Purdue athletics preview: What to watch for during 2023-24 school year

Football’s new direction and leadership.

Men’s basketball is loaded again but will success follow in March?

Another step forward for women’s basketball. Volleyball is positioned for a deep Big Ten/NCAA tournament run.

A look at what’s ahead for Purdue athletics during the 2023-24 school year.

STORYLINES TO TRACK

• For the fourth time since 2009, the Boilermakers feature a new head coach. Ryan Walters takes over for Jeff Brohm, who bolted for his hometown of Louisville following a successful six-year run. This is Walters’ first head coaching job, and the 37-year-old brings a defensive approach to a program known as the Cradle of Quarterbacks. But coordinator Graham Harrell has installed the “Air Raid” system and the offense will play with plenty of tempo under transfer quarterback Hudson Card. A plethora of fresh faces – 19 transfers – and a new philosophy leaves a lot of unknowns from the outside heading into the Sept. 2 opener against Fresno State. Ohio State and Michigan are also on the schedule, which is ranked among the toughest in the country. Finding a path to six wins and bowl eligibility is filled with numerous obstacles.

• The sting of the first-round NCAA tournament loss to FDU likely still resonates throughout coach Matt Painter’s program. But the Boilermakers welcome back big man Zach Edey, the reigning National Player of the Year, and a talented cast who helped vault Purdue to the No. 1 ranking for the second straight year. The addition of transfer Lance Jones, redshirt freshman Camden Heide and freshman Myles Colvin gives Painter more athletic ability on the perimeter, a concern that was addressed in the offseason. The versatility of Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn will present problems for opposing teams and the overall depth remains a strength. Purdue is the favorite for another Big Ten regular season and tournament championship, but all eyes are focused on March.

• Tough non-conference schedule. The Big Ten remains loaded. Coach Dave Shondell’s volleyball team is more than capable of putting itself in position for a deep NCAA tournament run. The nation’s No. 1 recruit – outside hitter Chloe Chicoine – the third-ranked recruiting class joins All-Big Ten first-team selection Eva Hudson along with second-team picks Raven Colvin and Maddie Schermerhorn with the focus of pushing the Boilermakers to the Final Four. 

• We’ve seen progress since Katie Gearlds took over the women’s basketball team and the former Boilermaker All-American has lifted the program out of a deep hole. Purdue moved up in the Big Ten standings compared to Gearlds’ first season but lost the play-in game in the NCAA tournament. Look for the freshman class to make an impact, but the veterans need to lead the way. More talent has joined the program, but the Boilermakers aren’t ready to win the Big Ten. However, another move forward up the standings and an NCAA tournament berth is expected. 

• Athletic director Mike Bobinski’s contract expires on June 30, 2024. Is an extension in the future, allowing Bobinski to remain in the position for another year or two? If Bobinski retires, is his replacement in-house, or will the Board of Trustees conduct one of those nationwide searches?

ELSEWHERE

• Phase 1 of the Ross-Ade Stadium renovation project will debut Sept. 2. The student section has moved to the south end zone and the addition of the Tiller Tunnel gives the players better access to the stadium. The $45.4 million project will be completed after the Purdue Team Store is converted into a dining/nutrition center. What’s the timeline for Phase 2?

• Alex Jerden (men’s swimming) and Magali Frezzotti (softball) make their head coaching debuts. Jerden replaces Dan Ross, who retired after a 42-year association with the program, including the last 38 as the head coach. Frezzotti takes over a struggling program after serving as an assistant the previous two seasons.

• Who will be coach Greg Goff’s No. 1 Big Ten starter following the departure of ace pitcher Khal Stephen, who transferred to Mississippi State?  Plenty of new faces are expected on the roster as the Boilermakers look to rebound from last year’s 24-29 record.

• Matt Ramos nearly won a national championship in wrestling last season, finishing runner-up at 125 pounds. He upset No. 1 seed and three-time reigning champion Spencer Lee from Iowa in the semifinals and has the talent to win a title.

• Is Herman Sekne poised to win Big Ten Player of the Year in men’s golf? The senior set a school record with a 70.41 stroke average last year and became the program’s first All-American in 21 years with a third-team honor. The Kampen Course will host one of six NCAA regionals in 2024.

• The Big Ten women’s swimming and diving championships will be held at Purdue in February.

• Will Purdue start the climb upward in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings? Purdue finished No. 72 nationally in 2022-23, 19 spots lower than the previous year. The Boilermakers were ranked No. 13 in the Big Ten.

AROUND THE BIG TEN

• The conference will rip up its 2024 football schedule and start over after adding Oregon and Washington, bringing the league to 18 schools. The 16-team, nine-game schedule was perfect for protected rivalries and playing everyone home and away at least once during a four-year cycle. Can the Big Ten achieve similar results with more schools? Is a 10-game conference schedule under consideration? Will men’s and women’s basketball increase the number of league games? So many questions.

• Contracts for championship events in football and men’s and women’s basketball are set to expire after this year’s tournaments. Bids for 2024-25 and beyond are due to the conference office in September. Indianapolis should remain a major player, but how often will the league stage conference championships in Los Angeles or Las Vegas to satisfy its new West Coast neighbors?

• Do you have your NBC/Peacock streaming subscription ready? The move away from cable/satellite TV is part of the league’s new media rights deal, and viewing habits will need to adjust. Expect early rounds of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to be shown on Peacock.