WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Moments after last Saturday's Old Oaken Bucket Game, all focus for Purdue football turned to the 2020 season.
First up is Signing Day on Dec. 18, when the Boilermakers look to fortify their roster. Offseason workouts will begin, followed by spring practice, summer workouts and ultimately training camp.
"We always need to do things better," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "To win at this level against Big Ten competition, you've got to be big, strong, physical, have some depth. We have to improve in those areas."
2019 proved to be a youth movement, as the Boilermakers played 33 true or redshirt freshmen. That total includes 13 starters. True or redshirt freshmen paced Purdue or shared the team lead in a bushel basket of statistical categories, including rushing yards (King Doerue), passing yards (Jack Plummer), receptions (David Bell), receiving yards (Bell), total offense (Plummer), all-purpose yards (Bell), tackles for loss (George Karlaftis), sacks (Karlaftis) and interceptions (Cory Trice).
"I do think progress is being made as far as a lot of youth has been in there, and they've hung in there and done some good things for us," Brohm said. "We've got to find ways to get more guys that want to put in all the effort it is going to take to win at a high level."
The silver lining to this year's myriad injuries is the on-the-job training received by so many youngsters.
"When you look back at it, it is a bad thing that a lot of our team got injured, and we ended up playing a lot of freshmen," sophomore running back Zander Horvath said. "But in the end, I feel like it is a better thing for us experience-wise. They are up to game speed. Next year we are going to have a feel for how we all play, and it's going to be good."
The 2020 season opener is Sept. 5 at Nebraska in a Big Ten West Division matchup.
Purdue will host two first-time opponents in non-conference play - Memphis on Sept. 12 and Air Force on Sept. 19. Both of those teams are headed to bowl games with gaudy records (Memphis 11-1 and Air Force 10-2).
On Oct. 10, the Boilermakers will welcome Rutgers to Ross-Ade Stadium for the first time. In addition to Indiana, Purdue's other crossover game will be a trip to Michigan on Oct. 24.
Homecoming will be a Halloween date with Northwestern.
Two key West Division showdowns wrap up the home schedule - Nov. 14 against Wisconsin and Nov. 21 against Iowa. The Wisconsin game will be No. 500 in the history of Ross-Ade, which opened in 1924.
"I am expecting big things from this team next year," junior defensive end Derrick Barnes said. "We should be one of the greatest teams ever at Purdue, honestly."
Fan interest continues to perk, as the Boilermakers' season average home attendance of 54,021 was the highest since Joe Tiller's last season in 2008. Since 2016, Purdue has seen an increase of 57%.
2020 Schedule
Sept. 5 - at Nebraska
Sept. 12 - MEMPHIS
Sept. 19 - AIR FORCE
Sept. 26 - at Boston College
Oct. 10 - RUTGERS
Oct. 17 - at Illinois (Cannon Trophy Game)
Oct. 24 - at Michigan
Oct. 31 - NORTHWESTERN (Homecoming)
Nov. 7 - at Minnesota
Nov. 14 - WISCONSIN
Nov. 21 - IOWA
Nov. 28 - at Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket Game)
First up is Signing Day on Dec. 18, when the Boilermakers look to fortify their roster. Offseason workouts will begin, followed by spring practice, summer workouts and ultimately training camp.
"We always need to do things better," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "To win at this level against Big Ten competition, you've got to be big, strong, physical, have some depth. We have to improve in those areas."
2019 proved to be a youth movement, as the Boilermakers played 33 true or redshirt freshmen. That total includes 13 starters. True or redshirt freshmen paced Purdue or shared the team lead in a bushel basket of statistical categories, including rushing yards (King Doerue), passing yards (Jack Plummer), receptions (David Bell), receiving yards (Bell), total offense (Plummer), all-purpose yards (Bell), tackles for loss (George Karlaftis), sacks (Karlaftis) and interceptions (Cory Trice).
"I do think progress is being made as far as a lot of youth has been in there, and they've hung in there and done some good things for us," Brohm said. "We've got to find ways to get more guys that want to put in all the effort it is going to take to win at a high level."
The silver lining to this year's myriad injuries is the on-the-job training received by so many youngsters.
"When you look back at it, it is a bad thing that a lot of our team got injured, and we ended up playing a lot of freshmen," sophomore running back Zander Horvath said. "But in the end, I feel like it is a better thing for us experience-wise. They are up to game speed. Next year we are going to have a feel for how we all play, and it's going to be good."
The 2020 season opener is Sept. 5 at Nebraska in a Big Ten West Division matchup.
Purdue will host two first-time opponents in non-conference play - Memphis on Sept. 12 and Air Force on Sept. 19. Both of those teams are headed to bowl games with gaudy records (Memphis 11-1 and Air Force 10-2).
On Oct. 10, the Boilermakers will welcome Rutgers to Ross-Ade Stadium for the first time. In addition to Indiana, Purdue's other crossover game will be a trip to Michigan on Oct. 24.
Homecoming will be a Halloween date with Northwestern.
Two key West Division showdowns wrap up the home schedule - Nov. 14 against Wisconsin and Nov. 21 against Iowa. The Wisconsin game will be No. 500 in the history of Ross-Ade, which opened in 1924.
"I am expecting big things from this team next year," junior defensive end Derrick Barnes said. "We should be one of the greatest teams ever at Purdue, honestly."
Fan interest continues to perk, as the Boilermakers' season average home attendance of 54,021 was the highest since Joe Tiller's last season in 2008. Since 2016, Purdue has seen an increase of 57%.
2020 Schedule
Sept. 5 - at Nebraska
Sept. 12 - MEMPHIS
Sept. 19 - AIR FORCE
Sept. 26 - at Boston College
Oct. 10 - RUTGERS
Oct. 17 - at Illinois (Cannon Trophy Game)
Oct. 24 - at Michigan
Oct. 31 - NORTHWESTERN (Homecoming)
Nov. 7 - at Minnesota
Nov. 14 - WISCONSIN
Nov. 21 - IOWA
Nov. 28 - at Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket Game)