Purdue DL Demeco Kennedy making most of new opportunity

When starting defensive tackle TJ Lindsey went down with a torn ACL, questions swirled regarding just how Purdue would replace the talented man in the trenches. An answer is beginning to emerge right in front of our eyes.

Two names were highlighted by coach Barry Odom in the fallout of Lindsey’s injury.

“Anytime you lose a guy that played 30 to 40 snaps a game,” said Odom, “well, those snaps have got to go to somebody. And I think you look at Demeco (Kennedy) elevating his game. Ian Jeffries is a guy, to me, that every single week he’s getting a little bit better. He had a great week last week. So, excited about him. And then, you know, it’s collectively, we’ve got to all play just a little bit better.”

Sophomore defensive lineman Demeco Kennedy has answered the bell.

Kennedy headlined a defensive front that held Illinois under 3.0 yards per carry last week, the first time the Purdue defense had done so this season. The second-year riser tallied four total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a 0.5 sack, bringing his season total up to 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, all of which have come during Lindsey’s absence over the last three games.

While his teammate going down isn’t how Kennedy wanted to get extended run, it’s provided him with the opportunity to showcase himself.

“It sucks. You know, losing a guy like TJ Lindsey, he was a big piece of his defense since he came in the spring. Made a huge impact,” Kennedy said. “We’re gonna have more opportunities to play with each other, but for me, it’s just an opportunity to step up and just to continue to showcase what I’ve been doing. I’ve been working so just being able to do that at a bigger stage, you know, it gives me a bigger role. So, just having to do more means I have to work harder.”

Kennedy has gone from a valuable depth piece to a trusted member of the starting lineup in the span of a few weeks. The increase in snaps and production coincides with a steady incline in improvement and confidence for the sophomore lineman.

“I feel like, at the beginning of the year it was like a climb, I guess you could say. Now, I feel like, for myself, speaking, I didn’t start out the best I wanted to, but as weeks progress, I feel like I’ve gotten better. And so that’s the biggest thing, just improving each week, and just getting better throughout the week. So when Saturday comes, I’m my best self,” Kennedy said.

“He’s definitely got better at the point of attack, gotten stronger in the weight room, (with) coach Ro. I feel like, you know, as he gets older and older, I feel like he’s gonna be one of the guys that’s gonna be a name at Purdue, and he’s gonna have a long career in the NFL,” center Bradyn Joiner said of Kennedy.

Purdue’s defensive line had perhaps its best showing to date against Illinois last Saturday, making strides in the run game, coming off an outing in which Notre Dame ran for 250+ yards and five touchdowns on the front side of the bye week. The defense as a whole continued to falter, however, surrendering 43 points in the loss to the Illini, but there is now something to build on.

“I feel like we’re just explosive, you know, we were finally showcasing what we’ve been working on, what we’ve been able to do. I feel like we put it on display,” Kennedy said. “We still wasn’t who we’re supposed to be, but it’s just a step in the right direction of who we’re becoming and I just feel like we need to continue to improve throughout the week, continue to work.”

Another gritty ground attack now awaits the Boilermakers in Minneapolis, as the tandem of Fame Ijeboi and Darius Taylor look to get Minnesota’s rushing game back on track. The Gophers started the year averaging 180.3 yards per game, but that mark has taken a hit after amassing only 103 yards across matchups against Rutgers and Ohio State.

Taylor has flashed excellence throughout his career, but has been banged up this season, while Ijeboi has carried the load of late in his redshirt freshman campaign.

Stopping the Minnesota run game will be paramount in getting Purdue back on the winning track, after dropping three-straight games to USC, Notre Dame and Illinois. The Boilermakers feel they are close to breaking through, but they need to make good on that belief by putting a mark in the win column.

The three-game skid has been both promising and frustrating for Kennedy and the Boilermakers.

“It’s both, in a sense that you know you’re close enough to win, but it’s frustrating in the sense that you should be winning. So just continuing to work, is all it’s gonna take. We keep working, we keep pushing, we keep striving to practice and being the best version ourselves, we’re gonna win. It’s gonna happen,” Kennedy said.

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