Purdue Mailbag: Football Surprises, How to Right the Ship and More

Purdue fans sent in a handful of questions with football and volleyball seasons now fully underway. I do my best to answer.

Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Maxwell Barbee (22) celebrates a play with cornerback Don Saunders (7). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Purdue was really close to having its best fall weekend in recent memory. On the volleyball court, the Boilermakers swept both Houston and No. 8 SMU to claim the inaugural Paradise Invitational championship. The football team came a few inches short of winning its first Power Four game since 2023.

Now that we're a few weeks into both seasons, I thought it was best to open up the mailbag to any questions fans had about the football or volleyball programs right now. This week, there are only a few, but let's go ahead and jump in.

Purdue Pete fires up the crowd during the NCAA volleyball match. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Q: Good or bad, what's been most surprising about Purdue football this year? (@MrEd315 on X)

A: I'm going to give you my biggest surprise for both the positive and the negative, since we have plenty of time this week.

I think the pleasant surprise has been the offensive skill positions. I know it's only been two games, but Ryan Browne has progressed nicely, living up to the expectations the coaching staff has placed on him. He's currently leading the Big Ten with 646 passing yards and hasn't had a turnover yet. Running back Fame Ijeboi is better than expected, and Purdue has serious weapons at wide receiver, highlighted so far by Chauncey Magwood, Asaad Waseem and Xavier Townsend. This offense has some real weapons.

The lack of pass rush, at least through two weeks, has been a disappointment. Purdue wanted to improve in this area in the offseason and brought in Keyshawn Burgos, Elo Modozie and Jeremy Lewis to help in that area. Lewis has delivered, but the Boilermakers have struggled to consistently pressure the quarterback.

Q: When is Purdue flying to L.A.? Will it be a few days early to adapt to the time zone change and 11 p.m. ET start? (@Bryrube1 on X)

A: Barry Odom addressed this during his weekly press conference. The Boilers plan to arrive in Los Angeles early Friday afternoon. They will have their practice and meetings in West Lafayette before making the long trip to the West Coast.

The late kickoff time gives Purdue a little more flexibility with its travel plans. This will essentially give the Boilermakers a full day to adjust to the time change.

Q: Is Barry Odom the answer? (Chase CM on Facebook)

A: I can understand the frustration right now. Purdue went 2-10 last season and allowed a golden opportunity to slip through its fingertips on Saturday against Wake Forest. Until the Boilermakers start winning, this question will continually pop up.

Odom has this program headed in a much better direction than where it was going under the previous regime. I understand that sentiment rings hollow unless it results in some victories. We can't dump the 2024 season onto Odom's plate; that's not fair. If he can win a handful of Big Ten games this year — and there are plenty of opportunities — then I think you can confidently say he's the guy to turn this program around.

Q: How do you break a culture of losing? I don't see attendance topping 45,000 the rest of the year if something doesn't magically get fixed. (Matt Brown on Facebook)

A: This is an interesting question, especially in today's climate. I don't know if I have a great answer. Purdue upgraded its talent at almost every position and still came up short against Wake Forest. It almost appeared to be more of a mental issue than anything related to talent. But ... several of these guys weren't here last season, so they shouldn't have that same "here we go again" mentality.

My response, quite simply, is finding a way to win a Power Four football game. The sooner Purdue does that, the more success it will have as the year progresses. For example, if the Boilermakers beat UCLA on Saturday night, suddenly everyone believes that games against Illinois and Minnesota look much more manageable. They also still have Maryland and Wisconsin on the schedule.

Not to reference Ted Lasso here, but it's all about belief, in my opinion. This team is talented enough to get four or five wins. If they can do that, it should be even easier to convince players to join the program in the offseason.

Q: Can you find out if Addy Tindall is eligible for Big Ten Freshman of the Week? (@kraigbowers34 on X)

A: My understanding is that she is still eligible to receive the Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor, at least for this season. I have not received any confirmation at this time, though.

Kraig's bigger point, though, is how the redshirt freshman has not received any recognition from the Big Ten so far this season. She's been excellent in her first season on the floor, which includes a tremendous two-day performance in the Paradise Invitational.

Tindall had 31 kills in two matches against Houston and No. 8 SMU, which included a 22-kill performance against the Cougars in the first match. There are several great freshmen volleyball players in the Big Ten this year, but Tindall should have gotten Freshman of the Week honors.

Shoutout to Dior Charles, who earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week recognition.

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