Purdue Coach Jeff Brohm Gives Injury Update Ahead of Matchup With Penn State
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — When Purdue football officially began its fall training camp at the beginning of August, the program was wary of rushing several key players back onto the practice field as they continued to recover from injuries that dated back to last season.
Ahead of the team's season opener on Thursday night against Penn State, coach Jeff Brohm addressed the media about players that have battled all offseason to be ready for kickoff.
The biggest question marks for the Boilermakers came in the form of redshirt senior cornerbacks Cory Trice and Jamari Brown, alongside senior wide receiver Broc Thompson.
With all three expected to be heavy contributors this upcoming season, it was imperative to get them back at full strength in time for when the Nittany Lions march into Ross-Ade Stadium. The trio will suit up Thursday and will play for the Boilermakers.
Brohm did not specify whether they would be limited in any capacity but did suggest that they still have to be monitored early in the year to ensure they stay on the field and can play at a high level.
"They sustained injuries, and we've got to get them back healthy," Brohm said. "We've got to get them back in the flow, and we've got to make sure that we're not wasting all their good reps in practice and not being able to utilize them in the game.
"But at the same time, they have to get enough reps to make sure they're ready. So that's the balance you have. There are certain guys like those three that we need on the field."
Trice is returning to the field after appearing in just two games for the Boilermakers in 2021 before his season was cut short due to injury. He recorded four tackles and two pass deflections in last year's season opener against Oregon State.
Purdue senior linebacker Jalen Graham and redshirt senior defensive lineman Branson Deen — two integral pieces on the team's defense — will also be ready to play against Penn State, Brohm said. The two were dealing with individual hamstring injuries that occurred during fall camp.
However, junior cornerback Tee Denson — who transferred to Purdue this offseason from Kansas State — will be unavailable to provide depth behind Trice and Brown in the secondary.
Brohm said that Denson will be "out for an extended period of time" as a result of his injury this offseason and that he didn't recover as fast as initially planned.
Look for Indiana transfer Reese Taylor to play a significant role at cornerback for the Boilermakers early in the season. The former Indiana Mr. Football award winner has been a standout during training camp, showcasing the ability to cover from the slot and the perimeter in the secondary.
The team had no other significant injuries to report ahead of its matchup with Penn State. Purdue will be without both redshirt junior tight end Garrett Miller and junior defensive tackle Damarjhe Lewis, who suffered season-ending injuries early in camp.
"We had a little bit of bad luck early on in camp with some key guys," Brohm said. "Other than normal nicks and bruises and a couple hamstrings here and there, I don't think anything that severe."
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