Rivals.com: Rivals Football & Basketball Recruiting - Purdue’s best offensive line in Gus Hartwig's time? The senior believes so (2024)

Fifth-year senior center and presumed team captain Gus Hartwig has seen many offensive line configurations during his time in West Lafayette, but the group the Boilermakers have assembled in 2024 is perhaps the best he's seen.

"Since I've been here, I believe so," Hartwig said on Thursday.

Coming off a tumultuous 2023 campaign that saw injuries pile up, so much so that the Boilermakers couldn't put five out on the practice field by the end of the season, Hudson Card's protection detail is night and day difference heading into week one against Indiana State on August 31st.

The driving force behind the improved unit was Marcus Johnson and Ryan Walters hitting the transfer portal hard to bolster the front line. Adding size is something Walters referenced when discussing Purdue's portal strategy, and while the size was needed, Johnson was less concerned about the weight, and more so about netting players who could contribute right away.

"I just want good football players. I'm gonna be straight up. I mean, everybody talks about size, but I've seen a lot of big people that they can't move people off the ball. You know, for me, I just want good football players at the end of the day. Those players happen to be bigger, but we got a pretty good room," Johnson said.

It is the experience that Purdue added which has Johnson excited for what the group could become in 2024. Ball State transfer Corey Stewart brings 28 starts to West Lafayette, while DJ Wingfield (New Mexico) and Joshua Sales (Indiana) have a combined 14 starts between them.

Add that to Gus Hartwig, Marcus Mbow and Mahamane Moussa, who have all started in each of the last two seasons, and Purdue's line is filled with experienced contributors, which will pay dividends.

"Those guys know what it takes. They played in a lot of ball games," Johnson said. "Our guys should know it as well as can be, regardless of what front or what pressure shows up, because they've done it 1000 times with that experience."

"Definitely got a lot more bodies than we did last year. Not only that, but experience as well. I think that helps, especially in this league, knowing that it's a trench league, so having those experienced guys and the guys that we bring back from last year and adding those newcomers, I think it's gonna be a pretty good deal for us," Johnson said.

Not only did the talent and experience level rise for the Boilermakers, but so did the sheer number of linemen at Johnson's disposal, which was perhaps the biggest issue for a much scrutinized group a year ago.

Along with Hartwig, Mbow, Stewart, Wingfield, Moussa and Grant, the Boilermakers have a healthy crop of reserves that are ready to step into a starting role if need be. Joey Tanona, Bakyne Coly, Luke Griffin, Jimmy Liston and Jaden Ball make up the group of second unit linemen that Purdue is pleased to have on its side.

Tanona and Coly in particular were talented, but their roles were uncertain with Tanona returning from a medical retirement after a scary car accident two years and Coly still learning the game after picking up football less than three years ago. That tandem has been a pleasant surprise for the group.

"He's done a hell of a job, man. I'm happy and proud of him. He's done a really good job, and to be honest with you, going through what he went through, I didn't expect him to get the amount of reps that he's been getting, but he's handled himself well. He's gotten reps with the first two units," Johnson said. "I thank God we got him and he's a guy that can play multiple positions up front. So I think he'll play a big, big, big role for this program."

"From where he was a year ago to now is like light years. He was probably 265 last year playing tackle, and now he's 300. He's strong, he's physical," Hartwig said. "The gradual progression of that, you see him picking up on so many things, and he's so coachable, so athletic, that he just picks up on so much stuff."

Coly and Tanona make a deep group even deeper this fall, which could make a big difference if something were to happen, says Hartwig.

"Having versatility throughout a whole offensive line just kind of makes the ability to, if something happens here, you can move somebody there," Hartwig said. "Having versatility and depth just makes it so you don't lose a beat if something happens."

"Health is always important at this level and having everybody healthy, I think would be huge. But either way, if we're healthy, or if a couple guys got to step up. I think we built up a good competition to kind of have a good room," Hartwig said.

Purdue's offensive line has all the makings of a stellar group heading into the season-opener against Indiana State next weekend, but the real test awaits as the Boilermakers look to change their fortunes from a year ago this fall.