Purdue football: 2023 awards
With the season in the rear-view mirror, let’s take a look over our shoulder. Without further ado … the 2023 awards.
Offensive MVP: QB Hudson Card. The Texas transfer endured while operating behind an often patchwork line. And he played at less than 100 percent for most of the season, too. Still, Card marched on to rank No. 3 in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (217.0 ypg) with 15 TDs and eight interceptions, hitting 58.9 percent of his passes.
Defensive MVP: OLBs Nic Scourton and Kydran Jenkins. Has to be both, right? Each pushed one another all season, menacing offenses. They finished 1-2 in the Big Ten in sacks, as Scourton had 10 and Jenkins had 7.5. And Jenkins was No. 2 in the league in TFLs (15.5), while Scourton was No. 3 (15.0).
Most underrated: RB Devin Mockobee. He overcame fumbling issues to be the offense’s most consistent weapon. Mockobee finished with a team-high 807 yards rushing with six TDs and made 19 catches with a TD. Who can forget his 153-yard effort (9.0 ypc) vs. Minnesota?
Best play: Deion Burks’ 84-yard TD catch and run vs. Fresno State. He extended for the grab, stiff-armed a defender, spun and then sprinted to paydirt. He covered 84 electrifying yards on Boilers’ third offensive snap of the season. Alas, it would be Burks’ biggest highlight of 2023, a season that ended with him entering the portal after leading the Boilermakers with 47 catches for 629 yards and seven TDs.
Best offensive newcomer: TE Max Klare. What if he had not suffered a season-ending injury vs. Illinois on September 30? The redshirt freshman was having a sensational debut, making 22 catches for 196 yards in five games. Klare projected to make 53 receptions for 470 yards.
Best defensive newcomer: S Dillon Thieneman. Easy, right? He enjoyed one of the greatest freshman seasons in school annals, starting from Day One. Thieneman led Purdue and ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten in tackles (106) and tied for the league lead in picks with six. On and on it went.
Top special teams player: Tyrone Tracy. You can make a case for him being the team MVP, transitioning from wideout to running back and finishing with 716 yards rushing (6.3 ypc) with eight TDs and 19 catches. Tracy was No. 2 in the Big Ten in kickoff returns (25.5 ypr) and ran back the second-half opening kickoff 98 yards for a TD in the opener vs. Fresno State.
Toughest injury: Lots to chose from. Losing FAU transfer WR Jahmal Edrine to a season-ending injury in camp was a killer, as he was thought to be the team’s No. 1 target. But let’s go with seeing OT Marcus Mbow go down in the Iowa game on October 7. Mbow arguably was the team’s No. 1 lineman. His loss was part of an on-going personnel shuffle up front most of the season. Despite the o-line flux, Purdue ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten in rushing (169.1 ypg).
Best run: Tracy’s 62-yard jaunt at Northwestern. He broke tackles, he zigged, he sprinted … he did everything but reach the end zone on this sweet run.
Spike of the year: TE Garrett Miller. Tip of the hat to Gronk.
