Purdue Football: Injuries decimating Boilermakers roster
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In what’s been an extremely unlucky season for Purdue in regards to injuries, the team will be missing most of its key pieces when they travel to Penn State on Saturday.
Here's a list of several players who are out for sure:
- QB Elijah Sindelar — OUT (broken clavicle)
- WR Rondale Moore — OUT
- OL DJ Washington — OUT (broken fibula)
- DT Lorenzo Heal — OUT
- RB Tario Fuller — OUT
- RB Richie Worship — OUT
- WR Jared Sparks — OUT
With all seven of these guys out, other players on Purdue will have to step up. Here's who needs to step up at various positions:
QB — Jack Plummer
This one is a sure thing. Plummer started against TCU in place of Sindelar, and then filled in for him against Minnesota after Sindelar's clavicle injury. The redshirt freshman has shown improvement in his two opportunities this season and seems to have a good control of the Purdue offense. He may not have the arm of Singular, but he can make plays using his feet and will keep Purdue in games. Through two games he has thrown for 426 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.
“He (Plummer) has a great grasp of what we’re doing,” Brohm said Monday. “He just has to work on getting some experience out on the playing field and driving the ball down the field.”
WR— David Bell/Jackson Anthrop
Although Bell has played this season, he has taken a backseat to Moore. With Moore injured, it will be time for Bell to step up into a bigger role. The true freshman has dealt with injuries this season as well, but seemed to be healthy in the previous game, catching eight passes for 114 yards. On the season he has caught 14 passes for 244 yards and one touchdown.
“He’s (Bell) got some great play making skills,” Brohm said. “I think he can be outstanding.”
Jackson Anthrop likely will fill in as the other starting receiver from here on out. Brohm had stressed prior to the Moore injury that Anthrop needed to be more involved in the offense and it looks like that’ll have to happen now. Anthrop replaced Moore in the game following the injury and finished with seven catches for 66 yards. Anthrop is an experienced guy who has seen playing time over the last two seasons for Purdue. Now will be the time for him to step up into an even bigger role.
“Jackson exemplifies what it means to be a Boilermaker and team player,” Brohm said. “Now he’s going to be playing more.”
OL — Cam Craig
Washington was a backup lineman for Purdue, so the team doesn’t have to worry about replacing a starter. However, with the way Purdue coach Jeff Brohm had been rotating linemen in and out, this injury still hurts. In his Monday press conference, Brohm stated that we may see playing time from true freshman Cam Craig.
“Cam’s done a very good job for us and we think he has a very bright future,” Brohm said. “He’s made great strides and of the true freshman to this point he’s the farthest along.”
WR — T.J Sheffield
Sparks has missed the last two games due to injury, but with both Moore and Bell healthy it wasn’t difficult replacing him. Now, with Moore injured as well, somebody else will have to step up in this receiving core. Brohm stated in his press conference that true freshman T.J Sheffield will be in the mix as well on both offense and returns. Sheffield only has two catches on the season, but was listed as a four star recruit coming out of high school. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do with some more experience under his belt.
“Sheffield will be in the mix now as well, so that we can spell him (Anthrop) a bit and not wear him out,” Brohm said.
