Purdue Quarterback Aidan O'Connell Out vs. Florida Atlantic, Austin Burton Likely to Start

Purdue starting quarterback Aidan O'Connell will not play in the team's Homecoming game against Florida Atlantic. Austin Burton is likely to start under center for the Boilermakers.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue sixth-year senior quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who entered Saturday's matchup with Florida Atlantic as a game-time decision, did not appear with the team for pregame stretches and warmups. 

So far this season, O'Connell has completed 86 of his 134 passing attempts for 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. He's thrown just one interception on the year.

With O'Connell unavailable for the Boilermakers, the team will likely turn to backup quarterback Austin Burton — a sixth-year senior who transferred from UCLA in 2020 — against the Owls. It will be the second start of his college career. 

In eight previous game appearances at Purdue, Burton has completed eight of his 10 total passes for 77 yards. He has yet to reach the end zone with the program either through the air or on the ground.  

Burton's best performance under center came during the 2019 season when he was still with UCLA. In his first career start, he completed 27-of-41 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. He also added 64 yards on the ground, including another score, on 15 rushing attempts. Despite his efforts, the team fell to Oregon State 48-31. 

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Alaimo will also be available for Purdue in O'Connell's absence. The former four-star recruit out of Montvale, N.J., made his collegiate debut during the 2021 season against UConn but didn't attempt a pass. 

In the team's 56-0 rout of Indiana State in the second week of the season, Alaimo completed four of his five attempted passes for 37 yards. The 6'4" and 225-pound signal-caller also scrambled for a six-yard gain in the matchup. 

Should Purdue run away with Saturday's Homecoming game against Florida Atlantic, the team may also elect to give true freshman quarterback Brady Allen some experience on the field. The four-star recruit out of Gibson Southern High School also saw game action against Indiana State, completing one pass for eight yards. 

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