Hudson Card or Ryan Browne? Purdue using bye to evaluate how it will deploy QBs moving forward
Hudson Card or Ryan Browne? Who will run the Purdue offense over the final five games of the 2024 season?
It’s one of many questions hanging over a Boilermaker program that’s in the throes of a six-game losing streak. Purdue (1-6 overall; 0-4 Big Ten) has all week during a bye to sort through that query and others. The Boilermakers’ next game is vs. Northwestern (3-4; 1-3) on Nov. 2.
“Goals (during the bye week) are improvement,” said Ryan Walters. “We had a really good practice today. We’ll practice full pads Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. A lot of good on good work. And just cleaning up technique, details, fundamentals.”
Walters is paying close attention to the QB spot. Browne started the last two games with Card out in concussion protocol after getting hurt at Wisconsin. Now, Card has been cleared and is ready to go after starting the first five games of 2024. Should he lose his job because of injury?
“That was one of the conversations that we had with the two of them was, yeah, Hudson got hurt, and you don’t want anybody to lose their position because of that,” said Walters. “But you can’t ignore the way Ryan played, especially in that second half of the Illinois game. So, it is a fine line, and they both understand that, which is why I think they’re both completely bought in to sharing, to splitting reps, at least this week. We’ll see what that looks like next week.”
Browne led Purdue to its best outing of 2024 vs. a FBS foe, rallying the the team to 46 second-half points at No. 23 Illinois earlier this month in a 50-49 OT loss. He ran for 118 yards and passed for 297 and three TDs at Illinois. Browne came back to earth last week in a 35-0 loss to No. 2 Oregon, hitting 9-of-19 passes for 93 yards with an interception and running 14 times for 48 yards.
“They’re both taking reps with the ones right now, sort of splitting it 50-50,” said Walters. “But both of them kind have different strengths, different weaknesses, and both of them give us a shot. So, we’ll see how this week plays.”
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Walters even intimated that he could use both in the same game … at the same time.
“I can see a scenario where we do that,” he said. “I can see them both on the field at the same time.”
The Purdue offense has foundered most of the season to the point where OC Graham Harrell was let go after a 28-10 loss on Sept. 28 to Nebraska. Analyst Jason Simmons called played the next week at Wisconsin, and Walters surprised everyone by assuming OC duties at Illinois the next week. He continued in that role vs. Oregon and will do so moving forward.
“There’s not enough time in the day,” said Walters of also helping on defense, which is his bailiwick. “We have a defensive coordinator, a special teams coordinator, but we don’t have an offensive coordinator. It would be negligent of myself not to spend the majority of my time on that side of the ball.”
And he’s spending a good part of this week watching his signal-callers: Card and Browne.
“We’re always evaluating and competition is always competition,” said Walters. “Now, the thing that is unique about that position is there’s only one of them on the field. But the team is comfortable with both of them. I think both of them give us a chance to win, especially with the way we’re playing offensively. Whoever gives us the best chance will be out there at any given moment.”
Purdue 2024 offense
| Category | Avg./Big Ten rank out of 18 |
| Rushing | 163.6 ypg/8th |
| Passing | 170.9 ypg/15th |
| Total | 334.4 ypg/14th |
| Scoring | 20.3 ppg/16th |
MORE: Q&A with Tiffini Grimes | Three thoughts from the weekend | The 3-2-1
