UCLA grad transfer QB Austin Burton brings veteran arm to Purdue
MORE: Analysis: Austin Burton coming to Purdue | Spring check up: The quarterbacks | Austin Burton highlights vs. Oregon State
Jeff Brohm had said he wanted to add a veteran arm to the quarterback room via the grad transfer market. Mission accomplished with news that UCLA’s Austin Burton is coming to Purdue. And he's coming to win the job.
"Yes, sir," said Burton. "I'm excited."
The 6-2, 197-pound Burton is on track to graduate. That will make him a grad transfer, giving him immediately eligible and able to battle for the starting job this fall. Sophomore Jack Plummer and junior Aidan O’Connell are the front-runners. Burton will be a redshirt junior in 2020, giving him two years of eligibility. He entered the transfer portal in early March.
"One of the biggest things about being a quarterback is you have to be a leader," said Burton, a history major who has yet to be able to visit Purdue due to the COVID-19 crisis. "And I've definitely worked on that and I think being a leader as a quarterback is extremely' important.
"On top of that, I think I'm pretty athletic. A good decision-maker, accurate. There's obviously things I need to work on, whether it's foot work, reads, different things."
At UCLA, Burton’s career never got on track. Last year, he was behind Dorian Thompson-Robinson who is the future of the Bruins’ program under Chip Kelly, entering his third season in Westwood. UCLA went 4-8 (4-5 Pac-12) last season.
“He runs when he needs to run, he throws when he needs to throw,” said Rick Kimbrel of BruinBlitz.com, rivals UCLA site. “Really intelligent.”
Burton saw action in five games in 2019, hitting 44-of-64 passes (68.8 percent) for 365 yards with one touchdown. And he ran 23 times for 100 yards (4.3 ypc) with a TD. He made one start, completing 27-of-41 passes for 236 yards in a 48-31 loss vs. Oregon State on October 5. Burton redshirted in 2017 and didn't play in 2018.
Elijah Sindelar--Purdue's season-opening starter each of the last three years--could have returned for a sixth season but opted to leave and pursue a career in engineering. He recently was married. Behind Plummer and O'Connell, Purdue has untested redshirt freshman Paul Piferi and incoming freshman Michael Alaimo.
After Sindelar was lost for the season with a shoulder injury in the fourth game of 2019, Plummer made six starts in 2019, completing 59.8 percent of his passes (144-of-241) for 1,603 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed 62 times for 56 yards. O'Connell started the final three games after Plummer went down with an ankle injury in the ninth game, hitting 62.8 percent of his attempts (103-of-164) for 1,101 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions during a disappointing 4-8 season.
Plummer and O'Connell are set to battle in camp for the No. 1 job, with Brohm saying this spring neither had an edge. Now, Burton will join the fray.
"I felt I would have a better opportunity somewhere else," said Burton when asked why he left UCLA. "At first right when you go into the portal, it's kind of hectic. A lot of schools just kind of hitting your phone and trying to figure it out. There were a couple schools, but ultimately I wanted to go to Purdue."
Burton grew up admiring Tom Brady.
"Austin models his game after Tom Brady, his idol," said Kimbrel. "That’s why he was number 12 at UCLA. He grew up in the New England area and his father is a broadcaster. So (Austin) was able to have a conversations with Tom. He doesn't have the arm that Tom does but I think he can lead a team.”
Burton arrived in Westwood as part of Jim Mora, Jr.’s final recruiting class. He was a rivals.com three-star prospect from West Orange High in Newton, Mass.
Burton’s father Steve played quarterback at Northwestern (1982-84). Burton is a sports anchor and reporter for WBZ-TV News on WBZ-TV and on sister station myTV38 in Boston.
Austin Burton’s grandfather Ron was the first ever draft pick of the Boston Patriots in 1960 and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after a record-setting career as a running back at Northwestern. On top of that, Austin Burton's sister Veronica plays basketball at Northwestern.
“He's efficient,” said Kimbrel. “He's smart. He makes good decisions. A lot of people were hoping that Kelly would go with Burton last year because with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, it's either feast or famine. And, you know, they're hoping this year that's going to be more feast.”
"Burton is a quality guy. A good locker room guy.”
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