8 PAGE 8 THE EXPONENT, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

Tight end steps into veteran role Durham prepares for a team ‘counting on’ him

BY EMILY PRIMM of tight ends, to his high school la- Staff Reporter crosse career. He didn’t pick up football until his senior year, but Sophomore tight end Payne Dur- tallied 22 receptions for 330 yards ham had to grow up quickly last sea- and fve by the end of son to fll the veteran position as an a the season. underclassman. He played in two games as part of The age spread of tight ends for the reserves his freshman year, but the Boilermakers ranges between a it wasn’t until last year that he was freshman, three redshirts and one inducted into the Boilermakers’ ar- other sophomore who transferred senal. from the defensive end position this In a receiving core that was stacked season. With 250 snaps in the posi- with such big names as Hopkins and tion under his belt, Durham has the sophomores Rondale Moore and Da- experience necessary to be a leader vid Bell, Durham still found a way to among the tight ends. make plays. Last year he played in the shadow He saw the feld in all 12 games of ffth-year star tight end Brycen and started in four. In last year’s Hopkins and studied the dynamics game against Vanderbilt University, of Boilermakers’ offense. his frst reception ended up being his “Last year, I had a very specifc frst . He had eight more role behind (Hopkins),” Durham receptions for 82 yards and three said. “This year, it’s a little bit dif- more scores by the end of the season. ferent. There’s guys counting on me, To maintain his power in the red and coaches are counting on me.” zone, Durham said he wants to keep EXPONENT FILE PHOTO Durham says Hopkins served as up what he did last year and fnd a Then-redshirt freshman Payne Durham catches a third down pass from Jack Plummer. Durham would an important role model for him, way to always come away with the score on this play to put Purdue in the lead during the Boilermakers’ 2019 game against Nebraska. which he hopes to do this year for ball. been postponed. the rest of the young tight end squad. “(I need to) get myself open and “I was so down in the dumps when “Garrett (Miller) and Kyle (Bi- in tight spaces making sharp cuts,” it got canceled,” Durham said. “I lodeau) come over to my house a Durham said. “(When) the ball’s up think I had a really good offseason, whole lot of nights and just study the in the air, kind of having a basketball so I was ready to show what I would playbook with me,” Durham said. rebounding mentality, that that’s my have been working for.” “(I) teach them things that were ball, and I have to come down with it. Durham was not the only person taught to me, kind of how to conduct There’s no other option.” in the locker room who felt that way. When the news of the canceled “There’s guys counting on me, and coaches are season was released, Durham said morale was so low that the train- counting on me.“ ing facility was “probably one of the – Payne Durham, worst places to be in America.” However, last month’s update sophomore tight end announcing this year’s modified football season flipped the team’s themselves.” Durham added he wants to fo- bummed morale on its head. Dur- Tight ends coach Ryan Wallace cus on third-down conversions and ham spoke for Boilermakers on and said he feels good about Durham be- lengthening the 9.1 yards per recep- off the field when he talked about ing the number one tight end. tion he had last season. returning to the field Saturday. “Payne has a very high ceiling,” he Despite the ups and downs of the “(The news) couldn’t come fast DAVID HICKEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER said. “He stays motivated because he offseason, Durham made the most of enough,” Durham said. “I’ve had the The Purdue offense celebrates with then-redshirt freshman tight end Payne never has a bad day.” it. That being said, he was still dis- jitters all week. It’s a surreal feeling Durham, who had just scored Purdue’s sole touchdown of the game on Sat- Wallace attributed Durham’s appointed when the news came in that we’re fnally here, and I’m ex- urday. With rain pouring down for most of the game, Purdue struggled and physicality and agility, both traits August that the 2020-21 season had cited.” fell 24-6 to Illinois. The Exponent, Thursday, October 22, 2020 Page 9 Boiler defense prepares for possible air attack BY ALEX BROPHY show with three touchdowns, Staff Reporter including a 98-yard kick re- turn. The road to the 2020 season Purdue fared well against has had its