MADISON, Wis. — Garrett Hudson was stuck a couple years ago, watching as his dad was fired as Purdue’s defensive coordinator and feeling it’d left him in limbo.
In the month after, he wondered if he should continue at Purdue or look to play elsewhere. Now, he’s glad to have stayed around — and Purdue is, too — considering the way he’s played as a fill-in the last couple weeks.
“It was really weird. I don’t know,” Hudson said of the period after his dad, Greg, was let go from Purdue following three seasons (2013-15) as the Boilermaker DC under Darrell Hazell. “(But) Ja’Whaun (Bentley and) my guys on the team, everything you do you do together, so you can’t just pick up and leave. Credit to my guys who helped me feel good.
“It’s really a family (on the team), and they were my family after my family was gone.”
Hudson was excellent in relief on Saturday during the Boilermakers’ 17-9 loss at Wisconsin, just as he had been as a spot starter the week before. But unlike then against Minnesota, when Hudson had known he’d replace the suspended Bentley for the first half, he didn’t think he’d have as big a role vs. the Badgers.
But after Purdue started freshman Derrick Barnes for the injured T.J. McCollum, then tried fellow rookie Cornel Jones — junior Rob Simmons got a first-half series, too — and none were effective, it turned to the veteran Hudson. And the 6-foot-2, 245-pound fifth-year senior delivered, with seven tackles, plus a blocked punt deep in Wisconsin territory, part of a solid overall effort.
“It’s no surprise to me,” fellow senior Danny Ezechukwu said. “I came in with Garrett and know how good he is. I know that the coaches have a lot of faith in him and he has faith in himself. He comes from a football family and knows the game inside and out, a smart, heady player, physical, so it’s no surprise to me he’s out there doing well and I’m sure it’s no surprise to him either. I’m proud of him.”
It’s Hudson knowledge of the game, plus his physicality, that’s allowed him to play at a high level. The walk-on has been a good player in the box, where he can mix it up in the run defense, and that’s a reason why he’s been a good matchup vs. run-heavy teams like Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten bigger, stronger — I’m not as fast as some other guys like Markus (Bailey) — so that’s where I feel comfortable,” Hudson said.
Purdue needed him again Saturday. Barnes practiced as the starter in place of McCollum, who was out with ankle and knee injuries suffered last week, at weak-side linebacker. But Barnes' stint didn’t last, nor did that of Jones.
Although Hudson is Bentley’s backup in the middle, he understands the concepts at the other linebacker positions, often because he has to lead younger teammates into their correct spots on the second unit.
So shifting to Will wasn’t an issue. And by the time he was in there for the Boilermakers, the defense started to settle down.
“As a coach’s kid, I love the game, listen to everything, picking up bits and pieces," Hudson said. "It’s my life. I’m paying attention to everything and it’s just starting to click more and more as we come along.”
McCollum might be back vs. Rutgers next week. But if he’s not, Hudson will be ready to go if needed.
“That guy comes to work every day,” senior Da’Wan Hunte said. “When he’s in the game, I don’t worry at all.”
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