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Elijah Sindelar took the first snap in Purdue’s season opener against Louisville. He also took the last snap. And, if it was up to him, the 6-foot-4 sophomore quarterback would’ve taken every snap in between.
That wasn’t the plan Jeff Brohm had in mind, though. The Boilermakers used both Sindelar and David Blough in the first game of the year as the quarterbacks split series in Indianapolis. After falling 35-28 to the No. 16 Cardinals, it doesn’t sound like the two-quarterback experiment is settled quite yet, either.
“We’re gonna let those guys compete and win it on the game field,” Brohm said after the game. “I think anybody can kind of go out there and practice well. Elijah has practiced well, he’s got a good arm, he can make plays, he’s getting better. David does some good things, too.”
Brohm might still be questioning which quarterback truly deserves the starting role, but Sindelar made it pretty clear on Saturday that it’s a job he wants outright.
“Personally, I’d like to take the job,” Sindelar said. “But I know David would like to do the same thing. You’re going to see competition this whole year.”
Just one game into the season, the sophomore appears to be closing in on sole possession of that No. 1 spot.
Blough had the better day from a numbers perspective. The junior completed 18-of-26 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the two middle quarters. And the stats could’ve been even better, had tight end Cole Herdman and receiver Gregory Phillips not dropped catchable balls. It was the critical mistakes though, two interceptions Blough tossed – one turned into a pick-six – that earned him a spot beside the head coach on the Lucas Oil Stadium sideline.
While Blough was on the field, Sindelar was taking notes.
“If I get taken out, I don’t know if I’m going in the series after that or two series,” he said. “So I’m actually watching the defense and trying to figure out clues that I can use when I go back in. I can get very good mental reps while I’m on the sideline when David’s in.”
Apparently, Sindelar keyed in on a few things the Cardinals defense was doing.
Playing for the first time since the opening quarter, Sindelar was inserted back under center for the fourth quarter, trailing Louisville 25-21. He had never been in this situation before, but the sophomore gunslinger engineered an eight-play, 67-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass. In the biggest moment of his collegiate career, Sindelar gave the Boilermakers a three-point advantage.
It was a defining moment in the first week of the season.
Sindelar threw an interception late that cost Purdue a chance to tie the game. It didn’t seem to matter, though. And his numbers from Saturday – 15-0f-31 for 118 yards, two touchdowns and an interception – really weren’t the story, either.
Brohm picked Sindelar to start the game against a top 25 opponent in the first week of the season. And in the final quarter of a tight game, Brohm opted against Blough, a 20-game starter and seasoned veteran, and trusted the sophomore to get the Boilermakers to the finish line.
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To be fair, Blough missed two weeks of fall camp due to a shoulder injury, and his status heading into Purdue’s season opener was a bit uncertain. That probably impacted Brohm’s decision to start Sindelar on Saturday.
Sindelar earned those final possessions, though. He made throws Purdue quarterbacks haven’t made since the Drew Brees days. He didn’t unravel in high-pressure situations. He was far from perfect, but he played pretty well considering the circumstances.
Brohm didn’t give any more clarity to the quarterback situation moving forward. From the sound of things, the battle between Sindelar and Blough could be an ongoing struggle through most of the season.
“The plan is to keep playing them and let it play out,” Brohm said. “I think that both guys will compete and get better. Hopefully it makes our team better.”
After watching Sindelar perform on Saturday, he might be on the field for the first and last snap of every game before long.
He might even take every snap in between.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB