INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The National Bank of Indianapolis has announced a new partnership with New Direction Church aimed at supporting and strengthening the local community.

Founded in 1993, the National Bank of Indianapolis was established as a locally owned institution to serve the needs of Indianapolis residents after larger banks were sold to out-of-market organizations.

According to Doug Talley, executive vice president of NBI, nonprofit banking has been a cornerstone of the bank’s mission from the start.

“Being a part of the community, helping it grow, and reinvesting in it has always been key to our work. This new partnership aligns perfectly with what Pastor Sullivan and New Direction Church are doing to benefit and uplift our community,” Talley said.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Sullivan Jr., pastor of New Direction Church, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasizing the potential for positive change in the Circle City.

“This partnership is an opportunity for our entire community to be blessed and benefit from initiatives we are rolling out, including the Home Buyers Assistance program. First-time homebuyers will receive down payment assistance, helping them take a significant step toward homeownership and financial stability,” Sullivan said.

In addition to homebuyer support, the partnership will also offer financial literacy courses to help Hoosiers better manage their finances and make informed decisions about saving and investing.

The Indianapolis Colts are about to set off on a critical four-game stretch to make or break their playoff aspirations for this season. Yet, despite the high stakes, some are beginning to look ahead to how this offseason could pan out for this roster that has a few needs on both sides of the ball.

So far this season, the Colts have ranked 23rd in the NFL for total offensive yards, and 29th for total defensive yards. While Indianapolis is lucky enough to be positioned for a potential late-season postseason push, it’s clear this roster still has work to do all around, especially for a select few positions.

However, in CBS Sports and Ryan Wilson’s latest mock draft, the Colts go in a direction that could be a bit surprising when considering the current state of the roster.

Rather than going for a glaring position of need many project Indianapolis to target like tight end or secondary help, CBS Sports has the Colts selecting neither with the 14th-overall pick, going with a talented Georgia edge/off-ball linebacker, Jalon Walker, instead– who Ryan Wilson had some significant praise for.

“Jalon Walker is listed as an off-ball linebacker, but he can line up anywhere … and wreak havoc from anywhere,” Wilson said. “Very interested to see how NFL teams plan to use him at the next level.”

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Walker has had an impressive year with the Bulldogs, posting a career-high in sacks (6.5) and tackles (58), putting his defensive versatility on full display as a 6-foot-2, 245 pound linebacker.

For the Colts, it would be the second first-round pick in a row for which they address the defensive side, pairing with their selection of UCLA’s Laiatu Latu in 2024. So far, Latu has held up his end of a steep draft stock as an impactful piece of the front seven, but if Indianapolis wants to bolster that part of the defense once again, Walker is far from a bad option.

The selection of Walker in this mock places him over other popular Indianapolis mock picks like tight end Colston Loveland, and cornerback Shavon Revel Jr.– both being at positions general manager Chris Ballard and Co. could look at heavily once April rolls around.

On the flip side, if a player at another impact position like Walker emerges highly on the Colts’ draft board, don’t be shocked to see this be the direction that comes to fruition once Indianapolis comes on the clock.

Thankfully, the Colts and their front office have a ton of time before a decision becomes final for their first-round pick. Four months sit between now and when Indianapolis makes their official selection, as the NFL draft kicks off in Green Bay on April 24th.

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New Purdue football coach Barry Odom will soon be paid more than any Boilermakers coach before him. 

Odom agreed to a six-year deal worth at least $39 million, per a memorandum of understanding the school released Tuesday. Coaches are typically eligible for performance and academic bonuses which could increase that value. Odom’s base salary for his first two seasons is $6 million per, then rises $250,000 each year for years 3 and 4, before going to $7 million in year 5 and $7.25 million in the final year of the deal.

Also not yet available is the assistant coach salary pool which Odom will use to assemble his first staff. Previous coach Ryan Walters was contractually entitled to up to $5.5 million for 10 assistants and one strength and conditioning coach.

More Purdue football: What Barry Odom told Boilers at first team meeting

Purdue must also pay the $3 million buyout Odom owes UNLV for backing out of the contract extension he signed earlier this year. 

Odom becomes the highest-paid coach on campus, surpassing Matt Painter’s guarantee of $4.85 million for 2024-25. Former football coach Jeff Brohm, whose departure to Louisville in December 2022 prompted Purdue to hire Walters, was paid $5.1 million for his final season. He was due to make $5.4 million in 2025. 

Odom signed a five-year contract extension with UNLV last spring following his breakthrough first season. That guaranteed him at least $1.75 million for the 2024 season, increasing to at least $2.4 million for 2028. He was also due his first of three potential retention bonuses of $200,000 in March 2026. 

UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said earlier this week he wanted to make a competitive counter-offer to retain Odom, but could not.

“That’s a hard number to reach,” Harper said Sunday, without disclosing the amount, “but we did look at it in full detail. The Big Ten’s — they’ve got a big, deep pocket.”

Walters, a first-time head coach, agreed to a five-year deal to become Purdue’s coach prior to the 2023 season. He made $4.05 million for this past season, and was scheduled for a $50,000 increase in each of the next three seasons. Per his contract, Purdue must pay him 75% of his salary to buy out those remaining three years — $9.3375 million — plus $253,125 for the current month. 

Walters’ 2024 salary ranked 16^th out of 17 Big Ten public schools, per the USA Today coaching salary database. (Information on Northwestern is unavailable.) Odom’s new salary would have ranked 15^th.

However, Purdue’s head coach salary has since been surpassed for 2025 by IU’s Curt Cignetti. Originally hired on a $4.25 million annual deal, Cignetti received a contract extension with an average annual value of $8 million for leading the Hoosiers to double-digit victories and the College Football Playoff. Cignetti’s new contract stipulates $11 million per year for “on-field staff salary and support pool.”

Purdue administrators surely hope Odom’s success also forces them to revisit this initial deal one year from now.