ups and downs, the the then-No. 23 Hawkeyes most recent being head coach last season, despite losing the ’s COVID-19 di- matchup. Holding the agnosis. Brohm announced offense to field goals the entire Monday that his brother, co- first half and taking the Hawk- and eyes to third down a total of 13 times, the Boilers forced a 26- coach Brian 20 final score. Brohm, will lead the Boiler- Karlaftis said the key to makers against the University success on the defensive side of Iowa on Saturday. of the ball is a “bend-don’t- But according to players, break” mentality. Last year the absence of Jeff Brohm Purdue committed two turn- hasn’t fazed them before game overs, and five penalties for 40 time. Sophomore defensive yards against the Hawkeyes. end George Karlaftis sees the Iowa has a long history of continuous improvement the success not only in the Big team has made since last sea- Ten, but in the world of col- son. lege football. “The coordinators have “The winning culture they done a tremendous job,” have there, it’s always going to Karlaftis said. “Coach (Jeff) be a challenge,” safeties coach Brohm is with us, not physi- Anthony Poindexter said. cally, but when it’s necessary “When I was a kid playing in DAVID HICKEY | PHOTOS EDITOR he lets us know.” college, Iowa was a good foot- Then-junior defensive end Derrick Barnes bursts through the Minnesota offensive line in pursuit of the quarterback. Barnes The capped ball team.” finished with two tackles and half a sack. off the 2019 season with a And this could be the year dominant victory over the that the physical, run-first of- “They have a great core of vantage against the Hawkeyes Draft and more than 20 to the p.m. EST. Since the pandemic University of Southern Cali- fense takes to the air. Head receivers,” Poindexter said. this Saturday when it comes transfer portal. has prohibited in-person at- fornia in the Holiday Bowl. coach may have “They’re well-coached and do to depth. Since the conclusion The Boilermakers are set to tendance, fans can tune in to Sophomore wide receiver Ih- his best group of wide receiv- a great job at recruiting.” of the 2019 season, Ferentz open the season in Ross-Ade the Big Ten Network to cheer mir Smith-Marsette stole the ers in his 21-year tenure. Purdue may have the ad- has lost 11 players to the NFL Stadium. Kickoff is at 3:30 on the Boilermakers. With head coach sidelined by virus, hope remains for strong opening BY ALEX SABRI do that.” Staff Reporter Jeff Brohm emphasized the tone the Iowa game sets for this shortened season, saying the With just three days until Purdue football’s “tough contest” will be crucial in determining first contest in almost 11 months, head coach the team’s future success. Jeff Brohm and his coaching staff are prepar- “We’re looking forward to playing a great op- ing to rebound from a disappointing 2019 sea- ponent in Iowa,” Jeff Brohm said. “We’re go- son. Their first test will come against the Uni- ing to have to play well to win and find a way versity of Iowa in Saturday’s home opener. to beat them at their own game. This will be a After Jeff Brohm tested positive for CO- great test to see how we stack and measure up VID-19 on Sunday, , the head (in the Big Ten), because this is one of the best coach’s younger brother and a co-offensive teams in our conference.” coordinator, was named the team’s acting D.J. Johnson, the sophomore cornerback head coach and play caller against Iowa. Fel- who transferred from Iowa, has been cleared to low offensive coordinator and wideouts coach play against his former team. The Indianapolis Jamarcus Shephard will assist him on the side- native has three years of eligibility at Purdue. lines. The Boilermakers have three quarterbacks Brian Brohm has worked with his older that could be potential starters in Satur- brother since their days at Western Kentucky day’s game: sophomore Jack Plummer, ju- University. The coaches transferred to Purdue nior Aidan O’Connell and graduate UCLA when Jeff Brohm was named the Boilermak- transfer Austin Burton. While Plummer and ers’ head coach in 2016. O’Connell each had starting experience for Jeff Brohm said during a Monday press con- the Boilers last year, with seven and three ference he’s confident in his coaching staff’s games respectively, Burton started one game readiness to fill in. The staff includes members and played in six at UCLA between 2017 and EXPONENT FILE PHOTO with head-coaching experience such as Bob 2019. Purdue’s offensive line huddles around assistant coach Brian Brohm to hear the play during Diaco, who coached the