The regular season has concluded and for teams like 1-11 Purdue, some are onto 2025. Following the season-ending blowout loss to rival Indiana, Purdue fired head coach Ryan Walters after a 5-19 mark through two seasons. Players were going to transfer regardless because that is the nature of the beast that is modern college football. Losing a head coach exacerbates the issue. As of midday on December 5, 247Sports has 11 Boilermakers expected to go into the portal when it opens next week. Perhaps the biggest name to announce is sophomore safety, Dillon Thieneman.
Purdue Loses Star Safety Dillon Thieneman to Transfer Portal
Purdue sophomore safety Dillon Thieneman has officially entered the portal, @mzenitz and I have learned for @247Sports.
Thieneman was the @247Sports True Freshman of the Year in 2023. https://t.co/GHeYE4cun5 pic.twitter.com/6C8MR4cBpi
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 5, 2024
Thieneman broke out for the Boilermakers last year as a true freshman. The 4-8 Purdue defense was one of the worst scoring and passing defenses in the country. However, Thieneman was a bright spot. He finished the year with a team-leading 106 tackles (27 more than the next), two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and six interceptions. Those six interceptions were good for second-most in the Big Ten (behind an eventual second-round NFL Draft pick) and third-most in the country. He had four games when he finished with double-digit tackles and ended the season with three interceptions over the last two games.
Thieneman was rewarded with Second-Team All-Big Ten honors and won the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year. The Associated Press also recognized him as a Third-Team All-American, one of only two freshmen honored.
He entered the 2024 season on the watchlist for the LOTT Impact Trophy, Nagurski Award, and Thorpe Award. Statistically, he took a bit of a step back in 2024. Thieneman still led the team with 104 tackles which were third-most in the Big Ten. Additionally, he tallied four-and-a-half tackles for loss, a sack, and seven pass breakups. Thieneman also returned nine punts for the Boilermakers. Unfortunately for him, he did not earn any selections on this year’s All-Big Ten teams.
More transfers are expected out of Purdue with the coaching change. The Boilermakers are going to need to find a successor quickly to try and stave off the exodus.
