2/28/2020 football Edit

It's Plummer vs. O'Connell, but don't expect a starter to be named soon

Tom Dienhart • BoilerUpload

GoldandBlack.com, Associate Editor

MORE: Deep Dive, Spring Practice No. 3

Injuries hit Purdue hard last season. And no position felt it more than quarterback.

The Boilermakers saw season-opening starter Elijah Sindelar lost for the year with a shoulder injury suffered in the fourth game of the season. Then, backup Jack Plummer was shelved with an ankle injury incurred vs. Nebraska in the ninth game of the year. And during the season, the staff saw No. 3 man Nick Sipe retire from football because of back issues. That left Purdue with walk-on Aidan O'Connell--who began the season as the No. 4 man on the depth chart--as the starter for the final three games.

This spring, it's all about Plummer and O'Connell, who are competing to be the No. 1 man.

"I think it has been pretty good," said Purdue co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm. "The veteran guys who have played have done a really good job. I feel really good about the top two guys, executing the offense, knowing what they are doing."

Plummer showed a solid arm and the ability to extend plays with his feet in six starts in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, completing 59.8 percent of his passes (144-of-241) for 1,603 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran 62 times for 56 yards.

O’Connell hit 62.8 percent of his passes (103-of-164) for 1,101 yards with eight touchdowns and four picks. He led game-winning drives vs. Nebraska and Northwestern, showing calm and moxie. The junior isn't a great athlete, but O'Connell has a good arm and is accurate. He also has pocket presence.

"(Aidan is) growing every day because he’s getting more reps, more reps," said Brohm. "I think him getting to play those three games, you saw him spike up and how much better he got as the games went on getting those live reps. Trying to get him in some more athletic situations, see him move around. You don't have to be Michael Vick out there. But the Tom Brady stuff where you can slide in the pocket and find ways to move and be athletic within the pocket and be able to get the ball out. We will be working on those things."

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What does Plummer need to improve?

"I'd say consistency," said Brohm. "Really, consistency throwing the football. There were a few times last year where maybe he missed the mark on a few throws. We are trying to clean him up and make him as consistent as possible. He’s very smart. He understands the playbook. He's pretty good about knowing where to go with the football. We just want to make it as consistent with the accuracy and timing and getting that all shored up."

The staff is being cautious with Plummer.

"I would say he is very similar to how David Blough was a couple of springs ago coming off the same type of ankle injury," said Brohm. "He's not really getting into the team periods. We don’t wanna risk anyone falling on that leg. He’s getting a lot of work and he’s looking good out there."

Both have improved confidence.

"Getting to play, be out there and have some success," said Brohm. "And they both had success last year at times. I think both of them have really grown in confidence with the ability to speak up and be leaders on field."

Redshirt freshman Paul Piferi is working with the No. 3 unit. And fellow redshirt freshman Jack Albers, a walk-on who transferred from Dayton, has joined the squad.

"Paul is still learning and coming along," said Brohm. "And we have the new guy Albers that has stepped in. He’s done a pretty good job in the limited reps he's gotten so far."

This summer, four-star signal-caller Michael Alaimo will arrive. But, in the end: This is a two-man race between Plummer and O'Connell. Don't expect a starter to be named for some time.

"Right now, it's competition," said Brohm. "Competition. So, they will be rotating through as evenly as we can make it."

The two will battle this spring, which concludes with a spring game on April 4. Between now and then, Brohm will watch, coach and evaluate as he puts in the offense.

"I would say we slowed down our install a little bit to focus a little more finely on the details of a few things," said Brohm. "But it's not a whole lot different from what we’ve done in the past. We have slowed down a little bit in we are gonna try to get the details worked out a little bit more here in the spring to try to focus on those little things."

One of those "little things" is the ground game.

"That’s a big part of why we are (going a bit slower)" said Brohm. "To make sure we know each run we have vs. every front, what the calls are, make sure our guys are completely confident when they are out there. And when we make a call, they know what to do."

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