University of Connect- Jeff Brohm said he has decided on the start- the Boilermakers’ 2019 game against Maryland. icut in 2014. ing quarterback, but he won’t make an official ity of a lengthened offseason roiled by the coro- succeed despite the obstacles in their way. “They’ll do a great job without me there on announcement until game day. navirus and uncertainty about whether games “We’re looking forward to playing football, Saturday,” Jeff Brohm said. “Right now, it’s “It’s been a good competition,” Jeff Brohm would be played at all, Jeff Brohm said he feels just like everyone else around the country,” about putting the best game plan out there said. “I think we have three capable guys that daily and adjusting as the week goes on, and can go in and compete. We have to do some more pride than ever in his players and coach- Jeff Brohm said. “We want to go out there as come game day, our players will respond and good things around them, but we’re not going ing staff. a team and represent (our fans) by playing the play hard. As coaches, we need to do our part to announce (the quarterback decision) until He said the energy players and coaches have game the way it should be played: with all-out to help (our players) achieve their goals, and game time.” shown in adapting to the crisis exemplifies how effort, playing to the end, and giving it every- I know our assistant coaches will continue to Given his recent diagnosis and the ambigu- their passion for football has driven them to thing you have.”

stakes when choosing which images to MEDIA capture and share with the public. Offensive coordinator shifts to head Continued from Page 1 For example, would an Athletics pho- To read the full story click on this link: tographer be keen on sharing images of Full Story Here mask-less coaches, a particularly bru- coaching slot to battle Hawkeyes on campus. A student is tal injury, depressingly empty stands, arguably the safest news outlet to al- or anything else that has the potential BY HANNAH MITCHELL low in the stadium. Instead of travel- to present Purdue Athletics in a nega- Staff Reporter ing from outside of Indiana, Exponent tive light? While both universities and photographers would walk the block the country at large are embroiled in Purdue football’s already unique from our office to the stadium. scrutiny over racial injustice, will Ath- game day circumstances this sea- Moreover, student photographers letics choose to share photographs of son have been made even more being barred from the stadium begs students and coaches taking action or extraordinary, as quarterbacks the question: Who are college sports making statements on the field? coach Brian Brohm plans to take for? Without students, there’s no uni- Purdue Athletics should take action the head coaching reins from his versity. to ensure that question remains a hy- brother Jeff. An athletic event featuring student- pothetical. The Boilermakers will take on athletes at a public university would If Purdue doesn’t allow Exponent Iowa this Saturday without their seem most relevant to student journal- photographers into the game, it will head coach on the sideline after ists. We work, live and attend classes miss out on valuable coverage. Hav- Jeff Brohm tested positive for CO- here, and it is our peers playing in the ing to choose from select images rather than capture our own, The Exponent VID-19 Sunday morning. competition. would be left to operate under the con- “I feel ready to take on the chal- In a broader sense, banning pho- straints of Purdue Athletics, unable lenge and I’m excited about it,” tography in a public venue brings up to do our most basic job — to tell the Brian Brohm said about his new issues of public information and the story. role within the team. specter of a filtered narrative. Brian Brohm will now be mak- As an independent media organiza- The editorial board is made up ing calls from the sidelines rather tion, it is The Exponent’s responsibil- of the editor-in-chief, managing analyzing plays from the press ity to tell every Purdue story accurately editor, sports editor, assistant box. and fairly without incentive to protect sports editor, campus editor, as- or damage Purdue’s image. A Purdue “Now it’s just going to be me EXPONENT FILE PHOTO sistant campus editor, city editor, Athletics photographer might not have calling it on game day,” Brian Then-freshman wide receiver David Bell leaps up for a reception that same charge and will consider their graphics editor, photos editor, con- Brohm said. “Everything I’m do- under tight coverage. tent editor and