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Purdue looks to get healthy during off week

Purdue hopes the off week allows LEO Kydran Jenkins to get healthy after he was hurt at Wisconsin.
Purdue hopes the off week allows LEO Kydran Jenkins to get healthy after he was hurt at Wisconsin. (USA Today)

Jeff Brohm's team is off this Saturday, but he won't be kicked back in his barcalounger flipping between games.

Coming off a 35-24 loss at Wisconsin, Brohm and Purdue have work to do during this off week. It is a chance for the Boilermakers to catch their breath and reset.

"We've got a good stretch of teams coming up," said Brohm. "And we gotta get ready to go."

The Boilermakers are 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten with much to play for in four November games. If Purdue wins out, it would win the West Division and play in the Big Ten championship game. To do so, the Boilermakers must navigate the following games:

• Iowa, Nov. 5

• at Illinois, Nov. 12

• Northwestern, Nov. 19

• at Indiana, Nov. 26

Those four teams have an aggregate 13-16 record.

"So, we'll continue to tweak things as we can to get ready for Iowa," said Brohm.

In his previous five seasons at Purdue, Brohm's teams have been OK coming out of off weeks. Not counting the 2020 COVID season, which had an unconventional schedule, Purdue has gone 3-2 coming out of byes under Brohm (see chart).

"Well, I hate to say, the common theme is we normally lose going into the bye week and that's miserable," said Brohm. "But, that's football. So, all I can say is you got to use it for motivation and hopefully our team does and sometimes it depends on what opponent you have coming up next.

"People can say whatever they want, Iowa plays good defense, has won a lot of football games, they run the football. If we don't play well, we're gonna lose."

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Purdue going into/coming out of byes under Brohm
Year Game entering bye Game exiting bye

2017

Michigan, L, 28-10

Minnesota, W, 31-17

2018

at Nebraska, W, 42-28

at Illinois, W, 46-7

2019

TCU, L, 24-13

Minnesota, L, 38-31

2019

at Northwestern, W, 24-22

at Wisconsin, L, 45-24

2020

N/A


2021

Minnesota, L, 20-13

at Iowa, W, 24-7

NOTE: Purdue had two byes in 2019

Getting healthy

The time off will allow several injured players to heal.

• LEO Kyrdran Jenkins (knee)

• CB Cory Trice (groin/hip flexor)

• CB Jamari Brown (ankle)

• TE Paul Piferi (shoulder)

• FB Ben Furtney (ankle)

• CB Brandon Calloway (ankle)

None of the injuries are believed to be season-ending. The time off also will allow WR Charlie Jones to convalesce, as he has been dealing with a variety of lower-body maladies this season.

"Without question, this week, we'll fully try to get him all the rest he can," said Brohm. "It's just one of those things. I think he plays hard. Didn't practice at all last week. Came out and played. Was in a boot all week long. ... it's almost like he gets a new nick every week. So, we just got to get him as healthy as we can and hopefully get him to practice some next week."

Could DB Chris Jefferson, who is dealing with mental health issues, be back coming out of the bye?

"Probably not likely for right now," said Brohm.

Ailing seondary

Could change be coming to the starting secondary?

Starting S Cam Allen is coming off an uneven outing at Wisconsin. According to Pro Football Focus, Allen missed three tackles, one of which led to a long TD run. His tackling has been spotty all season (17 missed tackles in 2022). And Allen also has been exposed in coverage in recent weeks.

Purdue could turn to S Bryce Hampton to start in Allen's spot alongside S Sanoussi Kane. Hampton and Kane also will get work at cornerback, too, as that position has depth issues.

"We'd like to get Cory and Jamari back," said Brohm. "... We're going to need to work Bryce Hampton at the corner positions some, as well. Sanoussi has to be capable of playing there if we need him, as well. (Injured CB) Brandon Calloway will not be back.

"So, yeah, that's a position that we've got to manage the best we can. Who we put out there, we got to do the best job and get them schooled up and ready to go."

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