As soon as three-star tight end Eric Karner met the new coaching staff ushering in a new era of Purdue football, he knew he wanted to be a part of the next wave of Boilermakers.
"I think that they're building something there that's gonna be great in the next couple of years, especially when our class gets there, so I wanted to jump on that," Karner said.
Karner took his first visit to campus in early March and walked away with an offer from tight ends coach Seth Doege and head coach Ryan Walters. Just a few days following the trip, Karner committed to the Boilermakers, making him the first tight end in the 2024 recruiting class.
Walters and Doege are two key members of the new staff in West Lafayette that made the Boilermakers an intriguing landing spot for the Illinois tight end. The group is among the youngest staffs in the country heading into 2023, with an average age of around 38. That youth and their enthusiasm drew Karner's attention.
"It's a brand new coaching staff. Having an energetic staff was the reason why I felt so connected to that team and why I decided to really commit there," Karner said.
Karner's connection with the coaching staff goes deeper than just football, however. The way they treated the Elmhurst, Illinois native made him feel like is becoming a part of a family with the Boilermakers.
"It felt like family over there. Like, all my relationships with all the coaches, I feel like I've known them for so long when in reality, I've only been there twice now," Karner said. "I didn't want to leave. That's the type of thing we have going on."
While Karner feels he has a strong relationship with most of the coaches on staff, one connection stood out over the rest. His future position coach, Seth Doege, made an impact on him from the jump.
"Coach Doege and I connected like right away. He felt like an older brother to me, to be honest," Karner said.
Karner's feelings towards the coaching staff and what they are building at Purdue were backed up by a current Boilermaker who shared his thoughts about the energy in the building since Walters and company arrived.
The unnamed player shared that on the tail end of the previous regime, the locker room was beginning to lose the fire it once had. Those feelings changed when the young and energetic staff stepped on campus. Karner shared what the current player told him about the transition.
"Ever since the new coaching staff got here, everyone wants to be in the building. Everyone wants to work. Everyone loves being in the facility like no one dreads coming in here now," Karner said.
Following his discussion with players in the program, Karner knew that choosing the Boilermakers was the right decision.
"I think that really gives you the reassurance that I needed that I'm going to the right place," Karner said.
