Shocking Accusation: 2025 Notre Dame Opponent Allegedly Leaked Playbook Last Season

Tahj Ra-El transferred from Memphis to Purdue for the 2025 season

Sep 14, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Memphis Tigers defensive back Tahj Ra-El (9) before a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Notre Dame and Purdue are set to renew their rivalry on Sept. 20 this year when the Boilermakers come to South Bend.

According to On3, former Memphis defensive back Tahj Ra-El shared part of Memphis' defensive playbook with UTSA quarterback Owen McCown before last season's Nov. 2 showdown.

REPORT: @On3Memphis has obtained direct messages of former Memphis DB Tahj Ra-El sending UTSA QB Owen McCown the Tigers' playbook before their game💀

The Roadrunners won 44-36.https://t.co/h7iD6N0nWj pic.twitter.com/EesFEqzbGG

— On3 (@On3sports) July 24, 2025

Ra-El left the Memphis program in October of last year, meaning he wasn't part of the team for the American Conference between the Tigers and UTSA last year. UTSA won the game and wound up sneaking into bowl eligibility by season's end.

Ra-El announced he was transferring to Purdue in late December.

On Friday, Purdue issued a statement on Ra-El, noting it didn't have any concerns with him going forward.

"Our coaching staff sees the scenario as being mischaracterized and does not have any concerns moving forward," read the statement.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

New Purdue head coach Barry Odom has infinitely more experience with this than myself but if you're trying to change the culture at a program like the new head coach is, how do you let Ra-El on your roster after this?

"That's the guy who gave his playbook away to the opponent last year. What's he going to do to us if things don't go right?"

As much as I'm a believer in second chances, this isn't one I'd be interested in if I'm trying to raise a program from having one of the worst seasons in Power Four/Five college football history, like Odom and Purdue are.