Purdue’s season has been filled with tough road tests, uneven performances, and after the Ohio State game, another lopsided loss. With 7 games behind them and just 5 remaining, Purdue’s back is now squarely against the wall.
After Saturday's defeat at the hands of Ohio State, Ryan Walters and the Boilermakers have dropped four of their last five and are trending in the wrong direction. Purdue now sits at 2-5 on the season, which is the worst mark in the Big Ten through seven weeks.
The even keeled Ryan Walters isn't naive about where Purdue stands heading into the bye week, but doesn't think his team has lost all hope despite it's worst showing of the season against the Buckeyes.
"Looking at everybody in the locker room, everybody obviously is disappointed in where we are right now, but I don't think anybody is defeated. We've got a tight knit group," Walters said on Saturday.
Purdue will have the opportunity to rest up next week after a grueling seven game stretch to start the season, in which the Boilermakers played five teams with winning records, including current division leaders Iowa and Ohio State over the last two weeks.
Perhaps the most important part of the upcoming bye week is Purdue getting somewhat healthy again. Although, just one week may not exterminate the injury bug that has struck the Boilermakers in the heart of the season.
The Boilermakers' health troubles began before the season even started, losing transfer wide receiver Jahmal Edrine for the year with a torn ACL. The offense got some pieces back early in the year, most notably veterans Gus Hartwig and Garrett Miller, but have had tough luck since those returns.
In the last three weeks, Purdue has lost breakout tight end Max Klare, top cornerback Marquis Wilson and starting right tackle Marcus Mbow to season-ending injuries. That list may grow too, as rotation guard Luke Griffin and starting left tackle Mahamane Moussa both went down in the loss to Ohio State with what appear to be serious ailments.
The offensive line was already thin heading into the season, but Walters admitted the coaching staff will have their work cut out for them with the most recent set of injuries in the trenches.
"We got our best five out there right now. You know, I think Luke's injury was probably pretty serious. I'm not sure about [Moussa] yet," Walters said. "We got who we got. We gotta find ways to be creative to help those guys out and that's what we'll do as a staff."
That's just the start of the laundry list of Boilermakers on the injury report through seven games. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. suffered an ankle injury against Iowa, leaving his immediate future uncertain, Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen missed the Ohio State game with an unspecified ailment, while Scotty Humpich and Ben Freehill have also missed time.
Another Boilermaker that has been banged up is quarterback Hudson Card, who initially got hurt against Illinois and has played through pain against Iowa and Ohio State in recent weeks. It's safe to say the Purdue signal caller is ready for the bye week.
"Obviously we're kind of banged up right now. So you know, just having the opportunity to have a week to get our bodies back and obviously just mentally too, and just kind of step away for a little bit. And then that always allows you to to come back even stronger," Card said.
Walters and the Boilermakers want to use the off week to recharge before the final five weeks of the 2023 season, which the Purdue head coach and Hudson Card think presents an opportunity for the group.
"Put your head down and go to work. This bye week is coming at the right time. We'll have a five game stretch where I feel like we can go compete and get some wins. We desperately need them," Walters said.
"We know what we have in this last stretch. We have we must win games throughout the rest of the season," Card said.
While any Big Ten clash is a test, Purdue's schedule does lighten up down the stretch compared to its first seven games. The Boilermakers have matchups with Nebraska, Northwestern, Minnesota and Indiana, along with top-ranked Michigan over the next six weeks.
Despite all of the health issues, struggles on the field, and adversity thrown the Boilermakers' way in 2023, Hudson Card still has confidence in what Purdue can accomplish the rest of the way.
"Confident in the staff and I'm confident with the guys in this room. Still have all the belief in the world. I know we're gonna get better and that's the mindset going into it," Card said.
Running back Devin Mockobee has his focus set toward the future after Purdue's struggles and expects his teammates to share that same mentality down the stretch.
"There's there's no reason to go into the rest of season thinking. Oh, let's just pick a game here and pick a game there. We're still in it to win it all. That's that's how I'm gonna play. That's how I want the rest of us to play," Mockobee said.
While hopes of a division title or a Big Ten Championship Game appearance are likely out the window, Purdue still has much to play for. None are more important to Ryan Walters than getting the seniors who believed in him and stayed in West Lafayette to a bowl game at the end of the year.
"We're sitting at two wins right now. I think everybody in this building will tell you that these these seniors that are here deserve to play in the postseason. So, we got to get at least four of the next five," Walters said. "Our driving motivation and our focus to get better and give them the opportunity to play in the postseason."
The likes of Sanoussi Kane, Cam Allen, TJ Sheffield, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and others make up that group of veterans that Purdue is playing for down the stretch. What remains to be seen is whether the Boilermakers can accomplish Walters' goal.
