We had all heard about the ability of CJ Smith.

A speedster coming from Athens, Georgia, to West Lafayette, Indiana, was poised to become a go-to threat for Hudson Card and the Purdue offense after transferring to the Boilermakers this off-season.

All of that excitement was halted, however, when Smith went down with a hamstring injury early in fall camp. It took nearly three months for Smith to rebound from the lingering issue, with a setback pushing back his Purdue debut to November.

As the Boilermakers got off to a 1-6 start in his absence, the anticipation intensified while the talented pass catcher watched from the sidelines.

"It was tough, but it just motivated me more to get back as fast as I can, to help the team as much as I can," Smith said.

The extended break reached a conclusion on Saturday afternoon, when Smith was active and inserted into the starting lineup. Questions regarding how he would be used and how he'd look were answered early, but it wasn't what was expected.

Smith got a look from Hudson Card on the opening play of the game, getting a step on his man in coverage and a dime from Card as a result. What would have been a big play to start the game for the Boilermakers was too good to be true, as the ball bounced off of Smith's hands and onto the Ross-Ade Stadium turf.

The early drop lit a fire under Smith, who got some confidence in having his number called that early, vowed to not let another miscue happen again.

"Game day jitters. Was a little nervous, but after that first one, I knew I can't drop another one, I had to go make it up," Smith said.

"They're willing to trust me, I'm willing to trust them. I got confidence through the roof," Smith said.

Interim offensive coordinator Jason Simmons saw the resolve of his shiny new receiver on the heels of that drop, who bounced back as began making plays for a Purdue offense that desperately needed another weapon on the outside.

"He hadn't played a football game in a long time, and for him to go out and make the plays that he made. It's easy for people to remember play number one," Simmons said. "CJ was harder on himself than what we could be as coaches. It shows his resiliency and his maturity to bounce back and make several plays down the field for us late in the game."

"He did make a lot, he made a really nice play on that third down. He almost got that first down on the screen there at the end of the game. You know, I thought he ran good routes. I thought he played hard. You know, just good to see him back playing," head coach Ryan Walters said following Saturday's game.

Smith turned in a debut performance of four catches for 55 yards in the Boilermakers' 26-20 overtime loss to Northwestern, providing a glimpse into the explosiveness he aims to add to the receiving corps in West Lafayette.

He helped give optimism for an uninspired passing game that has eclipsed 200 yards just twice coming into the day. Smith believes Saturday's showing through the air could serve as a boost for the Boilermakers heading into the final four games of the season.

"A lot. Like, we needed to do something. And I feel like having people come back and us, you know, kind of changing what we're doing is just helping a lot," Smith said.

It wasn't the breakout showing that maybe Purdue fans were hoping for, but Saturday allowed Smith to showcase what he could potentially bring to the table, while knocking some of the rust off after a near year layoff.

"Felt a little rusty. It's been a while since I got to be back on the game field, but nobody else to thank but God and the training staff here," Smith said. "I'm hungry, like I've been out so long with injuries and stuff like that, like I have nothing else to do but play."

Smith admitted he felt the pressure of being a potential X-factor getting thrown into the fire upon his return, but relishes in the expectations that comes with it.

"A little bit. But, you know, I feel like pressure makes diamonds. You know, pressure only makes great people," Smith said.

As Walters and company continue to bring Smith along, the 6-foot-3 receiver's role will increasingly grow as Purdue looks to give life to its pass game, and look to Smith as a key to do so.

"He's a really explosive wide receiver. He's fast, can make some plays down the field and, you know, he's a great player for us and someone that we need to look to," Klare said.

"He's only going to get better from here. So if that's his basement, you know, that performance on Saturday, then he certainly has a bright future here Purdue," Simmons said.