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Purdue RB King Doerue "probably will not play" at Illinois

On3 imageby: Tom Dienhart11/07/22TomDienhart1
RB King Doerue (Getty Images)

Purdue came out of the Iowa game in pretty good shape from a health standpoint. Still, some issues persist.

On Monday, Boilermaker boss Jeff Brohm said running back King Doerue “probably will not play” as of right now at Illinois. The senior missed last week’s game with a calf issue, which also caused him to miss four games earlier this season.

Doerue began 2022 as the No. 1 running back, started the first two games and has played in two others, totaling 97 yards rushing and three TDs with six catches. He led the team in rushing in 2019 and 2021.

Doerue’s absence has created an opening for Devin Mockobee, who has seized the chance to become one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten in rushing for 626 yards and six TDs to go along with 14 receptions. The redshirt freshman has started the last three games. The run game is fortified by Dylan Downing, who like Mockobee is a walk-on. Downing has 284 yards rushing and four TDs with 10 grabs. He has started four games but missed two others with a foot injury.

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Maybe you noticed. Maybe you didn’t, but Purdue used walk-on Brendan Cropsey on its seventh and final punt of the Iowa game after Jack Ansell made the first six boots.

“Jack has been nicked up, unfortunately,” said Brohm. “Some type of tendonitis in his knee that got worse as the week went on. Going into the game, we knew we could play both, and then I think towards the end we just got Cropsey in.”

Cropsey’s punt went 47 yards; Ansell averaged 36.2 yards on six punts with three inside the 20-yard line and a 50-yarder.

Purdue saw cornerbacks Cory Trice and Jamari Brown play vs. Iowa after each left the Wisconsin game with injury. And LEO Kydran Jenkins also suited up vs. the Hawkeyes after leaving the Wisconsin game.

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Could wideout Broc Thompson play for the first time since hurting a knee vs. Indiana State on Sept. 10 and having surgery? It’s believed Thompson will do a strength test on Tuesday. If he passes, he should be able to practice this week.

While Thompson’s status is up in the air, the end apparently is here for fellow wideout Elijah Canion. The Auburn transfer played in the opener after enjoying a strong training camp. But the big junior hurt a knee and has yet to play since. Could Canion finally return?

“Doesn’t look like it,” said Brohm. “There has been quite a — not quite a few, but obviously some guys that haven’t been able to play for us. I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

GoldandBlack.com reported last week that DB Chris Jefferson wasn’t expected to play again in 2022 as he deals with mental health issues.

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