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Deep Dive: Spring FB practice No. 9

On3 imageby:Tom Dienhart•04/01/25•

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(Krockover Photography)

It’s informative, it’s analytical, it’s opinionated, it’s the Deep Dive, a look at today’s football practice.

• A cool, brisk morning for practice. It was toque weather. But Barry Odom was just wearing his black ball cap. He never flinched.

• Purdue worked on some end-of-game situations toward the close of practice. TE George Burhenn made a nice TD grab. And Donovan Hamilton did, too.

• Purdue ended today’s practice with another spirited “Boilermaker” drill.

• I will say this: Odom is a very captivating post-practice speaker to the squad. He had the team’s rapt attention. Mine, too. Makes you wanna wear a neckroll.

MORE: Photos from practice No. 9

• Didn’t see S Crew Wakley. Key players working off to the side: RB Malachi Thomas, S Tahj Ra-El, OL Mason Vicari (boot on left leg) and WR Chauncey Magwood (boot on right leg). Mo Omonode was walking laps around the field. LB Winston Berglund practiced but seemed to be limited.

• With Vicari out, Ethan Trent was the No. 1 right guard between C Giordano Vaccaro and RT Bakyne Coly. Gonna be fun to see if Trent can forge a role. Easy guy to like.

MORE: Spring football content portal

• QB coach Darin Hinshaw opined on some questions concerning the signal-callers:

– Could the QB derby between EJ Colson, Malachi Singleton and Evans Chuba bleed into August? “It could. It could very easily do that.”

–When will the QBs know where they stand in the pecking order? “I’ll talk with Coach Odom and Coach Henson. And we’ll get to that point toward the end of spring. And then we’ll have our individual meetings and I’ll tell them where they stand. And then we’ll decide what we want to tell people and all that. And that’ll be a message from Coach Odom.”

–Will Purdue shop for a QB in the portal this spring? “I always look at other quarterbacks. We’re always recruiting, we’re always doing that. And, right now, I’m not gonna make any statements on any of that. I’m not worried about that. Because everyone in the portal has fleas, also. There are all kinds of situations. High school recruiting is a must. Signing guys from high school is 100 percent what we are going to be doing. And then we’ll deal with the portal as needed.”

• Speaking of QBs, Chuba needs to cut down his turnovers.

A look at QB Evans Chuba’s funky sidearm delivery.

• BTN’s Howard Griffith was on hand to watch practice. He’s still in playing shape; more important: He’s a great person. Griffith says it was his first stop of the spring, as he tours schools. Next up: Illinois, where Griffith was a standout fullback in the late 1980s and once scored 8 TDs in a game. He went on to win two Super Bowls with the Broncos.

• 2026 Downers Grove (Ill.) North TE Will Vala earned an offer today.

• Thanks for reading. Purdue will be back on the practice field on Thursday. With rain in the forecast, the squad could be indoors. A scrimmage is set for Saturday.

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