2020 Purdue Boilermakers football team

2020 Purdue Boilermakers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Division	West Division
Record	2–4 (2–4 Big Ten)
Head coach	Jeff Brohm (4th season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Brian Brohm (4th season)
Co-offensive coordinator	JaMarcus Shephard (3rd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Co-defensive coordinator	Bob Diaco (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Anthony Poindexter (4th season)
Base defense	Multiple
Home stadium	Ross–Ade Stadium
Uniform
Seasons ← 2019 2021 →

The 2020 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Boilermakers played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, and competed in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Jeff Brohm.

On August 11, 2020, the Big Ten Conference canceled all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2] However, on September 16, the Big Ten reinstated the season, announcing an eight-game season beginning on October 24.^[3]

Spring Game

The 2020 Spring Game was scheduled to take place in West Lafayette on April 4, 2020, at 2:00 p.m.; however, on March 12, 2020, the Big Ten Conference canceled the remainder of all winter and spring sports seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4]

Offseason

Coaching changes

On December 9, 2019, the Boilermakers announced it had fired co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Nick Holt.^[5] On January 2, 2020, Louisiana Tech defensive coordinator, Bob Diaco was named the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Purdue.^[6] On January 17, 2020, it was announced that Special Teams Coordinator, Kevin Wolthausen and defensive line coach, Reggie Johnson, would not return as assistants in 2020.^[7] On January 21, 2020, Purdue hired North Texas special teams coordinator, Marty Biagi, as their new special teams coordinator.^[8] On January 22, 2020, Purdue rounded out its coaching staff with the addition of Air Force defensive line coach, Terrance Jamison.^[9]

Transfers

Outgoing

Notable departures from the 2019 squad included:

Incoming

2020 NFL Draft

Boilermakers who were picked in the 2020 NFL Draft:

Schedule

Purdue had games scheduled against Memphis, Air Force, and Boston College, but canceled these games on July 9 due to the Big Ten Conference's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[10]

The Big Ten released a revised conference schedule, with every team playing a ten-game conference-only season. On September 19, 2020, yet another revised schedule was released, featuring an eight-game conference-only season plus a Championship Week cross-divisional playoff game.

*Wisconsin's game with Purdue was cancelled due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Wisconsin. The game will not be rescheduled. Instead, Wisconsin will have a bye and will have just six games, and Purdue will have a bye and will have just seven games.^[11]

*On December 9, Purdue and Indiana announced a mutual one-time cancellation of the Old Oaken Bucket game scheduled for December 12 after team-related activities were paused because of an elevated number of coronavirus cases within both the Boilermakers' and Hoosiers' programs.^[12] On December 13, Purdue and Indiana came to a mutual agreement to reschedule the Old Oaken Bucket game for one week later, on December 18;^[14] however, on December 15, both teams again mutually agreed to cancel the Friday contest, due to issues remaining on both teams with COVID complications.^[13]

Source:^[15]

Rankings

Game summaries

Iowa

With the opening of the 2020 season, the Big Ten Conference season opened against the Hawkeyes of Iowa.

Purdue defeated Iowa, 24–20.^[17] Purdue opened the scoring when Aidan O'Connell found David Bell from 9-yards out. Iowa would tie the second in the second quarter when Spencer Petras scored from 1-yard out. The Hawkeyes then took the lead when Mekhi Sargent scored on a 1-yard run. Purdue tied the game with 1:40 remaining in the second quarter with a 11-yard Bell reception from O'Connell. Iowa would strike one final time with no time on the clock with a Keith Duncan 27-yard field goal to bring the halftime score to 17–14 in favor of the Hawkeyes. After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Iowa got the first scores of the fourth quarter on a field goal of 33-yards from Duncan to increase the lead to 6. Purdue scored again on a 29-yard J.D. Dellinger field goal. O'Connell would find Bell once more in the endzone for a 6-yard touchdown pass, and the Purdue defense would stop Iowa on 4 downs on the ensuing possession to seal the Boilermaker victory.^[18]

Purdue's October 24 season opening game was the latest season opener since 1918. Bell's three touchdown receptions were the first three or more touchdown receptions in a game since Terry Wright had three against Iowa on November 3, 2018. J.D. Dellinger's field goal was the 34th of his career and moved him into fifth all-time in Purdue history for most field goals made.^[19]

At Illinois

Purdue's next game would be on the road as they traveled to Champaign, Illinois to face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini for the Purdue Cannon.