design editor. ing up until the game day is pretty much the same as what I always ers coach Jamarcus Shephard) is the players. do, just now my game day experi- still evaluating a lot of guys and “We’re going to have to create ence will be different.” he hasn’t made a depth chart our own juice and be our own hype The Boilermaker offense this yet.” man and kind of roll from there, season features a deep wide re- Iowa has had a strong defense but still remember it’s a big game,” ceiver corps led by junior Rondale in recent years according to Brian sophomore tight end Payne Dur- Moore and sophomore David Bell. Brohm, and has not allowed Pur- ham said. “We got to go out there Bell was named Big Ten Freshman due many chances to make big and perform like the stadium’s of the Year in 2019. plays. full.” “Those guys can make plays, “Overall, (Iowa has) strong guys Purdue has not won a season and I really look forward to seeing some of the new ones in live ac- that are very sound in technique, opener since Jeff Brohm took over tion,” Brian Brohm said. so we all thought we got a big chal- as head coach before the 2017 sea- Purdue picked up several new lenge in front of us for this O-line,” son. wide receivers for this season, in- fifth-year offensive lineman Grant “That first game can set the tone cluding four-star recruit Maliq Hermanns said. for the whole year,” Hermanns Carr and Marcellus Moore. It’s This season, there will be no said. “Once you get momentum on unclear who will be the third wide fans allowed at games and no your side, you get moving a little receiver in the starting lineup. tailgating outside of Ross-Ade bit, then things can get rolling. So DAVID HICKEY | PHOTOS EDITOR “We’re still doing a position Stadium. This change will bring this first game is going to beex- Ross-Ade Stadium sits empty, awaiting players and fans for Saturday’s opening battle,” Bell said. “(Wide receiv- about a different atmosphere for tremely important.” game against Iowa. The Exponent, Thursday, October 22, 2020 Page 10 Breakfast Club to return to Chauncey Hill BY STEVEN RANDALL cally opens at 10 a.m. Sports Editor Hassan said he plans to close the bar around game time if the crowd dimin- West Lafayette bar Where Else an- ishes by mid-afternoon. If students nounced a set of “Breakfast Club Spe- are still around and want to watch the cials” in a pair of Instagram posts on game on the bar TVs, the bar will stay Wednesday two days after 12 mayors open through the afternoon, he said. of Big Ten communities issued a let- The bar has not heard directly ter to the conference asking for cau- from the West Lafayette government tion in the reinstated football season. or ISDH concerning this move. West These posts are the frst indica- Lafayette Mayor John Dennis com- tion area bars will participate in the mented on the gradual reopening of Boilermaker tradition. The morning bars and restaurants in a press con- before each home football game, stu- ference Wednesday afternoon. dents typically embark on a bar crawl “There’s a lot of behavior that’s in Halloween costumes, visiting well- worn haunts like Harry’s Chocolate been changed over the past several Shop or Brothers before heading to months,” Dennis said. “You can see Ross-Ade Stadium for the game. it in the bars and restaurants. People Where Else owner Jordan Hassan just kind of get it now.” said he made the decision to adver- EXPONENT FILE PHOTO A lingering question around the tise Breakfast Club deals Monday Students and alumni crowd the entrance at Where Else for Breakfast Club in 2014. opening concerns Bruce Barker, or night, in an attempt to “bring back “The Piano Man.” After the Neon relation to COVID-19. This weekend’s barred from Ross-Ade. The bar plans fayette Police Department to advise something normal” for students. Cactus announced its closure in Sep- “Where Else Bar will do all it can Breakfast Club is not an exemption to to obey all Indiana State Department them of his plans for Saturday. The tember, Barker moved his perfor- to provide a sense of normalcy dur- that fact. Safety is paramount for our of Health COVID-19 regulations and deals will begin at 10 a.m., according mances to Where Else and has been ing this current time,” Hassan said customers and staff members.” restrictions. These include mask- to the bar’s Instagram posts. Hassan playing there ever since. Hassan was in a text message. “Every part of our Hassan could not give an exact es- wearing, limiting capacity, small said he moved the opening back from unable to say whether Barker will operation is infuenced by the