The question hangs over Ross-Ade Stadium: Who will be under center for Purdue’s first snap in 2020?
Jack Plummer? Aidan O’Connell? Austin Burton? Jeff Brohm has made a decision, but he isn’t saying who it is as the Boilermakers put the finishing touches on preparations for the season opener vs. Iowa at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium.
“We've made a decision on who the starting quarterback will be,” the Purdue coach said earlier this week, “but we're going to go ahead and let that go all the way up until game time and not announce that just so that we keep that among our team, but we have picked a starting quarterback.
“It's been a good competition. I think we have three capable guys right now that can go in and compete, and obviously we have to do some good things around them, as well. But we will not announce that until game time.”
Adding a big layer of intrigue: Brohm won’t be on the sideline, as he isolates after contracting COVID-19. He has named younger brother Brian Brohm—Purdue’s co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach—acting head coach as well as play-caller. Brian Brohm, 35, never has called plays in a game. He will work from the field on Saturday with one of three options at quarterback, each bringing something a bit different to the field.
• Plummer has the most experience, having started six games last season when Elijah Sindelar was sidelined (concussion/shoulder). The 6-5 sophomore has a nice arm and smarts, plus he’s nimble.
• O’Connell has the best arm, which was on display when he started the final three games of 2019 after Plummer was hurt (ankle). O’Connell lacks mobility, but the junior proved to be a cool customer in engineering two comeback victories in 2019 vs. Nebraska and at Northwestern.
• Burton is a grad transfer from UCLA who is the most athletic of the trio. And that’s a trait that Jeff Brohm has hinted he’d like more of from his quarterback. Burton also has a nice arm. The junior likely didn’t transfer without knowing he had a good shot to play.
“I think we've had a really good competition in the quarterback room,” said Brian Brohm after practice earlier this week. “Feel very comfortable with the guys that we have. They've done a good job of competing, of really coming together and helping one another become better, but also pushing each other on the field. So, I feel good about our group of guys. They had a great competition in camp. And I look forward to seeing them out on the field and letting it fly.”
There wasn’t much separation between the trio in training camp. Neither Plummer, O’Connell nor Burton were made available to the media this week in advance of the Hawkeyes’ visit.
“We are just letting them compete right now,” said Brian Brohm.
Jeff Brohm has said he’d feel comfortable playing any of the three. Given the tenor of the times, having three viable options is comforting. If one is knocked out but injury or COVID-19, Brohm has to be at ease knowing the next man up is capable. It’s good to have options.
“Overall, I think the competition makes us all better,” Plummer said in camp.
Could the Boilermakers play two signal-callers vs. Iowa, a team Purdue has had success throwing deep against under Brohm?
“Yes, we will consider playing two quarterbacks on Saturday and we'll have a plan for that to happen,” said Jeff Brohm. “Does that mean the other quarterback will go in? Sometimes they don't. If something is going well and we feel good about where we're going and how things are going, sometimes that gets pushed off. We do think between the three quarterbacks competing now for a starting spot, which we have named one internally, the other guys have some different elements that we want to make sure that we have a plan together if we need a spark for the team.”
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Ideally, one signal-caller will emerge. But, again, don’t be shocked if Purdue plays two quarterbacks early in the season. In fact, it could be a scenario similar to Jeff Brohm’s first season in West Lafayette back in 2017.
Brohm had a plan to play both Sindelar and David Blough in the first game of the season. Sindelar got the start in Game One vs. Louisville in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, but Blough came in as part of the script.
Sindelar (eight starts) and Blough (five starts) each started started games in 2017 before Blough was lost for the season with a broken ankle vs. Illinois. Sindelar finished the season, playing through an ACL injury suffered in early November at Northwestern. And he played well, rallying the Boilermakers to bowl eligibility and a postseason win vs. Arizona in the Foster Farms Bowl.
The next season, Brohm settled on Sindelar over Blough coming out of camp. But after Sindelar tossed three first-half interceptions in a season-opening loss to Northwestern, Blough took over. The next week, Brohm played both signal-callers vs. Eastern Michigan—with Blough starting. Sindelar was subsequently hurt, and Blough assumed command for the rest of the season.
Will one quarterback emerge this year for the first time in the Brohm era? Saturday could be revealing. Brohm still wasn't tipping his hand on Thursday about who would start on Saturday.
"I just think, as you know, every little edge that a team can get, we've got to be very cautious of it," said Brohm. "And teams can change their plan. And, obviously, they'll know when we step on the field. But, like I said, really, it wouldn't shock me if more than one guy plays. Not that we're gonna force that issue, whatsoever.
"But I do feel like our competition was very even. And we're gonna make the decision we think is best and give it to somebody that we think has earned that position. But at the same time, really, three guys are up and ready and could easily see the field if we choose to."
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