Josh Kaltenberger Preparing to Take Command at Center for Purdue Football
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Josh Kaltenberger's teammates are beginning to feel as though he hasn't left the Purdue training facility as the team prepares for Saturday's regular-season finale on the road against rival Indiana.
Kaltenberger — a redshirt sophomore —is filling in for junior center Gus Hartwig, who left last week's matchup against Northwestern with a lower-body injury that will cut his 2022 campaign short.
"We appreciate all the great play he's given us to this point and all the hard work, because he has played through a lot of other injuries as well," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. He was a leader of our offensive line, a great snapper, smart, tough, and an in-state recruit that came and want to make a difference."
Hartwig has been a leader for the Boilermakers up front and is responsible for making calls and reacting to the opposing defensive line. Brohm said he will undergo a surgical procedure, which will knock him out of all football activities for an extended period of time.
Now, Kaltenberger is poised to step up and take command of the offensive line. Any chance he gets, he's studying the Hoosiers trying to give himself an edge ahead of the in-state matchup for the Old Oaken Bucket.
"He wants to do well, he wants to succeed and he's putting in the time," Purdue redshirt senior offensive lineman Eric Miller said. "It was good for him to get some action on Saturday, and he looked good today in practice. So we're excited about Josh helping to lead us now. He's a good kid and he's strong, very cerebral. So we're looking forward to it."
Kaltenberger is in his third year with the program after being credited for 12 game appearances last season. He is a native of Cranberry Township, Pa., where he attended Seneca Valley High School and entered the college level ranked as the No. 8 center in the 2020 recruiting class by ESPN.
Players and staff have touted Kaltenberger's ability in the weight room, citing the 6-foot-5, 305-pound center as one of the strongest offensive linemen on the team. The only concern when he joined the Boilermakers was the ceiling for his athletic capabilities, but he's making up for it with his knowledge of the offense.
"What you weren't sure of was maybe how great of an athlete is he going to be and the potential that he has, but he's smart," Brohm said of Kaltenberger. "He can really snap the football effectively, which is very important. We want to continue to see him get better at playing fast, making calls and reacting to movement up front."
Behind Kaltenberger and the rest of the offensive line, Purdue ran for 140 yards in a 17-9 victory over Northwestern despite losing redshirt freshman running back Devin Mockobee due to injury. Sixth-year senior Aidan O'Connell was only sacked one time and went on to complete 16-of-25 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
"He stepped in during a critical situation and did an admirable job," Brohm said. "I think he'll continue to improve. He knows we need him. He's got to get it done for us. I think he'll take pride in that. He's been a great teammate and he fits in well."
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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.