Experts align on Purdue's starting quarterback: Who will it be, expectations, what's the future?

Indianapolis Star

a day ago

One quarterback chose Purdue football in the transfer portal only after leaving to study under six-time Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick at his new digs at North Carolina.
Three other quarterbacks had transferred, one leaving the Boilermakers after spring practice, and those remaining will compete for the starting quarterback job in Barry Odom's first year as Purdue coach. An offense that was seventh-worst in yardage last season has plenty of room to improve. And quarterback play will be a key element.
So, who emerges to take the first snaps? That battle begins Thursday and will run to Aug. 30 when Purdue hosts Ball State.
IndyStar Purdue insider Nathan Baird and Courier-Journal reporter Sam King huddled with IndyStar assistant sports editor Aaron Ferguson to discuss Purdue's quarterback situation. Here is their conversation.
Ferguson: Which quarterback will take the first snap of the Barry Odom era, and why do you think he will win?
King: Ryan Browne. That nobody stood out enough to own the position throughout spring camp probably played a part in Browne's return to Purdue after a spring under the tutelage of Bill Belichick. He has dual threat ability and, though he doesn't have a ton of games under his belt, he's played meaningful reps at quarterback in the Big Ten over the past two seasons. However, this is a competition that still may not be settled when someone steps behind center against Ball State on Aug. 30.
Baird: I agree Browne seems the likeliest candidate. I would not rule out Bennett Meredith, who held his own against the wave of transfers who came in before the spring. The best case scenario, though, would be Purdue having the opportunity to give two or more contenders a lot of reps in those first two games against Ball State and Southern Illinois. It needs multiple starting-caliber Big Ten quarterbacks and, frankly, it starts preseason camp uncertain whether it has one. If this competition must extend into the season, so be it. In the context of where this program wants to be long-term, the question of who takes the first snap is almost academic. The crucial question is does Purdue have the correct QB in place for a winnable span of games in mid-October?
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Ferguson: Purdue's offense was seventh worst nationally in total offense, somehow ahead of two Big Ten teams, not even gaining 300 yards per game. Most of that had to come through the air due to large deficits the Boilers faced. Obviously quarterback plays a central role in the offense but what can we expect in terms of what this offense looks like?
Baird: This team wants to establish the run. It has an offensive coordinator, Josh Henson, with a background on the offensive line. It has a reliable veteran running back in Devin Mockobee. All of its quarterbacks add some running ability. Maybe most importantly, its offensive line has some upside. Jalen St. John was a second team All-Mountain West tackle but may play guard. Giordano Vaccaro was a star in Canada and is in line to succeed Gus Hartwig at center. I don't know how explosive this offense will be, but if it can control the line of scrimmage it will give itself a chance.
King: Barry Odom admitted at Big Ten media days that he wanted to know how many yards away Mockobee is from Mike Alstott's Purdue career rushing record. Like Nathan said, the transfer portal included major upgrades on the offensive line, which was a liability at some spots and a reason Purdue struggled offensively. Only six Purdue players have rushed for 1,000 yards in a single season. If Mockobee gets close, that will be a positive sign for the offense, which also appears to have significantly improved its receiving corps. Henson is getting his crack at play calling and I'd expect it to be pretty balanced in competitive games. Purdue didn't have many competitive games a year ago, which dictated what it had to attempt to do offensively.
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Ferguson: I know the nature of this conversation is about this fall, but it's hard not to look ahead as Barry Odom tries to build a program. Does the commitment of Corin Berry at QB show what he's looking for at that position, or is that reading too much into it? And the second prong of this thought would be, is there a quarterback on the 2025 roster who could take the reins into 2026 or will the position again need to be addressed?
King: Any coach who isn't trying to recruit the best players is doing a disservice to the program regardless of who may or may not be returning. Odom has said previously he wants Purdue to recruit high school talent and develop from within. Given the situation he came into, a complete roster overhaul was necessary. Among the portal pulls were two young quarterbacks who began their careers elsewhere. I'm sure QB coach Darin Hinshaw would love to see Evans Chuba and Malachi Singleton elevate into starting caliber quarterbacks beyond 2025, much like he would returnee Browne and freshman Garyt Odom. Right now there are too many unknowns to pin down a potential long-term quarterback.
Baird: All of the quarterbacks on the roster could conceivably be the long-term QB of the future. All also have some mobility, which Odom said is one of the attributes they seek when recruiting that position. We know Purdue has a plethora of young options. We have no idea if it has an answer. This season will be a 12-week proving ground to come up with that solution. Or, Berry and whoever transfers in restart the competition again next spring.
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Ferguson: The way college football rosters have been constructed of late, I don't know that the 2026 QB is on the roster. However, we do know who is for this season. And, since both are in agreement on Browne, what are expectations for him this season?
Baird: He is the most experienced option on the roster. He also created a tangible spark last season — at least for one game. He says his time at North Carolina was valuable and he learned a lot from being in meetings with Belichick. What we saw against Illinois was how much his legs could make a difference in the passing game. They had to respect him as a rushing threat, and even novice offensive play caller Ryan Browne could scheme up big vertical passing plays against those coverages. Browne should benefit from a more sophisticated approach, but he also needs some leeway. He was not yet ready to seize the starting job with a wide-open opportunity last season. He may be a better October and November talent than he looks to start the season.
King: While Browne is the most experienced and, likely, the most suitable option to at least open camp as QB1, he is the least experienced with this coaching staff. Chuba, Singleton, Meredith and Odom all went through spring. Expectations are hard to place, but like Nathan said, we've seen Browne's ability to make plays. He did it two years ago at Northwestern and last season at Illinois. The Oregon game didn't fall fully on his shoulders, but last season the Ducks made Browne look pedestrian just six days after his performance against the Illini. It was always Hudson Card's job last season once he got healthy. If Browne earns the starting role, I think we'll see some dashes of brilliance but I'd temper expectations.