Purdue freshman S Dillon Thieneman plays with senior savvy
Sanoussi Kane knew there was something special about Dillon Thieneman from the start.
“I kinda knew from the spring what he was,” said Kane, a senior safety. “It’s awesome to see all this hard work pay off. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team, if not the hardest worker on the team.”
The 6-0, 205-pound Thieneman is seeing his diligence pay off as a true freshman, landing on mulitple midseason freshman All-American teams. He received honors from 247Sports, The Athletic, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and On3.
He leads Purdue with 6.9 tackles per game and ranks second among freshmen in the nation. Thieneman paces the nation’s freshmen in interceptions (3), solo tackles (45) and total tackles (62), earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors twice in 2023.
The Westfield (Ind.) High product will be at the center of the action again when the Boilermakers (2-5 overall; 1-3 Big Ten) play at Nebraska (4-3; 2-2) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
“He obviously has football knowledge because of his brothers,” said Kane. “It’s just been great to have him back there in the secondary.”
Those brothers would be Jake (2015-18) and Brennan (2016-20), who also played safety at Purdue in recent seasons. But Dillion–who paced Purdue in tackles in his first three games–is setting his own pace and path.
“I would say just the level of his preparation,” said defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols when asked what makes the precocious Thieneman special.
“He’s a lot more mature than his age and his experience. We’re in the hotel and I come down off the elevator before the game and I see him going over his tip sheets and everything.”
What sets Thieneman apart from teammates?
“Just the way he works out and the way he’s been since he’s been here,” said Nichols. “He’s a guy that puts his head down, he goes to work. He doesn’t say too much to everybody.
“But I think he sets an example, he sets the standard for how your are supposed to work and what it means to be a Boilermaker.”
MORE: In the huddle: WR Mershawn Rice | Opponent view: Nerbaska | Move to Purdue, Big Ten not too big for former NAIA golfer Ben Farrell | The 3-2-1: Peek at future | Coming off bye, Purdue in ‘playoff mode’ as it makes postseason push | First and 10: Purdue at Nebraska | First look: Nebraska
