Blog

Jan 14, 2024

5 reasons Purdue's fans should be optimistic about the 2023 season

Little is thought of Purdue football this season. With a new head coach who needed to overhaul the roster with upwards of 40 incoming transfers and freshmen, the Boilermakers are considered by many to

Little is thought of Purdue football this season.

With a new head coach who needed to overhaul the roster with upwards of 40 incoming transfers and freshmen, the Boilermakers are considered by many to be in rebuilding mode. Saturday Tradition’s Crystal Ball predicts 5 wins, well short of defending the Big Ten West title. By that assessment, Ryan Walters’ debut as a head coach won’t even produce a bowl bid.

Yet, there’s reason for optimism, too.

A new staff brings renewed energy. The 37-year-old Walters has already seemingly put a stamp on Purdue’s program, as he tries to mesh his defensive style — the scheme helped Illinois, where he was defensive coordinator previously, have one of the nation’s best defenses the last couple seasons — with Purdue’s traditional wide-open, pass-happy offense.

Let’s take a look at 5 reasons why Purdue fans should feel optimistic about the season:

It’s the case everywhere: When a new coach comes in, there’s reason to feel like the program should be on an upward swing. That’s even the case when a coach is taking over a wayward program.

Walters isn’t doing that.

Rather, he’s taking control of a program that has won 17 games the past 2 seasons, the most at Purdue since 1997-98 when it won 18 games in Joe Tiller’s first 2 years, and is the reigning B1G West champ. Yes, much has changed: Jeff Brohm is now the head coach at Louisville; Aidan O’Connell is challenging to be the backup quarterback — and perhaps potentially the eventual starter — for the Oakland Raiders; wide receiver Charlie Jones is with the Cincinnati Bengals; and, indicative of the roster turnover, there are no returning cornerbacks.

But foundation and expectations remain.

After years of tumult through the Darrell Hazell era, Purdue found its footing again under Brohm. While Walters is a different boss (and Purdue hopes a better one), he’s not starting from scratch, either. Certainly, he faces big-time challenges — a new QB, a daunting schedule, the need for offensive and defensive playmakers, etc. — but Purdue’s athletic department has a foundation of success.

Priority No. 1 for Walters after taking over was acquisition of a new quarterback.

Right away, his sights were set on former Texas signal-caller Hudson Card, who was in the portal looking for a new home. And Walters landed his man.

Since then, Card has wowed at about every opportunity. Onlookers at practice, which is closed off to the public and media, have said he might be the Boilermakers’ best pure passer since Kyle Orton 20 years ago. Walters and new offensive coordinator Graham Harrell haven’t been shy about calling Card “special” while also noting that the quarterback is still short on experience, having started only 5 games over 2 seasons at Texas.

But Card has the tools. He can throw and run, a good combination for Harrell’s version of the “Air Raid” offense. He has likability and leadership — teammates voted him a captain — and a bit of moxie. Historically, Purdue wins when it has a Grade A quarterback. Maybe Card is next in line.

Purdue now has a head coach with a defensive mindset.

That’s a new one. But perhaps the Boilermakers can take to the defensive system being implemented by Walters and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane. Although the coaches are vague in their description of the scheme, it puts an emphasis on creating one-on-one matchups in the front, with outside linebackers who are aggressive on the line of scrimmage, to try to lessen the stress of man defense in the back half. It’s proven to work; at Illinois, the Fighting Illini allowed only 12.8 points per game last season, best in the nation.

And Purdue appears to have strengths where needed, particularly at outside linebacker, where sophomore Nic Scourton is poised for a breakout season, and where Kydran Jenkins and Khordae Sydnor are likely to enjoy productive years. Plus, the Boilermakers are big, physical and experienced on the interior of the defensive line.

But the secondary is a question, to say the least, especially at cornerback, where Purdue has seen a complete overhaul. Will transfers like Markevious Brown (Ole Miss) and Marquis Wilson (Penn State) hold up?

Purdue has a lot of questions about its offense, considering it’s breaking in a new quarterback with a new coordinator and without an obvious No. 1 receiving target.

But it knows what it has at running back, where Devin Mockobee returns after a breakout freshman campaign that saw him rush for 968 yards and 9 touchdowns despite not becoming the Boilermakers’ starter until midseason. He’s a star. Look for the Boilermakers to try to get him the ball in a variety of ways. He has home run ability, one of the few Boilermakers who can make such a claim.

Mockobee seems poised to become Purdue’s 1st 1,000-yard rusher since Kory Sheets in 2007.

If Purdue can win the games that it should, like the opener Saturday vs. Fresno State, against which the Boilermakers are a slight favorite in Ross-Ade Stadium, then the Boilermakers will put themselves in position to get to 6 wins.

But it might take an upset (or 2) to get over the hump. The good thing for the Boilermakers is that they’ve had a knack for upsets of late, winning 3 games as an underdog last season and 4 in 2021. Purdue will likely have plenty of opportunities as a ‘dog starting in October, when it plays at Iowa, vs. Ohio State, at Nebraska, then at Michigan (on the first weekend of November). Perhaps Purdue can steal a game or 2. It’s had the Buckeyes’ number of late, especially in Ross-Ade. The same can be said of Iowa in Iowa City.

There is a path to a 3rd straight postseason for Purdue.