Four things Purdue fans should celebrate on the Fourth of July

Even though Purdue won’t play a game until the fall, its fans can celebrate plenty this Fourth of July. GoldandBlack.com looks at four big things that Purdue fans should be celebrating ahead of a new season.

ZACH EDEY’S RETURN

In college basketball’s history, seldom does a reigning National Player of the Year return for another year of school. In today’s basketball world, however, the combination of the NBA’s devaluation of traditional big men and the ability to profit off of name, image and likeness made Zach Edey’s decision a tough one.

After taking his decision to the final few hours, Edey’s return provides plenty of intrigue heading into the 2023-24 season. Purdue brings back the vast majority of its production from a 29-6 team that won both the Big Ten regular season and Big Ten Tournament championships. With the influx of more athleticism in Lance Jones, Camden Heide and Myles Colvin, Purdue will hope to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite the rest of the roster, Purdue fans should enjoy one more ride with Edey. He became Purdue’s first National Player of the Year in 29 years, and there’s no guarantee that the Boilermakers will see another NPOY shortly. Will he match the gaudy statistics which won him the award a season ago? Maybe, but maybe not. Trying to repeat as the National Player of the Year won’t come easily, but having a player of his caliber should be celebrated.

A CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION

For all the good that came from Purdue’s 2022-23 season, the ending left such a black eye on the season that the legacy became quite complicated. How should fans remember the year? For the pair of conference titles, a remarkable early season run to a number one ranking, or the first-round exit at the hands of FDU?

While the historic loss can never entirely go away, Purdue now gets a rare chance to bring back the vast majority of its roster and take another swing at ending the Final Four drought that seemingly haunts the program. Edey’s presence raises Purdue’s floor to a high level, but the rest of the roster may hold the keys to April.

It’s reasonable to assume that Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer take steps forward in year two. The same can be said for Trey Kaufman-Renn. If the pop of athleticism from Jones, Heide and Colvin proves to make a significant difference, Purdue should feel good about its chances to make a run.

Comparisons to the 2018-2019 Virginia situation will continue all season, but Purdue will pave its own path. A loaded non-conference slate will give the Boilermakers stiff competition early and often, but the season will take place with the NCAA Tournament lingering over every result, good or bad. Purdue gets the chance to redeem itself, but it comes at the cost of immense pressure and high expectations.

RECRUITING, RECRUITING, RECRUITING

As the calendar turned from June to July, it wrapped up a brilliant month for Ryan Walters and his staff on the recruiting trail. Purdue’s 2024 class sits at 18 players and inside the top 25 nationally. The vibe around the program feels much different than under the previous regime, for better or worse. Walters brings a youthful, energetic presence, and his assistants do the same.

In the soon-to-be expanded Big Ten with 16 teams, talent acquisition becomes even more critical. No longer will Purdue benefit from the West Division schedule, causing the strength of schedule to increase along with the overall conference. To combat that, Purdue needs as much talent on the field as possible.

Purdue’s success with skill position players in this class sticks out, as it’s what made Purdue football fun during its highlight periods over the past few decades. The dynamic wide receiver play of Rondale Moore, David Bell and Charlie Jones helped put Purdue back on the map after a decade of largely uninspiring play.

Players like Koy Beasley, Keonde Henry, Jaheim Merriweather and Luke Williams could make that type of impact, both on offense and defense. Yes, Purdue will want to continue to improve on the offensive and defensive lines, but an exciting style of play helps keep Purdue relevant. And in a time when the Big Ten will present more competition than ever, the influx of talent comes at a welcomed moment.

REVONATED ROSS-ADE

Along with the head coach’s “cool” factor, Purdue’s stadium may benefit from some of the same. No, the century-old stadium will never drip with youth, but the stadium will look dramatically different for Walters’ first year than it did for Jeff Brohm’s. The long-awaited stadium lights helped, but Ross-Ade’s dilapidated scoreboards and lack of modernity lingered.

Now, six years later, it looks entirely different. The gargantuan video board in the south end zone, as does the ribbon board in the north end zone, looks great. Now, the south end zone will seat fans again, and the tunnel will give another dimension of “cool” for Purdue.

When Walters appeared on Indianapolis radio this spring and claimed his program didn’t need facility upgrades, he meant it. Both the stadium and the performance complex put the program in a strong position. Factor in the recruiting success, and Purdue should feel good entering year one of Walters’ tenure.