16th-best Purdue tenure of 21 by the numbers.
Recruiter or developer?
Performs about as expected for his recruiting talent, on both sides of the ball.
Offense vs. talent
-7.1 pts
#140 of 208 · a typical amount
Defense vs. talent
-11.8 pts
#154 of 208 · a typical amount
Recruiting talent is team-wide (no offense/defense split exists in the source data) -- both sides are scored against the same talent input, only the outcome is side-specific.
Followed Darrell Hazell (2013–2016) · succeeded by Ryan Walters (2023–2024).
Roster construction · portal era
A typical amount of portal roster-building.
Portal arrivals
18
2.9★ avg rating
Portal departures
24
left via the portal
Net portal flow
-6
#135 of 187 FBS stints
Who they bring in
Brings in bigger-than-position-typical players than most.
Recruits older, more experienced transfers than most.
Avg. size (raw)
6′2″, 239 lbs
across 10 of 18 arrivals — unadjusted for position mix
Size vs. position-typical
+15.7 lbs
#1 of 255 · more than most
Avg. class year
Sr
#1 of 255 · more than most
Top states: IN (3), GA (3), IL (1), NJ (1), TX (1)
Who won the portal our read
Talent added
49.6
position-weighted
Talent lost
52.5
position-weighted
Net
-3.0
arrivals minus departures
Best addition: Michael Alaimo (QB) from Purdue
Biggest loss: Michael Alaimo (QB) to Purdue
Position-value-weighted (QB/CB weighted highest, depth-decayed within each position) — the same scoring engine as the Portal Heat feed, not a separate grade.
Does the system survive a coordinator change?
OC: co-Tony Levine / co-Brian Brohm → co-JaMarcus Shephard / co-Brian Brohm · 2018
1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.
1st-down pass rate: 55.1% → 58.3% (+3.2 pts)
Confound, shown not hidden: only 77% of offensive production returned the year the coordinator changed — the roster turned over at the same time, not just the play-caller.
DC: co-Nick Holt / co-Anthony Poindexter → co-Bob Diaco / co-Anthony Poindexter · 2020
1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.
DC: co-Bob Diaco / co-Anthony Poindexter → Brad Lambert / co-Ron English / co-Mark Hagen · 2021
1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.
Roster size, by position
Skill positions · usage-weighted (real participation)
Quarterback
211 lbs
6′4″ avg · #415 of 767 · a typical amount
Running back
217 lbs
6′1″ avg · #87 of 791 · more than most
Wide receiver
194 lbs
6′0″ avg · #361 of 791 · a typical amount
Tight end
256 lbs
6′5″ avg · #53 of 731 · more than most
Trench & secondary · recruited roster, not confirmed starters
Interior line
304 lbs
6′5″ avg · #596 of 779 · less than most
D-line
290 lbs
6′3″ avg · #248 of 753 · a typical amount
Linebacker
239 lbs
6′2″ avg · #38 of 772 · more than most
Cornerback
197 lbs
6′0″ avg · #82 of 771 · more than most
Offensive-line size is one undifferentiated bucket — the source data almost never distinguishes tackle from guard from center, so we can't split them out.
Where the roster comes from, by position
Buys Quarterback via the portal
67%
#16 of 206 stints
Grows Tight end from high school
100%
#164 of 188 stints
Grows Interior line from high school
80%
#176 of 224 stints
Postseason detail2017: Beat Arizona 38–35 Foster Farms Bowl2018: Lost to Auburn 14–63 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl2021: Beat Tennessee 48–45 TransPerfect Music City Bowl2022: Lost to LSU 7–63 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
14 NFL Draft picks: Deangelo Yancey (2017), Ja'Whaun Bentley (2018), Brycen Hopkins (2020), Markus Bailey (2020), Rondale Moore (2021), Derrick Barnes (2021), George Karlaftis (2022), David Bell (2022) + 6 more
2 player-seasons honored (All-America / national award): George Karlaftis (2021), David Bell (2021)