Purdue's plan at QB? Play Hudson Card and Ryan Browne vs. Northwestern

Hudson Card or Ryan Browne? Who will be Purdue’s quarterback when its plays host to Northwestern at noon ET on Saturday on BTN?

The answer: Both.

“No decisions on who is going to start right now,” said Ryan Walters. “They both will play. Both have been sort of splitting reps with the ones and the twos and both have been doing a great job.”

Browne started the last two games with Card out in concussion protocol following the Wisconsin game. In his first start, Browne nearly delivered Purdue to a win at Illinois, where the Boilermakers lost 50-49 in OT. The last time out, Browne and Purdue lost 35-0 to Oregon.

“They add different elements to the offense and we can have success with both of them running sort of this style, so we’ll kind of see how this next week plays out and we’re getting more in depth into the game plan and go from there.”

Purdue (1-6 overall; 0-4 Big Ten) is looking to end a six-game losing streak as it comes out of a bye week in a 2024 season that has gone off the rails. And things don’t figure to get any easier in November for last-place Purdue over the final five games facing a schedule that includes games vs. No. 4 Ohio State, No. 3 Penn State and No. 13 Indiana.

While Browne and Card have similarities, they each bring something a little different to the table, too, when the Boilermakers face off vs. a Northwestern program that’s having its own issues on offense.

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“The information you have on Ryan Browne is how well he can extend plays and hurt you on the ground with his legs just because we’ve asked him to do so the last couple weeks. And you look at Hudson’s productivity the last two years, hasn’t necessarily been on the ground, but we haven’t really asked him to do so.

“So, the thing that I like about both of them is the game plan wouldn’t really change much, so I think if I’m a defensive coordinator and I’ve seen the two games of Ryan and basically the last year and a half with Hudson, I would be more cautious about being aggressive in the quarterback run game with Ryan in there.”

Whoever is taking snaps will benefit from the expected return of WR CJ Smith, the purported fastest player on the roster. The Georgia transfer has yet to play a snap since transferring, dealing with an August hamstring injury that has nagged. Smith dressed for the Oregon game but didn’t see the field.

“He’s going to bring a different element for us,” said analyst Jason Simmons. “He’s known for his speed, but he’s highly competitive. He catches the ball well. He attacks the ball when it’s in the air extremely well. We’re certainly going to access his speed, his ability to run. When you look at what he can bring to our offense, he’s going to give us the ability to create more air for everybody, not just himself.”

No doubt, Smith could be a big asset for whomever is taking snaps for a Boilermaker offense that has floundered of late in Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue has scored two touchdowns in the last three home games: Against Notre Dame when it trailed 49-0 and when Nebraska was up 28-3 late in the fourth quarter.

Purdue also has led for a total of only 3:53 in its last three home tilts. The attack has made just four trips to the red zone in those games and it has scored on three of 36 drives against the Irish, the Huskers and Oregon and totaled 15 three-and-outs.

“I just think (Card and Browne) have a lot of respect for each other and don’t have any egos,” said Walters. “They wouldn’t bat an eye if I said, ‘Hey, so and so is the starter and he will take all the reps.’ They wouldn’t bat an eye if I said ‘You’re going to split reps or you got a special package where you’ll both be in there.’

“They want the team to win and trust us to make the right decision to give us the best chance to go do so.”

Can one or both finally deliver Purdue to its first win since a 49-0 victory vs. Indiana State in the opener on Aug. 31?