Oregon Ducks vs. Purdue summer preview: 3 Boilermakers to know
By Ethan Lee
Going into the 2024 Oregon football season, the Ducks are entering into the Big Ten and they get to take a road trip that is a little tricky. On October 18, 2024, Dan Lanning and the Oregon football team will face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Indiana.
The Ducks are looking to establish themselves as true contenders within the Big Ten conference and they’ve got the talent to contend for a national title this year. As they get set for this season, they’ll need to keep an eye on a few Boilermakers.
Here are three Purdue players to know about.
No. 1: Hudson Card - Quarterback
The Purdue Boilermakers are running the Air Raid (shoutout to Graham Harrell, Purdue’s OC) and this offense runs through former Texas Longhorns quarterback Hudson Card. Last year wasn’t perfect for Card and the Boilermakers offense, but he did show flashes of potential by throwing for 2,387 yards and 15 touchdowns while also running for 203 yards and five more scores on the ground.
Card is seasoned and experienced and he’s become more familiar with a system that typically takes off once you have plenty of reps in it. If he can continue to improve upon his decision-making, improve his accuracy, take care of the football, and stay healthy, then Purdue’s offense could be dangerous.
No. 2: Kydran Jenkins - Linebacker
It seems plausible that Oregon’s offense will want to get the ground game running effectively on a regular basis given the amount of talent Oregon has at running back. And if the Ducks want to really establish their reusing attack, they’ll need to be aware of Kydran Jenkins, who was a force for the Purdue defense in 2023.
Last season, Jenkins demonstrated an impressive ability to get into opposing backfields and cause a little chaos as he racked up 15.5 tackles for loss and recorded 7.5 sacks. Oregon will need to ensure that it neutralizes the impact that Jenkins can have on this game.
No. 3: Gus Hartwig - Offensive Line
The battle in the trenches isn’t something that should ever be ignored, even if skill position players get the majority of the spotlight. For the Purdue Boilermakers, that’s where Gus Hartwig comes in to help anchor Purdue’s offensive line.
With a wealth of experience and some solid talent, Hartwig makes a pretty notable impact for Purdue. Last season, despite dealing with some injury issues, Hartwig was crucial in the development of Purdue’s Air Raid attack and he earned some All-Big Ten attention as an honorable mention last year.