Devin Mockobee Pens Heartfelt Message to Purdue After Suffering Career-Ending Injury
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Unfortunate news surfaced out of West Lafayette on Monday morning regarding senior running back Devin Mockobee. The team's top rusher and a fan favorite among Boilermaker Nation has played his final game in a black-and-gold uniform.
Coach Barry Odom confirmed that Mockobee sustained an ankle injury in Purdue's 27-24 loss to Rutgers on Oct. 25. He then underwent a procedure on Friday and was hopeful to return at some point this season. However, the injury will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year.
A few hours following Odom's update, Mockobee penned a heartfelt letter to Purdue.
Devin Mockobee's full statement
"As my college career comes to a close due to injury, I want to thank everyone who's been in my corner these past years. I cannot express in words what this university and its people mean to me. And how grateful I am for the support that's been around me in every facet of life to help me find success," he wrote.
"For a kid like me, the career I've had was never supposed to be on the table. An under-recruited kid who didn't get looked at very much and took a chance and walked on to a Division 1 program. Always told I was 'too small,' 'not fast enough,' or I didn't 'look the part.' Despite it all, I just decided to work. I think that's why I'm grateful that I took the chance and played it the hard way. No matter the circumstances of my situation, however improbable they are to go in my favor, I learned to only give myself one option. And that was to try my hardest, because you're damn sure not getting it if you don't.
"There have been plenty of ups and downs for me in my career here at Purdue. But the one thing that stayed consistent is the pride I had to put on that P and go out and give it everything I had for my family, my teammates, my coaches, the fans, and the university. I stayed aware of everything that I represented when I put on the uniform, So even when it was its hardest, I had a job to do, and that was to play as hard as I could every time I touched the field.
"I've given it my all, therefore I live with no regrets. Those who stayed positive and supported through it all, I can't put a value on how much it means to me because y'all are what helped me when things were the toughest.
"I again want to thank every person who's had a hand in getting me to this point in life. None of what I've been able to accomplish has been solely my own doing. You've allowed me to literally live out my childhood dream. And I'm forever grateful. The memories, friends, and knowledge I've acquired along the way will be priceless to carry with me the rest of my days."
Mockobee ends career fourth on Purdue's rushing list
Even though his career was cut short, Mockobee had one of the best in program history. He totaled 2,987 rushing yards in four seasons, ranking fourth on Purdue's all-time rushing list. His 23 touchdowns on the ground rank ninth in program history.
Mockobee ends his senior season with 521 rushing yards, which still leads the team. He also had 214 receiving yards and accounted for five touchdowns. The senior back also had a touchdown pass in Purdue's game against Notre Dame in September.
Mockobee began his Purdue career as a walk-on and redshirted in 2021. He was a member of Purdue's 2022 squad that reached the Big Ten Championship Game. He has led the team in rushing in each of his first three seasons, and could potentially make that four consecutive years.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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