(Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Aiden O’Connell, QB Jack Plummer, RB Alaxander Horvath, WR David Bell, WR Milton Wright, DE Gerorge Karlaftis, LB Jaylen Alexander, CB Cory Trice, NB DaMarcus Mitchell, SS Cam Allen, and KR/PR T.J. Sheffield.
Key Players Departing:
WR/RS Rondale Moore, OC Viktor Beach, OG Jimmy McKenna, OG Mark Stickford, OT Will Bramel, OT Grant Hermanns, OT Matt McCann, DE Derrick Barnes, SS Brennan Thieneman, PK J.D. Dillinger, and PT Brooks Cormier.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: LB Yanni Karlaftis (West Lafayette, Indiana).
3 Star Recruits: DL Damarjhe Lewis (Indiana transfer), S Jah’von Grigsby (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), WR Deion Burks (Belleville, Michigan), WR Preston Terrell (Brownsburg, Indiana), OT Jaelin Alstott-VanDeVanter (Mooresville, Indiana), OT Marcus Mbow (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), OG Zach Richards (Mooresville, Indiana), OT Mahamane Moussa (Indianapolis, Indiana), and LB Tristan Cox (Somerset, Kentucky).
2020 Results:
G01 IOWA W 24-20
G02 at Illinois W 31-24
G03 #23 NORTHWESTERN L 20-27
G04 at Minnesota L 31-34
G05 RUTGERS | L 30-37
G06 NEBRASKA L 27-37
Team Info:
2020 Record: 2-4 (6th in Big Ten West)
Home: 1-3
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 2-4
Non-B10: 0-0
Head Coach: Jeff Brohm
Purdue: 19-25
Career: 49-35
Bowls: 3-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jack Plummer (88-124, 938 yards, 71.0%, 7.6 avg., 8 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Alexander Horvath (89 car., 442 yards, 5.0 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: David Bell (53 rec., 625 yards, 11.8 avg., 8 TD)
TDs Scored: David Bell (8)
Sacks: George Karlaftis (2)
Tackles: Jaylan Alexander (49)
Tackles For Loss: DaMarcus Mitchell (6)
Interceptions: Cam Allen (2)
Pass Deflections: Dedrick Mackey/DaMarcus Mitchell/Cory Trice (2)
Forced Fumbles: Marvin Grant (2)
Kick Returns: T.J. Sheffield (19 ret., 397 yards, 20.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: T.J. Sheffield (2 ret., 4 yards, 2.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Jack Plummer (2 punts, 61 yards, 30.5 avg., 2 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 13 Jack Plummer (RS JR)
RB: 40 Alexander Horvath (RS SR)
WR: 00 Milton Wright (JR)
WR: 3 David Bell (JR)
WR: 33 Jackson Anthrop (RS SR)
TE: 87 Payne Durham (RS JR)
LT: 69 Greg Long (GR/TR)
LG: 75 Spencer Holstege (RS SO)
OC: 53 Gus Hartwig (SO)
RG: 78 Tyler Witt (GR/TR)
RT: 68 Cam Craig (RS SO)
KR: 8 T.J. Sheffield (RS SO)
PK: 00 Mitchell Fineran (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 5 George Karlaftis (JR)
DT: 8 Anthony Watts (RS SR)
DT: 90 Lawrence Johnson (RS JR)
DE: 15 DeMarcus Mitchell (SR/TR)
LB: 36 Jaylan Alexander (SR)
LB: 97 Semisi Fakasileiki (RS SR)
LB: 6 Jalen Graham (JR)
CB: 23 Cory Trice (RS JR)
CB: 1 Dedrick Mackey (RS SR)
FS: 4 Marvin Grant (RS SO)
SS: 10 Cam Allen (JR)
PR: 8 T.J. Sheffield (RS SO)
PT: 47 Brendan Cropsey (RS FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 OREGON STATE BEAVERS | Purdue lost (14-22) the only prior meeting between schools in 1967.
09/11 at Connecticut Huskies | First meeting between schools.
09/18 at Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Purdue trails the series 26-58-2. The Boilermakers are 0-4 since 2011, and they lost (14-30) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
09/25 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI | The series is tied 45-45-6. The Boilermakers are 7-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (6-24) was in 2019.
10/02 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Purdue trails the series 33-40-3. The Boilermakers are 2-7 since 2011, and their last series win (31-17) was in 2017.
10/16 at Iowa Hawkeyes | Purdue leads the series 49-39-3. The Boilermakers are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series loss (20-26) was in 2019.
10/23 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Purdue trails the series 29-50-8. The Boilermakers are 0-9 since 2011, and they lost (24-45) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/30 at Nebraska Cornhuskers | Purdue trails the series 4-5. The Boilermakers are 3-5 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (31-27) was in 2019.
11/06 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Purdue trails the series 27-37-3. The Boilermakers lost (13-23) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/13 at Ohio State Buckeyes | Purdue trails the series 15-40-2. The Boilermakers are 2-2 since 2011, and they won (49-20) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/20 vs. Northwestern Wildcats | Purdue leads the series 51-33-1. The Boilermakers are 1-6 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series win (24-22) was in 2019.
11/27 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Purdue leads the series 74-42-6. The Boilermakers are 4-5 since 2011, and they lost (41-44 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 1-5
Road: 1-4
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 2-7
Non-B10: 1-2
Overall: 3-9 (5th in Big Ten West)
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