Jeff Brohm Looking for Young Players to Emerge at Offensive Line, Tight End for Purdue Football

A bye week for Purdue football gives the team a chance to evaluate some of the less experienced players on its roster. Coach Jeff Brohm said he is looking for players to emerge at the offensive line and tight end positions.

D.J. Fezler | Oct 29, 2022

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Purdue Boilermakers

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As Purdue football navigates a bye week, veteran players have a chance to rest ahead of the team's next game. But it's also an opportunity for less experienced players to get extra work on the practice field.

The Boilermakers are entering the final stretch of 2022, and head coach Jeff Brohm is looking for players to begin solidifying themselves along the offensive line and at tight end for what remains of the regular season.

"Those are the two main positions," he said on Tuesday. "Some of the other positions, either we have some depth that's not quite ready, or we need to find more depth. But I just think those positions we'd like to see emerge here soon."

Redshirt senior Payne Durham and redshirt junior Paul Piferi have been the mainstays at the tight end position for Purdue after redshirt junior Garrett Miller suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall camp.

Durham is second on the team in several receiving categories this season, hauling in 39 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns. Piferi has just six catches on the year for 87 yards but reached the end zone in a 56-0 win over Indiana State on Sept. 10.

Behind those two is redshirt sophomore Ben Buechel, sophomore Drew Biber and a pair of freshmen in Max Klare and Charlie Kenrich. Biber recorded a single reception against the Sycamores, while the others have yet to record any receiving stats in 2022.

"There are some young tight ends that would I would like to see emerge as playmakers for us," Brohm said. "That needs to happen at some point. So we need to work hard at that."

A focal point in the team's offensive balance has been stability along the offensive line despite utilizing a rotation of players throughout the season. As many as eight different linemen have seen playing time for the Boilermakers.

However, redshirt senior Daniel Johnson suffered a season-ending knee injury during the season after transferring from Kent State. The team has five true freshman offensive linemen on the roster, and redshirt freshmen Marcus Mbow has found a role in the rotation alongside sophomore Mahamane Moussa.

"These are some young guys that aren't ready yet but are getting closer," Brohm said. "We need to get a group of offensive linemen ready to go for the next time we need them, whether that's this year or next year."

Purdue will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 5, for a matchup with Iowa inside Ross-Ade Stadium. Kickoff time and television designations for the matchup are expected to be announced either Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

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