Notre Dame schedule deep dive: An in-state rivalry revived with Purdue

The 88th installment of the Battle for the Shillelagh Trophy takes place in Week 3. The Notre Dame football team leads the all-time series 57-26-2 (two wins were vacated in 2012 and 2013). The last Purdue win came in 2007. This will be Marcus Freeman’s first head coaching appearance in the rivalry, but he has plenty of experience in it.

Freeman’s first job in college football, after his graduate assistantship with Kent State, was as the linebackers coach at Purdue. He remained in West Lafayette for four years, his last year in 2016 as the co-defensive coordinator, before heading off to Cincinnati. 

In 2021, Freeman joined Brian Kelly’s staff in South Bend and was on the sideline for the last meeting between Notre Dame and Purdue. He has been on both sides of this storied rivalry and knows how intense it can get.

What Notre Dame football should expect from Purdue

The Boilermakers finished a disappointing 4-8 last season. To make matters worse, Purdue lost its top four receivers to the portal along with 25 other players. The team is ranked dead last in just about every Big Ten preseason poll.

Head coach Ryan Walters does, however, bring back fifth-year senior quarterback Hudson Card. The Texas transfer had a fine senior season, throwing for 15 touchdowns and running in another five. Card will look to cut down on the turnovers (eight interceptions in 2023), but should turn in another solid season.

Another big returner for Purdue is runningback Devin Mockabee, the Boilermakers’ top rusher last season. The junior had a stellar sophomore campaign, racking up 807 yards on the ground and becoming the top receiving target out of the backfield as well. With Tyrone Tracy Jr. off to the NFL, Mockabee should see an uptick in snaps.

Purdue added 18 players in what is ranked the 29th-best transfer class in the nation according to 247Sports. The big story is Purdue’s Athens pipeline, as Walters snagged four Georgia transfers: Receivers CJ Smith and De’Nylon Morrissette, defensive end CJ Madden, and cornerback Nylan Green. None of these players saw a ton of the field (Green was in the mix as a defensive back but not a huge role) and are looking for greener pastures in West Lafayette.

But they were Georgia athletes for a reason. They can play, and if nothing else they add depth.

By this point in the season, Notre Dame football should have a handle on its offensive line. A tough test to open the year in College Station, next a should-win game against NIU. A power conference team not expected to finish well this season, like Purdue, is the perfect next step in hardening the trenches.