Purdue defeated Illinois, 31–24.^[21] Purdue opened the scoring when Zander Horvath scored from the 1-yard line. Purdue would extend their lead in the second quarter when Aidan O'Connell found Milton Wright for 45-yard touchdown reception. The Fighting Illini then got on the scoreboard when Mike Epstein scored on a 7-yard run. The two teams would trade field goals to bring the halftime score to 17–10 in favor of the Boilermakers. Purdue extended their lead in the third quarter when O'Connell found David Bell on a 3-yard reception. The Boilermakers would strike again when Marvin Grant forced a Coran Taylor fumbler, recovered by Jalen Graham in the endzone. The Fighting Illini started their comeback when Taylor found Daniel Imatorbhebehe over the middle for a 28-yard reception and a 9-yard Brian Hightower touchdown catch from Taylor. Illinois was knocking on the door inside the Purdue 20 on their final possession, but were stopped short giving Purdue the 31–24 victory^[22]

Purdue's 2–0 start was their best since 2007, and that squad opened 5–0. Bell's minimum of 100 yards receiving for the fifth consecutive game for the same stat.^[23]

At Wisconsin (canceled)

The Purdue at Wisconsin game was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Wisconsin. The game will not be rescheduled. Instead, the Purdue Boilermakers will have a bye, and will play just seven games.^{[24] [11]}

Northwestern

Purdue would return home to face the Northwestern Wildcats in a battle for first place in the West Division of the Big Ten.

Northwestern defeated Purdue, 27–20.^[26][27]

