Can Barry Odom's Boilermakers overcome a brutal past and rebuild for their challenging 2026 schedule? Key offensive and defensive pieces return amidst significant roster turnover.
It's year two of the Barry Odom era in West Lafayette, Indiana and the Boilermakers are looking to pick up their first conference win since 2023. It's been a rough two seasons for Purdue football fans; they're 3-21 overall and 0-18 in conference the last two seasons, but their 0-9 this past season looked slightly different than 2024. Purdue was significant more competitive in their matchups. It's clear Odom is trying to establish a certain culture for the Boilermakers.
That being said, this season won't get easier with teams like Notre Dame, Washington, Iowa and in-state rival Indiana on their schedule. Luckily, they get Notre Dame and Washington at home, but trips to Iowa and Indiana are looming. With a handful of returning veterans on both sides of the ball combined with a productive portal class, Purdue's chances of ending their conference win drought is growing.
Let's take a look at the Boilermakers.
2025 Record: 2-10 / 0-9
2024 Record: 1-11 / 0-9
Purdue Offense
Starters Returning - QB Ryan Browne, RB Antonio Harris, LT Joey Tanona, RG Ethan Trent
Starters Lost - RB Devin Mockobee, WR Nitro Tuggle (Portal - South Carolina), WR EJ Horton, TE Christian Moore, TE Christian Earls, LG Jalen St. John, C Bradyn Joiner (Transfer - Florida State), RG Hank Purvis (Transfer - South Carolina), RT Bakyne Coley
When you have back to back seasons like the Boilermakers had, portal departures will just be a part of the game. Three key offensive players hit the portal this offseason including Tuggle (34 rec., 500 yards, 14.7 YPC, 4 TD) who was the team's second leading receiver in yards and receptions and led the team in touchdowns. You're also losing two offensive lineman in Joiner (17 career starts) to Florida State and Purvis (7 career starts to South Carolina.
Thankfully, they return Browne (199-338, 58.9%, 2,153 yards, 6.4 YPA, 9 TD, 10 INT, 66 att., 206 rushing yards, 4 TD) at quarterback, Harris (69 att., 305 yards, 4.4 YPC, 2 TD) at running back and two key pieces on the offensive line. Tanona (12 career starts) returns at left tackle while Trent (6 career starts) returns at right guard. They, combined with some much-needed portal additions, should anchor a decent offensive line for Browne and offensive coordinator John Henson.
Purdue Defense
Starters Returning - DE Breeon Ishmail, DT Ian Jefferies, LB Charles Correa, CB Hudauri Hines,
Starters Lost - DT Jamarrion Harkless (Transfer - Kentucky), DE CJ Nunnally IV, LB Mani Powell, LB Alex Sanford (Transfer - Pitt), CB Tony Grimes, S Tahj Ra-El, S Myles Slusher
Most of the attrition from the starting lineup on Purdue's defense was due to eligibility exhaustion. But at defensive line, Harkless (13 tackles, 2.5 sacks) transferred out to Kentucky while Sanford (47 tackles, 1 pass defended) at linebacker transferred out to Pitt. Purdue, and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane, have pieces returning at all three levels of the defense which should help anchor a portal-heavy lineup.
Ishmail (23 tackles, 1.0 sack) and Jefferies (20 tackles, 1.0 sack) return along the defensive line. Correa (93 tackles, 3.0 sacks) returns at linebacker and Hines (33 tackles, 8 passes defended, 1 INT) returns at cornerback. Portal additions will play a massive role on defense in the starting lineup and for key depth pieces.
Portal Additions
Top Transfers - Offense: RB Jerrick Gibson (Texas), RB Fame Ijeboi (Minnesota), RB Travis Terrell (Jack St.), WR Bisi Owens (Penn), WR Xavier Townsend (Iowa St.), WR Asaad Waseem (FAU), OT Nuku Mafi (Oklahoma St.), LG Micah Banuelos (USC), C Boaz Stanley (South Carolina),
Top Transfers - Defense: DT Rodney Lora (UCF), DT Wisdom Simms (NC Central), NT Curt Neal (Illinois), DE Elo Modozie (Georgia), LB JoJo Hayden (Illinois), CB Dee Newsome (Samford), S Mister Clark (FIU), S John Slaughter (Colorado), S Jaden Mangham (Michigan),
Similar to what they did last season, Purdue needed to have a strong portal cycle to supplement some of their losses on the roster. Offensively, they reloaded at running back bringing in Gibson (37 att., 152 yards, 4.1 YPC, 1 TD) from Texas and Ijeboi (47 att., 441 yards, 4.5 YPC, 2 TD) from Minnesota. They also brought in Owens (66 rec., 696 yards, 10.5 YPC, 5 TD) from Penn, Townsend (18 rec., 243 yards, 13.5 YPC) from Iowa State and Waseem (66 rec., 669 yards, 10.6 YPC, 5 TD) from FAU at receiver.
Defensively, the goal was simple: get bigger and longer. They brought in Lora (22 tackles, 1.0 sack) from UCF who is 6-3, 300-pounds, Simms (22 tackles, 3.5 sacks) from NC Central who is 6-4, 315-pounds and Modozie (8 tackles) from Georgia who is 6-4, 248-pounds. Reinforcements come in for the secondary including Mangham (30 tackles, 2 passes defended) from Michigan and Slaughter (24 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 INT) from Colorado.
2026 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 49 Rivals/On3 - No. 51 247Sports
2026 SCHEDULE
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