Loss of Garrett Miller Opens Door for Purdue Tight Ends to Step Up in his Place
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Payne Durham and Garrett Miller were supposed to be the second coming of Brycen Hopkins and Cole Herdman — a one-two punch at tight end for Purdue football this upcoming season.
The duo talked throughout the summer and spring about working toward positional dominance in the Big Ten, but it ended up being just a fleeting dream. Miller, who was poised for a big role in the offense entering this year as a redshirt junior, is now out for the season after suffering a knee injury in fall training camp.
The Boilermakers still have Durham, a reliable fifth-year season who is among the best tight ends in the conference, to lead the way. But without Miller in the mix, some inexperienced faces will have to seize their moment and take advantage.
"It's always next man up," Purdue tight ends coach Ryan Wallace said. "Garrett's a tremendous player, he had a tremendous offseason. I'm crushed for the kid, but he's going to bounce back next year and be fine. When that one door closes, another opportunity comes."
Durham was worn down, battered and bruised during the 2021 season but came into the fall at full health. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end has increased his production each season he's stepped onto the field.
But after posting career-highs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns last year, Durham is now a player Purdue has to manage during practice to avoid unnecessary injury.
He's allowed to go all out during individual activities before being reeled back in and getting limited reps when the Boilermakers come together for team drills.
"I understand it, they don't want me to get hurt," Durham said. "So the plays that I am in, I make sure I go super hard, and I'm very technical and focused on what I'm doing. Then in the individual periods is the time I really ramp it up."
But when Durham is out of the play, it opens the door for other tight ends to fill in, like redshirt junior Paul Piferi, who will likely be the replacement for Miller during the 2022 season.
Piferi, a former high school quarterback out of Villa Park, California, is an asset in the passing game because of his length and speed. But he's still fighting for more consistency in the run game.
No one is asking Piferi to jump in and perform the standards of Miller, but there's still room for him to continue growing into a more well-rounded player at his college position.
"He is very physical in the run game, very physical in the pass game," Piferi said of Miller. "He was a very dominant player on the line and spread out. So I've got some big shoes to fill."
Purdue will also look to redshirt sophomore Ben Buechel for depth throughout the year. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end out of New Berlin, Wisconsin, is a preferred walk-on, yet he appeared in two games for the Boilermakers last season.
"He's kind of those gritty guys it gives you everything he's got and you trust," Wallace said of Buechel.
Sophomore Drew Biber, alongside freshmen Max Klare and Charlie Kenrich will round out the unit for the 2022 season. They'll continue to make strides in order to be ready if their names are called upon.
As for Miller, Durham said he's doing well and is coming to terms with sitting out the year. After surgery, he'll return to the team and serve as somewhat of a player-coach, aiding the tight end group's preparation.
"He can help the young guys out a ton and kind of tell me what he's seeing," Durham said. "So I definitely think he'll he'll still contribute to this team, just not on the field."
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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.