Strong core of underclassmen gives Purdue football high hopes for next season

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WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue freshman tight end George Burhenn was inserted into the fray after injuries at receiver left coach Ryan Walters thin of targets.

Redshirt senior Garrett Miller got injured, which meant Burhenn, the 6-foot-5 McCordsville native, had to be inserted.

Not just for adding an extra layer of protection for injured quarterback Hudson Card. He’d be asked to catch passes.

Burhenn showed an elite display of strength and speed having just won the Indiana state 110-meter hurdling title six months ago. He managed to catch five passes for 74 yards and scored his first touchdown.

Comeback win: Hudson Card leads Purdue football to comeback win over Indiana

The contributions proved vital in helping Purdue beat rival Indiana 35-31 to claim the Old Oaken Bucket.

Burnhenn was far from the only Boilermaker underclassman that shined. Fellow freshman tight end Drew Biber caught a 16-yard pass and sophomore Deon Burks had seven catches for 87 yards.

The focus for Card is building off a late spurt that saw Purdue win two of its final three games.

“We’ve got a lot of great young players and it’s good to end the season the right way going into next year,” Card said. “We are going to attack the offseason and I’m really excited for next year. Another year in the system with the new staff and new players, we’ll be able to build and get better.”

Grading the Boilers: How did Purdue football grade out in comeback Oaken Bucket win over IU Saturday?

The growing process came much quicker on the defensive end for freshman defensive back Dillon Thieneman and sophomore linebacker Nic Scourton. Thieneman had the second most interceptions in Purdue history after snatching two against Indiana while Scourton finished the year with 10 sacks, the most in the Big Ten this season.

Purdue Boilermakers players celebrate after the NCAA football game…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/strong-core-underclassmen-gives-purdue-224028429.html

Author : Journal & Courier

Publish date : 2023-11-25 22:40:28

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