Charlie Jones Showcases Potential in Purdue Offense Despite Loss to Penn State
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Iowa transfer Charlie Jones was all the buzz during the Purdue football's offseason training camp. A sixth-year receiver changing programs for the third time in his career, but one that grew up playing youth football with starting quarterback Aidan O'Connell.
With the addition of Jones and other pass-catchers by way of the transfer portal, the Boilermakers looked to put together a deep receiving corps with a diverse set of skills to mitigate the loss of David Bell and Milton Wright this season.
Replacing a receiver of Wright's caliber, let alone a 2021 All-American and third-round NFL Draft pick in Bell, is a tall order.
But the connection between the childhood duo was a force to be reckoned with in Purdue's 35-31 loss to Penn State on Thursday night at Ross-Ade Stadium. Jones led all receivers by catching 12 passes for 153 yards and added a touchdown reception in the third quarter.
While his big-time performance on national television wasn't enough to earn a win in the team's season opener, Jones flashed elite potential with O'Connell throwing him the ball in a formidable Boilermaker passing offense.
"We didn't get the outcome we wanted, but it's nice to be here," Jones said after the game. "I'm excited to be with these guys and we got a long season. So I'm just gonna get back to it."
Jones, who started his career with Buffalo as a redshirt, posted a career-high 395 receiving yards on 18 catches during the 2018 season with the Bulls before transferring to Iowa.
With the Hawkeyes, he found his way onto the field as an explosive return specialist. He handled both kickoff and punt return duties during his time in Iowa City, garnering recognition as one of the Big Ten's best. But he didn't record a reception for Iowa until the 2021 season.
A change of scenery was needed as he entered his final year of college football eligibility, and teaming up with O'Connell in a pass-first Purdue offense was just the fit to showcase his skills as a receiver.
The duo sparked the Boilermaker offense early and often against the Nittany Lions on Thursday. Jones made his first catch wearing a Purdue uniform on the team's second play from scrimmage, a 10-yard reception to pick up a first down.
O'Connell targeted Jones 19 times during the game, which included a seven-yard touchdown connection to give the team a 24-21 lead in the third quarter.
Aidan O'Connell with a DIME to Charlie Jones 🎯@BoilerFootball takes the lead back! 🚂 pic.twitter.com/HIY5mq74XT
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 2, 2022
"He's a great player, we knew that when we brought him here," O'Connell said of Jones. "Very excited that he's here, and he showed [Thursday] a lot of dynamic playmaking abilities. Obviously, everyone knows in the return game, but at the wide receiver position, too.
"It's fun to throw to him. He's a smart player, a good player, plays really hard. We've got a lot of guys like that."
Jones, whose longest catch of the night went for 30 yards to set up a scoring drive in the first quarter, led all receivers with 58 yards after the catch. He picked up seven first downs for the Boilermakers and wasn't credited for any dropped passes.
Despite individual success, the game still resulted in a disappointing loss to start the 2022 college football season. But Purdue's offensive combination of O'Connell and Jones flashed the potential to be one of the best in the Big Ten Conference.
"We had a feeling that Charlie would be a go-to guy when we got him here," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. "He had a really good camp, runs good routes. He understands football, he's got good hands. He's got a good chemistry with Aiden and that showed up [Thursday] with a lot of plays."
Stories Related to Purdue Football
- Offense Falters for Purdue in 35-31 Loss to Penn State: Purdue football mustered just 65 total yards in the fourth quarter against Penn State. Sean Clifford led the Nittany Lions to a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes to escape Ross-Ade Stadium with a victory. CLICK HERE
- Photo Gallery: Penn State defeated Purdue football 35-31 on Thursday night inside Ross-Ade Stadium. Boilermaker fans created a special atmosphere and were in full force to welcome the Nittany Lions. CLICK HERE
- Live Blog: Purdue football began its 2022 campaign on Thursday night against Penn State inside Ross-Ade Stadium. Here's the live blog from the game, which recapped the matchup in real time. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.