. Guaranteed compensation for the six-year term: $8.25 million, assuming an annual minimum $50,000 base salary raise and no increase in deferred compensation. Total value could reach $8.4 million if all the incentives are reached each year.
It’s a step-up in salary for McClelland.
According to Rice University’s latest Form 990 submitted on May 11 to the IRS for FY25, McClelland earned $784,895 in reported compensation and an additional $92,171 from other compensation. McClelland likely earned more compensation during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
PHOTO GALLERIES: Dave Wegiel | Mark Elsner | Chad Krockover
▶ A vehicle program, Lafayette Country Club membership, season tickets, and a season pass to Boilermaker Golf Complex. Apparel allowance, spouse/family travel to away and postseason events.
▶ Up to $30,000 for relocation expenses plus reimbursement for up to four weeks in temporary housing and two months of storage rental. Two coach airfare tickets up to four times between Sept. 2026 and Dec. 31, 2026. All airfare must be booked prior to Dec. 31.
▶ Purdue will pay the $980,000 buyout to Rice as well as any associated income tax liability.
▶ McClelland signed the term sheet July 31.
▶ If terminated without cause, McClelland will receive 70% of total base salary and deferred compensation remaining to be paid over the balance of the term, receiving monthly payments. McClelland would be required to use reasonable efforts to mitigate Purdue’s financial obligations.
▶ If McClelland leaves voluntarily, he would owe Purdue the following:
$2 million prior to June 30, 2027
$1.75 million prior to June 30, 2028
$1.5 million prior to June 30, 2029
$1.25 million prior to June 30, 2030
$1 million prior to June 30, 2031
$975,000 prior to June 30, 2032
▶ Michael Klipsch, who directed the AD search, said during Friday’s board meeting: “We thought Tommy was the guy, and he accepted on the spot. We called him a few minutes after he was our last interview on the last day, and we were kind of thinking about some others, and he blew us out of the water.”
▶ Purdue anticipated McClelland starting the job on or before Sept. 1. However, Klipsch said he’ll begin Monday, Aug. 17.
“He’s going to hop in his truck and grab his dog and drive back from Houston next week,” Klipsch said.
▶ McClelland will be in charge of the department at that point. Bobinski will stay on through the end of the year and be available as a resource.
Purdue is paying two athletic directors for roughly five months. Bobinski was scheduled to earn $1.025 million in base salary (plus $400,000 in deferred compensation) during the 2026-27 school year. His last day is Dec. 31.
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