Jeff Brohm won't say this season-opener is any different than the other five he has had at Purdue.

But this lid-lifter vs. Penn State in Ross-Ade Stadium on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET kickoff on FOX) feels like it has a bit more juice than the others.

Coming off a nine-win season, the Boilermakers enter 2022 draped in expectations. And knocking off a blueblood in front of a national TV audience would be a nice opening salvo to a much-anticipated season.

"Well, we're excited to get this season started off," said Brohm. "This upcoming Thursday at home against an outstanding opponent with a lot of history and tradition in Penn State. We definitely realize we'll have our hands full. This is a very talented team, well coached, a lot of athletes, they're big."

Brohm has had a knack for knocking off marquee foes in Ross-Ade Stadium, toppling No. 2 Ohio State in 2018 and dumping No. 3 Michigan State last year. Brohm also has beaten Iowa twice in West Lafayette.

"Our guys have a chip on their shoulder," said Brohm, who has won his last two openers. "They all think they've been overlooked to a certain degree. They're out to prove themselves. They're willing to put in the work to get it done. They love playing great opponents.

"So, we've had a couple of good games where we've risen to the challenge. At the same time, Penn State is going to be hungry. ... "

Purdue had some tough luck early in camp, losing tight end Garrett Miller (knee) and defensive tackle Damarjhe Lewis (ankle) to season-ending injuries. And cornerback Tee Denson--a Kansas State transfer--is still recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery.

But, other than that trio, Brohm expects to have a full array of players available on Thursday.

Cornerbacks Cory Trice (knee) and Jamari Brown (hip) were brought along slowly in camp but are ready. Same for wideout Broc Thompson (shins and knee).

"I think all three will be ready to go," said Brohm. "Yes, we still have to be somewhat cautious with all three, but that's the cards we're dealt with. They sustained injuries, and we've got to get them back healthy, and we've got to get them back in the flow, and we've got to make sure that we're not wasting all their good reps in practice and not being able to utilize them in the game."

And defensive tackle Branson Deen (hamstring) and linebacker/safety Jalen Graham (hamstring) are good to go, too, after getting camp scares earlier this month.

A raft of transfers are expected to debut on Thursday.

Cornerbacks Reese Taylor (Indiana) and Bryce Hampton (Adams State) will have roles, along with LEO Scotty Humpich (Murray State) and nose tackle Cole Brevard (Penn State). Offensive linemen Sione Finau (Florida International) and Daniel Johnson (Kent State) will provide key depth, along with wideout Elijah Canion (Auburn) and running back Kobe Lewis (Central Michigan).

But it's Iowa transfer wideouts Charlie Jones and Tyrone Tracy who have created the most buzz. In fact, each could start Thursday.

"I think our transfers will have a huge impact, and that's why we brought them in," said Brohm. "So, when you look at offense, Charlie Jones and Tyrone Tracy have been very productive in camp. They've got to make plays for us and be some of our difference makers for us to win."

Jones will double as a deadly return man.

"I think he gives us an element we haven't had," said Brohm. "He's very natural in catching the football. He's very natural at making guys miss initially, which is really important in the punt return game because you're going to have one or two guys flying at you that you've got to be able to react quickly."

George Karlaftis is gone, off a year early to the NFL as a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. That has created a conundrum: Will Purdue need to blitz more to bring pressure?

"So, we've worked on it, we've prepped it, we've revisited it, and there has to be answers if we're not able to create pressure the way we were last year because of a dominant player like George Karlaftis, even DaMarcus Mitchell made plays for us at key times," said Brohm. "In the bowl game, he got a strip sack and got us the ball at the end of the half and got us points."

Scotty Humpich, Khordae Sydnore and Kydran Jenkins are top candidates to bring the heat off the edge. Nic Caraway may help, too, along with Yanni Karlaftis and Jack Sullivan.

Stay tuned. New defensive play-caller Ron English may need to dial up more blitzes.

• Penn State has a new defensive coordinator in Manny Diaz. What does Brohm expect from the former Miami (Fla.) head coach?

"It's an aggressive style defense," said Brohm. "They're going to be more attacking. They're going to guard things tighter. They're going to, on third down, get creative in blitzes and disguising things and come after the quarterback. They're going to utilize the athletes. They're going to move with the front, which is always tough on an offense when things are moving and going in different directions."

• LEO Nic Caraway may be the only true freshman who plays Thursday.

"He's a big physical player that really is instinctive, he's got quickness, he's got toughness," said Brohm.

• Purdue has three prep quarterbacks in its secondary: S Jalen Graham, CB Reese Taylor and S Cam Allen.

• With Garrett Miller out, Paul Piferi will be the No. 2 tight end.

"Paul has worked hard to get better," said Brohm. "The passing game comes more natural to him, blocking at the point of attack and doing those things is a little bit harder. So, we've just got to make sure, when he's in there, we're asking him to do things he's capable of. So, we've got to be really conscious of that."

• The Penn State staff includes former Purdue assistant Anthony Poindexter and ex-Boilermaker All-American wideout Taylor Stubblefield. Poindexter is in his second season as co-DC/safeties coach, while Stubblefield is in his third as offensive recruiting coordinator/receivers coach.

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