Zac Tuinei always wanted to play for Purdue after graduating from Noblesville (Ind.) High in May 2019. Now, he will get his chance.
Tuinei announced in December he would transfer from Arkansas State to Purdue, beginning classes on Monday in West Lafayette. Tuinei will walk on with hopes of earning a scholarship in the future.
Tuinei was recruited by Purdue as a junior in high school, but he suffered a broken foot at the start of his senior season in 2018. Schools cooled on Tuinei, whose older brother Lavasier was a star wideout for Oregon (2009-11). Tuinei’s father, Van, was a defensive end at Arizona and in the NFL with the Chargers, Colts and Bears.
“I had no (big-time) offers coming out of high school,” said Tuinei, who had a baseball scholarship offer from Purdue and would like to continue playing the sport in West Lafayette. “I had a lot of D-2 offers, D-3 and NAIA. But my goal was to play FBS.”
Purdue offered him the chance to walk-on last season. But Tuinei took an offer from Arkansas State to blue shirt. Tuinei would go to Jonesboro, Ark., in the fall of 2019, join the team and pay his own way with the promise of going on scholarship at the start of this semester.
“But after the linebacker coach who recruited me left, I was told they didn’t plan on honoring my blue shirt offered out of high school,” said Tuinei. “So, I entered the transfer portal.”
The 6-1, 225-pound Tuinei—who has four years of eligibility—will join a Purdue program that’s in need of linebacking help. In time, he could forge a role.
"Coach Brohm was the first coach to reach out to me when he saw I was in the portal," said Tuinei. "He said he couldn’t offer me, but he said there is a good opportunity for me at Purdue to compete for some playing time and earn a scholarship later down the road. So, I thought it was a good choice to come back home."
What type of player is Purdue getting?
“I think I’m a really good run stopper, getting into the backfield,” said Tuinei. “I pride myself on making tackles in the backfield, getting off blocks. I think that’s really my game.
“I think I need to get faster and stronger. I know I need to step it up especially now playing in a way better conference than the Sun Belt. I also need to learn a new scheme, picking things up quickly.”
Tuinei is excited to get started.
"I saw the situation (at linebacker) with the transfer and guys graduating," said Tuinei. "I am very excited for the opportunity.
"Coach Brohm made it feel like home. And he made it feel like I wasn’t gonna just be a body. I felt like it was a good choice for me. And my mom loved it."
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