At Minnesota

Rutgers

Nebraska

At Indiana

Roster

2020 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 0 Milton Wright So QB 1 Michael Alaimo Fr WR 2 Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen Fr WR 3 David Bell So WR 4 Rondale Moore Jr RB 5 Da'Joun Hewitt  Fr WR 6 Maliq Carr Fr RB 7 Tirek Murphy Fr WR 8 T. J. Sheffield  Fr WR 9 Mershawn Rice  Fr WR 10 Amad Anderson  So WR 12 Jared Sparks  Sr QB 13 Jack Plummer  So WR 14 Marcellus Moore Fr QB 16 Aidan O'Connell  Jr QB 17 Austin Burton  Jr QB 18 Paul Piferi  Fr QB 19 Jack Albers  Fr RB 20 Alfred Armour  So QB 21 Andrew Hobson Fr RB 22 King Doerue So WR 25 Jake Smith Fr WR 33 Jackson Anthrop  Sr RB 35 Henry Lewis  Fr RB 40 Zander Horvath  Jr TE 48 Kyle Bilodeau  Fr OL 53 Gus Hartwig Fr OL 54 Josh Kaltenberger Fr OL 58 Jimmy McKenna  So OL 59 Dave Monnot III  Fr OL 62 Ben Kuhns  Fr OL 64 Luke Morris Fr OL 65 Marc Rolland  Jr OL 67 Gus German Fr OL 68 Cam Craig  Fr OL 69 Greg Long  Sr OL 70 Will Bramel  So OL 71 Nalin Fox Fr OL 72 Sam Garvin Jr OL 73 Kyle Jornigan  Fr OL 74 Eric Miller  So OL 75 Spencer Holstege  Fr OL 76 Mark Stickford  Jr OL 77 D. J. Washington  Jr OL 78 Grant Hermanns  Sr OL 79 Jared Bycnski Fr WR 80 Camdyn Childers  Fr WR 81 Collin Sullivan Fr WR 82 Grant Summers  Fr TE 83 Jack Cravaack  So WR 85 Alex Maxwell Fr WR 85 Daniel Roach Fr WR 86 Kory Taylor  So TE 87 Payne Durham  So TE 88 Garrett Miller  Fr WR 89 Andrew Sowinski Fr TE 91 Ben Buechel Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 1 Dedrick Mackey  Jr S 4 Marvin Grant  Fr DE 5 George Karlaftis So S 6 Jalen Graham So DT 8 Anthony Watts  Sr DT 9 Lorenzo Neal (C)  Sr DB 11 Kadin Smith  So DE 12 Dontay Hunter II  Fr CB 13 Geovonte' Howard Jr S 15 DaMarcus Mitchell Jr S 17 D. J. Johnson  So CB 18 Cam Allen So S 21 Sanoussi Kane Fr S 23 Cory Trice  So DB 24 Nyles Beverly  Fr LB, DB 25 Tyler Coyle  Sr CB 27 Anthony Romphf Fr CB 29 Simeon Smiley  Sr LB 32 Elijah Ball  So S 34 Ryan Brandt Fr S 35 Antonio Stevens Fr LB 36 Jaylan Alexander Jr LB 37 Caleb Lahey Fr LB 37 Jacob Wahlberg  Fr S 38 Brennan Thieneman  Sr LB 39 Zach Randall  Jr LB 41 Khali Saunders  Fr LB 42 Clyde Washington Fr LB 43 Kieren Douglas Jr LB 44 Kydran Jenkins Fr LB 45 Byron Hubbard II  So DL 47 Jeff Marks  So S 49 Zane Greene  So DE 50 Solomon Kpaka  Fr LB 51 Chase Triplett Fr LB, S 52 Zac Tuinei  Fr LB 54 Ben Kreul Fr DE 55 Derrick Barnes Jr LB 57 Will Chapman  Fr DL 58 Branson Deen  So DL 59 K. J. Stokes  So DL 90 Lawrence Johnson  So DT 92 Bryce Austin Fr DT 93 Steven Faucheux  Fr DE 94 Robert McWilliams III  Jr LB 95 Hayden Ellinger Fr LB 96 Ben Furtney Fr DE 97 Semisi Fakasiieiki  Sr DE 98 Greg Hudgins III Fr DL 99 Jack Sullivan  So	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 19 Brooks Cormier So P 28 Zac Collins  Jr LS 30 Brooks Royal Jr LS 31 Nick Zecchino  Sr LS 46 Nick Taylor Fr P 47 Brendan Cropsey Fr K 57 Chris Van Eekeren  Fr K 84 Edward Dellinger Fr K 85 J. D. Dellinger  Sr LS 96 Hunter MacDonald  Fr	Head coach Jeff Brohm Coordinators/assistant coaches Marty Biagi (Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Assistant) Brian Brohm (Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks) Bob Diaco (Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers) Anthony Poindexter (Co-Defensive Coordinator / Secondary) JaMarcus Shephard (Co-Offensive Coordinator / Wide Receivers) Chris Barclay (Running Backs) Greg Brown (Cornerbacks) Terrance Jamison (Defensive Line) Ryan Wallace (Tight Ends / Special Teams Assistant) Dale Williams (Offensive Line) Greg Brohm (Chief of Staff) JMichael Jonard (Quality Control) Dan Rowe (Quality Control) Justin Sinz (Quality Control) Domenic Reno (Director of Football Strength & Conditioning) Dennis Love (Associate Director of Football Strength & Conditioning) Keith Swift (Assistant Director of Football Strength & Conditioning) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster

Awards and honors

Players drafted into the NFL

References

This page was last edited on 18 March 2024, at 19:27