Purdue's Fame Ijeboi Named to Doak Walker Watch List — Can He Carry the Boilers' Offense?
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New Purdue running back Fame Ijeboi is considered a candidate for the most prestigious running back award in college football. On Tuesday, the Boilermaker ball carrier was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List, which is presented to the nation's top running back.
Ijeboi transferred to Purdue after spending the last two seasons at Minnesota. He was the second-leading rusher for the Golden Gophers in 2025, rushing for 441 yards and scoring three total touchdowns as a redshirt freshman.
Coming to Purdue, Ijeboi is expected to be one of the offense's top producers in 2026. He brings good size at 6 feet, 215 pounds and runs the football in a physical nature. The sophomore can serve as a bruiser out of the backfield, but can also use his speed to rip off big runs.
Ijeboi was one of 60 players named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List.
Can Ijeboi carry Purdue's offense in 2026?
Head coach Barry Odom has preached the importance of establishing a strong rushing attack since his arrival. The goal remains the same in 2026, and the Boilermakers bolstered their running back room via the transfer portal in the offseason.
Ijeboi and ex-Texas running back Jerrick Gibson were the two biggest additions to the position following the 2025 campaign. The Boilermakers made another splash, adding speedster and versatile running back Travis Terrell Jr. from Jackson State.
Purdue also got bigger and more experienced along the offensive line, hoping to pave more roads for running backs to maneuver through this year.
The Boilers may have a stable full of quality running backs this season, but Ijeboi is expected to be the leader of that group. Is he capable of carrying a heavy workload and being the primary ball carrier in Josh Henson's offense?
Ijeboi only had a double-digit carry total in four of his 11 appearances last season. His best performance came in Minnesota's 23-20 victory over Michigan State in 2025, rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
Though his opportunities came in low doses at Minnesota, he proved he can be a consistent back and continue to move the offense forward. That's a positive for Purdue's offense, which is going to rely heavily on that ground attack.
Purdue will also have plenty of assistance for Ijeboi in the backfield. With Gibson, Terrell and Antonio Harris all capable of carrying the football, too, it won't place such a heavy burden on Ijeboi. A steady rotation should keep the Boilers' top back fresh throughout games, as well as the duration of the season.
Ijeboi hasn't been responsible for being a team's lead back yet. Technically, he's still not the top ball carrier on Purdue's depth chart, something Odom hasn't released in fall camp. But he does possess the necessary traits to provide a nice punch out of the backfield and help the Boilermakers establish the presence on the ground that this program needs in 2026.
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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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