Purdue K J.D. Dellinger won't return in 2021
Purdue fifth-year senior kicker J.D. Dellinger will not return in 2021, releasing a statement on Twitter on Thursday evening and citing a back issue as a reason for stepping away.
Late in 2020, Dellinger hinted that he likely wouldn't return. But he strongly considered coming back for a sixth year since end of the season. Now, it's official: Dellinger is gone.
The 6-2, 200-pound Charlotte native had emerged as one of the Big Ten’s better kickers in recent years. He will leave West Lafayette having hit 40-of-54 career field-goal attempts (74.1 percent, second best in Purdue history). Dellinger's 40 career field goals are fourth most in school annals.
Sophomore Chris Van Eekeren and redshirt freshmen Edward Dellinger, J.D.'s younger brother, and Caleb Krockover figure to be the top contenders to kick in 2021. None have attempted a field goal in college. Van Eekeren kicked off four times in 2020.
Dellinger joins Derrick Barnes (LB), Tyler Coyle (S/LB), Brennan Thieneman (S), Simeon Smiley (DB) and Grant Hermanns (OT) as known Purdue players who are moving on.
Three Purdue seniors/grad students are known to be returning next season. Wideout Jackson Anthrop, offensive tackle Greg Long and linebacker/end Semisi Fakasiieiki.
The only two players who have yet to make their intentions for 2021 known are fifth-year senior defensive tackles Lorenzo Neal and Anthony Watts.
The NCAA granted seniors a blanket waiver to return for the 2021 season after COVID-19 created a disjointed 2020 campaign. Purdue played just six of nine scheduled games.
Dellinger drilled late-game field goals to win games twice, at Illinois in overtime in 2016 and at Northwestern in 2019. Dellinger was 1-of-3 all-time from over 50 yards with a career-long of 53.
Dellinger was the Boilermakers’ No. 1 kicker as a true freshman in 2016. He shared the role with Baylor transfer Spencer Evans in 2017 and then redshirted in 2018 when Evans handled the job.
Dellinger’s best season was 2019, when he hit 13-of-16 field-goal attempts and all 35 of his PATs. That season, Dellinger earned consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Dellinger hit 7-of-9 field-goal attempts last season. His two misses came in a 34-31 loss at Minnesota, one of which was blocked from 27 yards and another missed from 33. After the loss, he tweeted an apology to fans. Dellinger again was a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2020.
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