Purdue’s fall camp has barely gotten going, and the injury list is already forcing the Boilermakers to adjust.
The biggest hit so far comes at tight end, where UCF transfer Orin Fox is out for the 2026 season with a knee injury. That’s a tough break for a room that was already thin on proven production.
Fox and returning tight end George Burhenn were the only players on the roster with real game experience, and with Fox sidelined, Purdue needs Burhenn to stay healthy. He has played in just eight total games over the last two years.
Fox arrived from UCF with some useful production in hand. Last fall, he caught 16 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. He was expected to be Purdue’s second tight end this season, so his absence opens the door for someone else in that group to move up fast.
The other season-ending injury involves true freshman defensive back Michael Daniels, a member of Purdue’s 2026 recruiting class. Daniels was part of a deep secondary, and it’s unclear how much he would have played this fall, if at all. A three-star prospect with upside, he is also out for the season because of a knee injury.
Even with Daniels unavailable, Purdue still has numbers on its side in the secondary. The Boilermakers added several defensive backs through the transfer portal and have more than 20 players on the roster listed at the position.
There’s also a roster change that isn’t injury-related. Sophomore safety Javon Nave is no longer with the team after deciding to step away from football before Purdue reported for fall camp, according to head coach Barry Odom.
Nave spent last season on Purdue’s roster after starting his college career at Kentucky in 2024. He appeared in one game for the Wildcats and did not play for the Boilermakers last fall.
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