restric- timate of his expectations for student groups and a max capacity of 176 the traditional 7 a.m. because of the make an appearance Saturday morn- tions and guidelines set forth by the turnout, but he does expect it to be students and staff members. timing of the Purdue-Iowa game Sat- ing because of prior commitments on Tippecanoe Health Department in higher than normal due to fans being He also reached out to the West La- urday afternoon. Harry’s also typi- his performance schedule. Mayors urge Big Ten to schedule games early, tightly monitor restart BY CARSON BAILEY states. He still expressed concern, AND NOAH HENSON The letter, dated Monday, however, about the potential City Editor and Staff Reporter also asks the Big Ten to set and for large gatherings to occur reveal its schedule as soon as as they traditionally do during West Lafayette Mayor John possible, and host few or no home football games. Dennis added his name to a evening games because of in- “Anything that involves letter urging the Big Ten Con- creased social activity later in group behavior, whether it be ference to be cognizant of the the day. Breakfast Club, whether it be effect its upcoming football sea- “We are at a pivotal moment standing in line at Harry’s, son may have on college towns. in history,” the letter adds. whether it be being inside at a Dennis joins the mayors “Protecting our community local bar, tavern or restaurant, of several other Big Ten cit- members should be, and is, our is a cause for concern,” Dennis ies such as Evanston, Illinois, top priority.” told the Exponent on Wednes- ADRIAN GAETA | GRAPHICS EDITOR/ where Northwestern University Despite the tone of the letter, day. Iowa athletics reported 20 COVID-19 cases since daily testing began on Sept. 30. is; Iowa City, Iowa, where the Dennis expressed his optimism “It’s always a challenge to is; and Col- and pride in Purdue and West make sure that people don’t lege Park, Maryland, home to Lafayette. (gather together),” Dennis add- How risky is this week’s football the University of Maryland. “We are managing this much ed. “We’re a social animal.” “We ask that you work with better than other universities,” Dennis also noted that dis- local and county health offcials Dennis said in a Tippecanoe ciplinary measures similar to game for the players, coaches? in these communities to defne County Health Department those that govern student ac- BY EMILY PRIMM it doesn’t. student-athletes but had a population positivity rate, press conference on Wednes- tivities will be enforced by the Staff Reporter According to the Iowa Uni- no information about ac- where hosting a football game day. He cited students’ com- city during sporting events. versity website, all COVID-19 tive cases among faculty, that would bring increased ac- pliance to the Protect Purdue Big Ten guidelines state that Purdue opens Ross-Ade cases are self-reported by stu- even though head coach Jeff tivity into the community is no Pledge and the West Lafayette if a team’s seven-day average Stadium to the Iowa Hawk- dents and faculty, and tests are Brohm was confrmed posi- longer safe to do,” the letter mask mandate. positivity rate is greater than eyes on Saturday to play a conducted by request. For stu- tive on Sunday. 5% and the seven-day average game that — if played any- dents who test positive, tests are In a press conference Mon- positivity rate within the ath- where on campus beyond administered to those who have day, Brohm talked about CO- letic department is greater than the stadium gates — would come in close contact with them. VID-19 cases among athletic Our sports desk 7.5%, the team must cancel violate the Protect Purdue Nonetheless, Big Ten stu- staff. He said that there have practices and competitions for Pledge by not maintaining dent-athletes and athletic been fare-ups among staff but a minimum of seven days. social distancing and not in- faculty are tested daily, so noted that he didn’t know how Protect Purdue Health Cen- volving proper face masks. calls the game there is testing data on the much he was allowed to say Some students fear Iowa ter Chief Medical Offcer Este- Hawkeyes to draw from. during the press conference. We polled The Exponent’s sports desk to report what they players and staff coming to ban Ramirez said the Univer- Since beginning daily anti- Nevertheless, athletic di- predict the fnal score of Saturday’s Purdue-Iowa game. The Purdue’s campus can pose a sity would “follow the NCAA gen testing on Sept. 30, Iowa rector Mike Bobinksi said in ESPN spread is included for reference. potential