Interim assistant coach Drew Brees, quarterback Austin Burton and wide receiver TJ Sheffield all spoke to the media following Monday morning’s practice.
Drew Brees returns on an interim assistant coaching basis to help the Boilermakers prepare for their Citrus Bowl matchup against LSU on January 2nd.
In his first day with the team, what did Brees have to say? How did everything come together? How are the players feeling with a Purdue legend back in the building? Brees, Burton and Sheffield answered all of that and more.
Brees began by saying that being back is “an honor” and that he is excited to work with the guys.
Despite leaving Purdue over 20 years ago to play in the NFL, Brees remains entrenched with the Boilermakers, saying, “As a former player, I think I speak for all the guys who had the honor of being a Boilermaker [and] football player here. We all live and die with the team each and every year.”
Why did Brees come back to West Lafayette? With all of the outside noise and uncertainty surrounding the program, it was important for him to make sure the players had the best chance to win in the Citrus Bowl.
Brees said, “I didn’t want us to forget just what a unique opportunity this was. In this bowl game, the Citrus Bowl, to play LSU and finish the season off the right way. These guys have earned it, and they deserve an incredible experience. So I called up Mike Bobinski and the guys here and said if you need me, I’m here.”
The future Pro Football Hall of Famer wants to give Purdue’s players all he has to offer.
“I want this experience to be for them to extract all the things that they need out of me in order to put them in the best position to succeed.”
Quarterback Austin Burton, who will be getting the start against LSU, has already made an excellent first impression on Brees.
“I think he’s got some natural leadership qualities just watching his interactions with the other [quarterbacks] and his teammates in meetings. He’s got good size, good strength seems to see it well. Gets the ball out on time. [He] was accurate as far as what I saw today. So I’m anxious to work with him.”
Future Purdue head football coach, Drew Brees? Not so fast. The Boilermaker fan’s pipe dream is on hold for the foreseeable future.
“I think being a player for 20 years in the NFL that was a big commitment. There’s a lot of time away from family and my kids are at an age now where I sort of want to be around, I love to be around and I don’t want to miss a thing. So I think coaching lifestyle doesn’t quite fit where I’m at my life right now.”
After spending time with new head coach Ryan Walters, Brees is excited for the new era of Purdue football.
“I’ve been really impressed with him. I love his demeanor.There’s an air of confidence. I think he definitely has a plan and I can already tell that his attention to detail is next level.” Brees said.
Brees is also excited for the continuation of the exciting offense that Purdue has had dating back to when he was playing at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Brees said, “I had a chance to talk with Graham Harrell last night for a bit. He’s gonna bring and maintain an exciting brand of offense here. I think our fans and players have come accustomed for the last 25 years you know, since Joe Tiller. So, spreading it around the yard. throwing around the yard. That’s that’s something we’re always gonna do around here. And I love that.”
The combination of Walters and Harrell could be the start of something special in West Lafayette for a long time according to Brees.
He said, “Combine that with a pretty lethal defense that’ll fly around and create turnovers, create opportunities, you know, aggressive style defense. We’re going to be playing good football here for a long time.”
Following the opt-outs of Aidan O’Connell, Charlie Jones, and Payne Durham, Brees shared what bowl games meant to him and his teammates when he was at Purdue.
“It was the reward for a hard-fought season, and it was truly a reward in that sense. It was the experience that you had a chance to have with your team, with your teammates.” Brees said, “I just know what an unbelievable experience that was for for me as a player, for our team, for the University, for the fans. So of course you would love for every guy to choose to play and to make it kind of a last hurrah.”
Quarterback Austin Burton will be making his third career start in arguably the biggest game of his career. Burton will lead the Boilermakers into Orlando to take on LSU for the Citrus Bowl on January 2nd.
– After being thrust into action against FAU earlier this season, Burton said this start feels much different, “Definitely more comfortable than last start.” and that the extended time off is allowing him to get dialed in, “That’s the good thing about bowl prep. You’ve got a lot of time, got a month to really get going for this team.”
– Burton is making the most of his time with Drew Brees back in the building, trying to take everything he can from the future hall of fame quarterback: “Seeing him out here and in the meeting rooms and just kind of getting a chance to pick his brain ask him different questions. See what he has to say about a certain read or certain play like that, you know, maybe I didn’t have insight on, so it’s just really an awesome situation to be in.”
– As his college football career wraps up in a few weeks, Burton feels thankful for his time at Purdue, saying “These have been two really special years.” and the game they’ve played in and success they’ve had is special, “A lot of people don’t have the chance to do things like that.”
– Burton shared what his relationship with Aidan O’Connell means, “Really blessed that he’s been a part of my life.”
– He later expanded on that relationship helping him accept his role as a backup with Purdue in recent years. Burton said, “As a competitor you always want to play, I would say it’s not as hard when a guy like Aidan [is in front of you], for the kind of person he is.” and that, “That guy [O’Connell] is as true a leader as anyone I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
After Purdue’s two leading receivers Charlie Jones and Payne Durham head off to the NFL Draft, pass catchers like TJ Sheffield will be asked to step up in the Citrus Bowl.
– Sheffield is pumped for the opportunity this game presents, saying “I’m really excited, it’s always nice to just go out there and have another opportunity. This is of course a big bowl game, so I’m just excited to go out there and have fun with my guys.”
– Purdue is taking lessons from last year’s bowl game when several starters were out for various reasons. Sheffield said, “We just really preach next guy up… the standard doesn’t change so we’re just going out there just trying to make big plays as a wide receiver core.”
– Sheffield said Burton’s impact goes beyond the field of play: “He’s a really big locker room guy, like everybody loves him. So I feel like he’s just been waiting on his opportunity and he’s going to take advantage of it.”
– The redshirt junior called Drew Brees coming back to be on the coaching staff the next few weeks a “legendary experience.”