Purdue finished the 2019 season with Aidan O’Connell behind center, and the former walk-on will open this year’s campaign in the same position.

During Saturday’s matchup against Iowa, the Long Grove, Illinois native will be taking the snaps after winning the battle for the Boilermakers QB spot against Jack Plummer and graduate transfer from UCLA, Austin Burton.

When Plummer suffered a broken ankle against Nebraska last November, O’Connell assumed the role and led Purdue on a game-winning drive over the Huskers. O’Connell finished the season guiding the Boilermakers to a victory over Northwestern, and while Purdue lost to Wisconsin and Indiana, he played well and kept the offense moving.  He finished up the 2019 campaign completing 103 of 164 passes for 1,101 yards and tossing eight touchdowns.

The decision was made earlier this week, but according to Purdue coach Jeff Brohm the announcement was planned, and scheduled to be made just before gametime.

“We’ve made a decision on who the starting quarterback will be,” Brohm said earlier this week, “but we’re going to go ahead and let that go all the way up until game time and not announce that just so that we keep that among our team, but we have picked a starting quarterback.

“It’s been a good competition. I think we have three capable guys right now that can go in and compete, and obviously we have to do some good things around them, as well. But we will not announce that until game time.”