Two seasons ago, the Purdue Boilermakers found themselves in the Big Ten Championship after going 6-3 in the Big Ten West. A season later, however, Purdue took a big step back under first-year head coach Ryan Walters, going 4-8, and placing fifth in the Big Ten West.
Here is how the Boilermakers look heading into the 2024 season.
The Basics:
2023 record: 4-8, 3-6
2024 projected wins: 4.5 (per DraftKings)
Key draft losses: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Giants) and DB Sanoussi Kane (Ravens)
Key portal losses: DE Nic Scourton, WR Deion Burks, WR TJ Sheffield, WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, LB OC Brothers, OL Josh Kaltenberger, DL Khordae Sydnor, TE Garrett Miller, RB Dylan Downing, LB Domanick Moon, K Julio Macias, LB Clyde Washington
Key portal additions: OL Corey Stewart, OL DJ Wingfield, OL Joey Tanona, OL Rod Green, DL Jamarius Dinkins, DE sh*tta Sillah, OL Jaekwon Bouldin, DE CJ Madden, RB Reggie Love III, WR Kam Brown, OL Joshua Sales, DE Jireh Ojata, CB Nyland Green, WR De’Nylon Morrissette, WR C.J. Smith
Check out all of Purdue’s moves here.
State of the Program:
The Boilermakers need to improve greatly from 2023 or it is going to be a long season. Following a Big Ten West title with a 4-8 season isn’t the direction any program wants to go in, and the competition is only going to get tougher from now on with the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington.
For starters, the Purdue staff received 14 transfer portal commitments, two JUCO transfers and a solid recruiting class. Quarterback Hudson Card now has a full year under his belt within the offense, and running back Devin Mockobee is back to lead the way with the ground game that was the most efficient aspect of Purdue’s offense last season. That being said, the defense needs to take a major step forward with just five returning starters.
Card was serviceable following his transfer from Texas last season, ranking third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (217.0) after hitting 59 percent (215-of-365) of his attempts for 2,387 yards with 15 TDs and eight interceptions in 11 starts. With his upcoming second season, the coaching staff hopes Card takes another big step forward.
What gives Purdue’s offense hope next season is Mockobee. The former walk-on has rushed for 1,779 yards (4.8 yards per carry) in two years with 15 touchdowns. Mockobee also is a threat in the passing game, hauling in 51 catches for 454 yards and a touchdown. The Boilermakers used a tandem backfield last season with Tyron Tracy Jr. (who was drafted by the Giants in the fifth round), so Purdue added transfer portal back Reggie Love III from Illinois as well.
Receiver wise, top receiver Deion Burks left for Oklahoma, TJ Sheffield went to Michigan State, and Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen left for USF. The top four receivers have to be replaced, but tight end Max Klare is back, Georgia transfer CJ Smith can play on the outside, and there were high hopes in 2023 for Florida Atlantic transfer Jahmal Edrine before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in camp, but now, he could be the No. 1 wideout.
On defense, however, the Boilermakers look completely different. With just five returning starters, the Boilermakers will need to adjust (and improve) greatly from last season when the defense was statistically the worst in the Big Ten against the pass, allowing 30 points per game.
Top pass rusher Nic Scourton left for Texas A&M, so the coaching staff hopes Georgia transfer CJ Madden can step in and produce. On the interior, Purdue has a giant force in 335-pound Cole Brevard at the nose, and there is hope senior defensive tackle Jeffrey M’Ba can step up next to him as well.
At the second level, Kydran Jenkins is back. Last season, he was third in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (15.5) and No. 3 in sacks (7.5) as a defensive end, but he’s been moved to linebacker. Alongside him, big things are expected of Will Heldt and Yanni Karlaftis.
The biggest returner on defense is safety Dillon Thieneman. Thieneman was the Boilermakers’ freshman All-American last year, ranking third nationally in interceptions (6) and solo tackles (74), leading all freshmen and setting new Purdue freshman records. He also led the team with 106 tackles, ranking fifth in the Big Ten among all players and the most by any freshman in the country.
Purdue brought in Georgia transfer cornerback Nyland Green Jr. to help as well. Green only made 12 tackles with two broken-up passes in his first three seasons of college football, but the 6-foot-1, 185-pound former Georgia Bulldog has all the skills, upside and tools to be a major factor in the Boilermaker secondary.
The Boilermakers’ task is complicated by a daunting schedule that includes Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Oregon, so expectations are still pretty low for next season.
