Key Quotes From Purdue's Seventh Practice of Fall Camp
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On the final day of practice before Purdue holds its first scrimmage of fall camp, the defensive end room talked about its expectations for the upcoming season. This is a unit that has high expectations for 2026 and hopes to be disruptive when the season kicks off next month.
The Boilermakers returned CJ Madden, Breeon Ishmail and Trey Smith from last year's team, and brought in transfers Keyshawn Burgos (Virginia Tech), Elo Modozie (Georgia), and Jeremy Lewis (Iowa Western CC) to bolster that group. Rush ends coach Jake Trump likes the growth and development he's seen from this unit over the last eight months.
Here are some of the key quotes from Friday, as the Boilers prepare to have their first scrimmage over the weekend.
Ends who can produce will play
This year's rotation at defensive end is going to be all about production. Trump told reporters on Friday that he feels good about everyone in his room right now, but he's going to have to see it translate on the field.
Saturday's scrimmage will provide every player in that room an opportunity to prove they belong on the field.
"In my room, I have standards, not necessarily starters," Trump said. "If you can uphold the standard ... I'm going to rotate and play and see who produces and who I can trust. Ultimately, that's what it's going to be. I hope I can play from top to bottom and keep people fresh, but I have a room that is highly competitive."
Trump said he's comfortable rotating several guys into the mix in an effort to keep players fresh. He also said that his rotations could depend on situations and opponents, so there could be changes on a week-to-week basis.
It's a luxury to have so many quality players in that room who can potentially make an impact on the field. Purdue didn't have that type of depth last season.
CJ Madden wants to have a big year
Madden brought a lot of hype with him when he arrived in West Lafayette from Georgia, but he hasn't produced at a high level in the last two seasons. Injuries derailed his progress in 2024, and he is coming off his first full season last fall.
Now that he has the experience, Trump says he wants to see the senior make a much bigger impact on the field.
He has a lot of snaps under his belt and he played a lot last year," Trump said. "Now, let's see the production come along with it. That's my challenge to him, seeing him finish and make plays."
Last season, Madden played in all 12 games for the Boilermakers and finished with 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. Trump isn't the only one with high expectations for the defensive end; Madden wants to be a big part of the Purdue defense this fall.
"Great things," Madden said without hesitation when asked what to expect from him. "I'm ready to go win. I'm truly excited to be with this team. We've been real-deal working since winter."
Position is quicker, stronger than last season
The defensive end group was one that worked hard in the weight room from winter until fall camp. Along with the improved depth, that's the one thing Trump has noticed about his players.
"Coach [Kiero Small] did a great job with the guys through the summer, through the spring," Trump said. "They're all faster, stronger, and you can tell when we go out on the field. All of them. I can't say enough about the work they've put in."
Modozie might be new to West Lafayette, but he and his teammates lived in the weight room during the offseason. The room needed to improve its strength and quickness, and that's exactly what happened.
"We were here day in and day out, just grinding," Modozie said. "We were mainly trying to get our speed up, strength up. I think that's going to be the biggest difference this year."
Kevin Kane still wants guys to attack
Kane was on Purdue's staff as the defensive coordinator under Ryan Walters. Things have certainly changed now that Barry Odom is at the helm, but having the edge rushers attack is still a focal point of the defense.
"We're still attacking," Trump said. "We're bringing a lot of things Coach Odom has always done. Coach Kane has done a great job of doing what we did well and building on that."
The word "attack" is something Purdue's staff and players have mentioned several times during fall camp. This is a group that wants to create more takeaways and put increased pressure on the quarterback.
Kane has implemented his philosophy, but he's continued to keep Odom's vision for the defense in mind. It has related well to the rush ends.
"It was a different defense under another coach," Madden said. "He's adapting to what we have ... but he's adapted and still brought his philosophy. I think he's done a great job being personable with us."
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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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