Purdue coach Ryan Walters, players begin spring drills with chip on shoulder

Night and day. That’s how Ryan Walters describes the difference between this time last year and today, as he led Purdue through the first of 15 spring practices–his second as Boilermaker coach–inside Mollenkopf Athletic Center on Tuesday.

“You know the roster,” he said. “You know what you’re trying to accomplish. You’re not trying to figure things out. You got to keep most of the staff, as well, so there’s some cohesion there.”

Walters is coming off a 4-8 debut in West Lafayette, looking to take the program to another level in 2024. The staff hit the portal hard in search of talent, importing 15 players who are on campus for spring drills. There also are 11 early enrollee freshmen, as well as two JC transfers. Add it all up: Purdue has 26 new faces on the field.

“From what I’ve seen from workouts and Day One in helmets, you’re seeing what we saw on tape,” said Walters of the newcomers. “Some of them have sort of exceeded expectations and so that’s always good. The thing I like about all of it is they all got a chip on the shoulder and they’ve all came and put their head down and went to work.”

Among some of the key portal additions: CB Nyland Green (Georgia); OT Corey Stewart (Ball State); WR CJ Smith (Georgia); OT Joey Tanona (Notre Dame); OL DJ Wingfield (New Mexico); DE CJ Madden (Georgia); DE Shitta Sillah (Boston College), RB Reggie Love (Illinois) and CB Kyndrich Breelove (Colorado). No doubt, the portal additions arrived with something to prove, just like everyone on the roster.

“Definitely,” said Walters. “Coaches, players, old and new players alike, everybody’s got a chip on the shoulder. Guys that have been here, we all went 4-8 a year ago. And the guys in the portal, they were in the portal for a reason and they’ve got something to prove, as well. And as much as we don’t pay attention to social media and stuff like that, you still hear it … “

If Purdue is going to rise in 2024, it will need a big year from QB Hudson Card, who will begin his second season running the show after transferring from Texas. How has Card changed?

“Much more relaxed,” said Walters. “Physically, this time a year ago, he was 190 pounds. He’s 212 now. It’s his locker room. And I think the guys really respect him as a leader. And so you’re starting to see him be more vocal. Year Two in a system for a quarterback, just much more understanding and command of the offense. He’s looking like QB1. So, that’s good to see.”

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Card will be fortified by a line that welcomes four portal additions and two JC transfers. And his wideout unit is working in three portal players. Plus, Purdue is welcoming 2023 portal WR Jahmal Edrine into the mix after he missed last year with injury.

“Definitely got bigger,” said Walters of the o-line. “We took six six guys, and one of the high school guys is here (Jaden Ball), as well. And I think the smallest one is 6-4, 315. And so definitely beefed up. Not only are they big, they’re also athletic.

“Wideout CJ Smith is legit fast, like Olympic-type fast. So, it’s fun to watch him run around. Kam Brown (UCLA) is smooth, fluid. You can tell he’s played and lot of minutes.”

Purdue will be back on the field on Thursday morning and then again on Friday evening to wrap up its first week of spring practices, which will include a game in Ross-Ade Stadium on April 13. There’s no time for rest.

“I’ll catch my breath when I retire,” said the 38-year-old Walters. “There’s always work to do. Right now, it’s trying to raise money in the collective and recruiting and trying to be innovative with what we’re doing schematically and finding ways to creatively allow for opportunities to gain chemistry with new faces and all those things while still being a husband and a dad and being a head football coach.

“So, definitely not catching my breath. But I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing, what I’m meant to do and where I’m meant to be. And so I’m enjoying every moment of it.”