Credit to: purduesports.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After not having a spring game last year due to renovations at Ross-Ade Stadium, Purdue Football brings back its annual event for the first time under second-year head coach Ryan Walters. Kickoff is set noon this Saturday, April 13.
The event is open to the public, and admission is free. Purdue Football alumni from all generations will join as special guests as part of an alumni reunion weekend. The spring game will also air live on Big Ten Network.
https://purduesports.com/documents/2024/4/11/Purdue_Football_Spring_Game_Notes.pdf
FLASHBACK
• The Boilermakers finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten West a season ago.
• Purdue won both trophy games in 2023, beating Illinois (Cannon Trophy) and Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket) for the third straight season. It marked the first time the Boilermakers defeated both rivals in three consecutive seasons since 2004-2006.
• Leading the Big Ten in rushing during conference games (184.6 ypg) a season ago, Purdue was the only school in the 14-team league to have two running backs rush for more than 500 yards in Big Ten games (Devin Mockobee – 625 yards, Tyrone Tracy Jr. – 624 yards).
• Mockobee (811 yards) and Tracy (716 yards) became the first Purdue duo to eclipse 500 yards in a season since 2018. Mockobee became the first Boilermaker to lead the team in rushing in consecutive seasons since Markell Jones (2015-17).
• Purdue’s 2,029 yards on the ground were the most in a season since 2012.
• The Boilermaker defense registered 35 sacks last season, the most since 2004 and the third-most in school history. Purdue’s 2.92 sacks per game ranked second in the Big Ten and 13th nationally.
• Purdue averaged 24.2 yards per kickoff return, the fourth best in program history and the highest return average since 2004.
BOILERMAKERS THAT ARE BACK
• The Boilermakers return four starters on the offensive line: Jalen Grant, Gus Hartwig, Marcus Mbow and Mahamane Moussa.
• Hudson Card returns for his second year as Purdue’s starting quarterback. He was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention a season ago, ranking third in the conference in passing yards per game and completions per game.
• On the other side of the ball, Dillon Thieneman and Kydran Jenkins return to lead Walters’ defense.
• Thieneman was one of the best defensive players in college football, ranking third nationally in interceptions and solo tackles, breaking Purdue freshman records in both categories.
• Along with earning Third Team All-America accolades by the AP, Thieneman was also named the FWAA Defensive Freshman Player of the Year and the Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
• Jenkins ranked second in the Big Ten in tackles-for-loss with 15.5 on the year, ranking 18th in the country and the most by a Boilermaker since George Karlaftis in 2019 (17.0). He became the first Boilermaker to lead the team in TFLs in straight seasons since Jake Replogle (2014-15).
NEWCOMERS IN OLD GOLD & BLACK
• The Boilermakers welcomed 25 newcomers at the start of the semester (14 transfers, 11 freshmen).
• As the spring semester began, Walters and his staff put together a consensus Top 10 transfer class, featuring 11 players from Power 5 schools.
• The incoming transfers consist of eight offensive players and six defensive players: WR Kam Brown (UCLA), WR De’Nylon Morrissette (Georgia), WR CJ Smith (Georgia). RB Reggie Love III (Illinois), OL Joshua Sales Jr. (Indiana), OL Corey Stewart (Ball State), OL Joey Tanona (Notre Dame), OL DJ Wingfield (New Mexico), DB Nyland Green (Georgia), DB Kyndrich Breedlove (Colorado), RUSH END CJ Madden (Georgia), RUSH END Shitta Sillah (Boston College), DL Jamarius Dinkins (Kentucky) and DL Jireh Ojata (Franklin).
• Freshmen enrolling early for spring ball include: QB Marcos Davila, RB Jaheim Merriweather, TE Tayvion Galloway, WR Tra’Mar Harris, WR Jesse Watson, OL Jaden Ball, OL John Randle Jr., DL Demeco Kennedy, DB Smiley Bradford, DB D’Mon Marable, RUSH END DJ Allen.