risk to the health recommendations” when it and safety of our students athletics has reported 20 pos- the same press conference came to postponing or cancel- and athletes alike. itive cases among student- that there have been zero Purdue wins Iowa wins ing games based on the campus The Exponent will be rat- athletes and athletic faculty, positive cases among foot- positivity rate. ing each opponent on a scale according to the Daily Iowan. ball players since daily test- Liam (20-14) ESPN (-3.5) Tippecanoe County Health from red to green in terms Six were just in the last week. ing began on Sept. 30. Offcer Jeremy Adler added that of how it has managed the Overall, Iowa receives a low David Broecker, a mem- risk factor of yellow. There are ber of the Protect Purdue Ashlyn (14-10) if positivity rates rise, sporting spread of COVID-19. events may be reevaluated. Last week, Iowa reported 31 no red fags with the current Implementation Team, said “If we start seeing percent student COVID-19 cases, com- information available, but that surveillance testing, Alex S. (27-17) there are too many unknowns rapid test results, rapid iso- Luke (35-31) positivity values like some of pared to Purdue’s 121, accord- the other areas in Indiana,” ing to the Daily Iowan and Pur- to put them at a green. lation and contact tracing Alex B. (21-10) Adler said, “that would certain- due’s coronavirus dashboard. In Purdue’s weekly ath- have strongly limited com- ly raise questions about wheth- Iowa handles random letics COVID-19 report on munity spread on campus. Ray (24-21) er or not we should be having testing a little differently Monday, athletics recorded For these reasons, Purdue sporting events.” than Purdue does, though — eight active cases among receives a risk factor of green. Dre (27-20) Emily (35-20) Joe (27-17) Fan cutouts expected to weather Hannah (27-21) Steven (17-12) the storm Saturday afternoon Stat of the day BY RAY COUTURE throughout the conference. Staff Reporter Minnesota Associate Athletic Derrick Henry’s Director Mike Wierzbicki said When Purdue faces off 700 cutouts will populate the total rushing yards against Iowa at Ross-Ade stands for the Golden Go- Stadium Saturday afternoon, phers’ game against Michi- on 22 carries 212 the stands will be flled with gan, while Ohio State is ex- during Tennessee’s Sunday night student-athletes’ family pected to have about 4,300 members and about 900 fan cutouts for its clash against cutouts made of corrugated Nebraska. game against Houston, which plastic. But how will those cutouts Fan cutouts have become managed 92 rushing yards as a hold up? The forecast for Sat- popular in both the collegiate urday’s game against Iowa and professional sport world PHOTO PROVIDED team on fve more carries calls for temperatures in the during the pandemic. Major Cardboard cutouts of fans sit in the seats at Petco Park be- mid-50s and rain, and the League Baseball began using fore Game 3 of a baseball American League Championship stadium will likely see worse them at the start of its season Series between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays, Tweet of the day in July and the NFL followed weather as the season unfolds. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, in San Diego. suit in September. Can the cutouts at Ross-Ade very similar material,” Pelu- outs are a meager substitute Purdue is not the only survive multiple weeks living dat said. “It will deal with the to having real fans in the school in the Big Ten expect- outside in the cold and rain? weather very well.” stands. ed to employ plastic fans this Associate Athletic Director The cutouts had to be or- “Obviously,” Peludat said, season. Every Big Ten uni- Chris Peludat, who helped “we’d much rather have stu- versity except Rutgers is ex- develop the idea, said the cut- dered by Oct. 18 to make it dents at the game in person.” pected to have cutouts in the outs will be secured to each inside Ross-Ade in time for stands in some capacity. seat with metal brackets and the Iowa game, but can still The cutouts will be placed are designed to endure in- be ordered for future games in the south end zone and clement weather. throughout the season. While Purdue vs. Iowa student sections of Ross-Ade. “It’s a treated plastic, like they can be seen as fun way Ross-Ade Stadium The amount of cutouts if you’ve seen our A-frame for Boilermaker fans to stay 3:30 p.m. | Saturday expected in the stands for signs, those types of things connected to the team, Pelu- opening weekend varies around our stadium, it’s a dat maintained that the cut-