10/6/2022 football Edit

Brohm: Aidan O'Connell feeling 'better,' 'hopeful' Jalen Graham will play

Tom Dienhart • BoilerUpload

GoldandBlack.com, Associate Editor

Good news for the Purdue defense: Jalen Graham looks set to play on Saturday at Maryland.

The senior safety/linebacker has missed the last four games after fracturing a tibia in the season-opening 35-31 loss to Penn State. His return would be a boon to a Boilermaker defense that will face a dynamic Maryland attack led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa that is averaging 35.0 points.

"Right now, I'm optimistic that he will play," said Jeff Brohm after practice on Thursday. "So, that one I feel pretty good about unless we have some setbacks or something flares up."

Graham is considered to be Purdue's best defensive player, a do-it-all talent who rarely leaves the field.

"He did an outstanding job for us last year, and he's a really, really good football player," said Brohm. "He might have a little rust since he's been out for a while, so you hope that he gets enough practice in that he feels comfortable.

"But, it's gonna be a challenge. He's got to go out there and compete, get back into a normal flow, know we're playing a really good football team. But he's played a lot of football games. That experience normally carries over, so I expect him to play well."

The news also is good for quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who has been battling what's believed to be a rib injury suffered in the first quarter of a 32-29 loss at Syracuse on Sept. 17. He was a game-time decision each of the last two weeks, missing the 28-26 Florida Atlantic win but playing last Saturday in a 20-10 victory at No. 21 Minnesota.

O'Connell didn't appear to be 100 percent vs. the Gophers, but he did just enough (27-of-40 for 199 yards) to help Purdue ease by Minnesota. The sixth-year senior had two interceptions and no TD passes last week.

"Aidan has gradually improved," said Brohm. "And I think he's feeling better and better. So, I'm looking forward to getting him out there."

Brohm says No. 1 running back King Doerue is "probably very doubtful" for Saturday. It would be the fourth game in a row he would have missed with a calf injury. Without Doerue, the Boilermaker ground game still has found traction behind walk-ons Dylan Downing and Devin Mockobee. Downing ran for 100 yards vs. FAU (113), while Mockobee turned the trick at Minnesota (112) last week.

No. 1 right offensive tackle Daniel Johnson will be a "game-time decision," according to Brohm. Johnson has started the last two games in place of Cam Craig, who is done for the season with a back injury. Purdue could start redshirt freshman Mahamane Moussa at right tackle. Or, No. 1 right guard Marcus Mbow could play the spot with Sione Finau starting at right guard.

Purdue will play a fourth game without wideout Broc Thompson (knee). And Brohm says fellow receiver Elijah Canion (knee) won't play for a fifth week in succession. But there's a chance wideout Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen (knee) could play for the first time in 2022.

Brohm's message to his team?

"It stays consistent pretty much year round," he said. "If you don't have the same hunger that you had last week going into Minnesota, you're not gonna win the game. So, you got to find a way to dig deep and to be able to look in the mirror Saturday morning and say 'I gave everything I could to prepare and get ready to play.'

"And then after that, then you got to cut loose and execute as well as you can and play as hard as you can, be willing to compete for 60 minutes and hope for the best at the end."

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