Tuesday marked the one week plateau for Purdue's spring practice slate and head coach Barry Odom has been pleased with the progress his team has shown through four on-field practices in West Lafayette.

Particularly, the steps the Boilermakers have been taking in terms of learning and understanding situational football, which was a key part of Tuesday's practice.

"You look at three days in, four days in now, with today's practice, our fourth one on the field, we've made really good progress. I like the development. If you had to say, are we game ready? Certainly we're not there, but we're learning some situational ball, you know, the teaching of the game on what that looks like," Odom said.

"I thought that understanding of first down, the things we need to do to try to move the ball, move the sticks positive on first down. Then, our team did a period today. It was second down and 10, and then whatever the offense did or didn't get, then we played third down. So it was good staff wise for communication of what that looks like and defensively understanding, always knowing where the sticks are. You know, how we've got to get a stop there, so trying to throw a number of those things in, within the practice, of just teaching football," Odom added.

Odom has also noticed his team's willingness to learn in the meeting rooms and desire to implement that knowledge onto the practice field.

"The one thing about the team, that up to this point, they've been extremely open to all the information we can give them. They've been hungry for knowledge, and then they try to execute so that makes the things that we do in the classroom so important to make sure that we can find a way to carry them over to the field," Odom said.

Arguably the top storyline throughout the spring and potentially into the summer and fall is the direction Purdue will head at the quarterback position. Prior to the spring, the Odom and company laid out their plan to have each of the quarterbacks share reps, in an attempt to give everyone a fair shake.

In doing so, Odom shared brief thoughts on each of the four quarterbacks who have cemented themselves as top options for the now vacant role.

"Bennett Meredith has had a good, really, four days. Evans Chuba has made progress in the things that we wanted to see him make progress up to this point. Malachi Singleton has really advanced his game, in my opinion. And then EJ Colson continues to make plays," Odom said.

Throughout the open periods of practice for the media, Malachi Singleton has been a mainstay with the first team offense, while Meredith, Colson and Chuba have split reps with the second and third units. While it was expected, Odom highlighted those four signal callers as the ones "in the unit" to be the starter come August.

"We're rotating those guys with every group. So, you know, those four right now have done a really nice job, and then the other guys that that are here on the roster. If I was to rank the guys right now, those four would be the ones that kind of have separated themselves right now, to be in the hunt to be the starting quarterback," Odom said.

A handful of Boilermakers have been sidelined throughout spring practice thus far, and Barry Odom provided an injury update on three of the absent players through the first week.

Returning defensive tackle Mo Omonode had a back procedure stemming from an injury prior to the staff's arrivial. Odom shared that the senior lineman is trending in the right direction for a return, although did not have a specific timeline.

"Trending in the right direction. It was something we inherited when we got here. And so he's moving a little closer to being back out here and do some moving around outside. So we're getting closer on him."

A pair of incoming transfers have also yet to hit the practice field during their brief Purdue careers, defensive back Tahj Ra-El and running back Malachi Thomas. Ra-El is dealing with a foot injury sustained during winter workouts, while Thomas is recovering from an injury he suffered during Virginia Tech's bowl game in December.

Odom shared that once Purdue returns to practice after spring break, he expects Ra-El and Thomas to be back in action, to some extent.

The Boilermakers introduced five transfer wide receivers into the fold this off-season, marking one of the biggest positional revamps on the roster. Through a week a spring practice, one of those pass catchers and two returners were named by Odom as wide receivers standing out thus far.

"Jesse Watson's had a good four days, been nice to see him. EJ Horton has got, I think great speed, runs really good routes, and (De'Nylon) Morrissette's doing a good job. He's showed some things last couple days, which was good to see," Odom said.

Horton has been highlighted by Odom and wide receivers coach Cornell Ford, with his blazing speed. Jesse Watson has also gotten first team reps in the slot and has opened some eyes through a week of practice. Fellow returner De'Nylon Morrissette, who is Purdue's top returning pass catcher, has also shown signs of late.

While Odom hit on those three wide receivers, every pass catcher on the roster is getting an opportunity, seeing passes come from each of the five scholarship quarterbacks and getting more and more reps.

"We got a group of guys that we're excited about. We're mixing so many guys in different spots on the field, different positions, different quarterbacks, so that is a little bit different, but I think it's good for everybody to be force fed just a little bit. We're heavy on the install, and we're not gonna slow down," Odom said.

Purdue will have one more practice this week before an extended break for the players, who will be on spring break next week. During that time, Odom plans to give his staff some time to get settled in West Lafayette and venture out into the community, while also evaluating their respective performances over the first two weeks of the spring.

"I hope they get away. I don't want to see them, and they certainly don't want to see me. So I hope they get away a little bit. There's people that are moving their families here, so I think some of that time will be spent during that. There'll be some self evaluation of their position, their side of the ball, getting ready for the grind of the next three weeks when we come back, recruiting every single day and but then, hopefully, then catch their breath a little bit and enjoy all the great things of Greater Lafayette," Odom said.

As far as the recruitment aspect, the spring portal window opens four days after Purdue's spring game, where the Boilermakers plan to be aggressive in securing more talent for the roster. That aspect, in addition to Purdue's push to solidify the 2026 recruiting class, will remain a focus for the program throughout the spring and leading into the summer.