We highlight two fresh faces wearing #31 on opposite sides of the ball!
IT IS NOW ONLY THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN A LONG MONTH. We are 31 days away from a new era in Boilermakers football! Today’s featured members of the football roster are two new faces: one a true freshman and one a freshman transfer from Marshall University.
First, we have freshman defensive end Finn Goodman of Lake Forest, Illinois. Goodman, a former two-star prospect, chose to walk on at Purdue over scholarship offers from multiple FCS schools including Butler and Dayton.
I think he’ll be a fun one to watch grow, but he’s nowhere near the depth chart for now. There are many defensive ends with plenty of college experience in front of him. The 6’4” 230-pound edge rusher really began to bloom as a senior before receiving late scholarship offers.
I also think it’s kind of funny that I read “recorded 14 sacks in his final two seasons” and then realized 10.5 of those 14 sacks were recorded his senior year, when he was named to first team all-county and first team all-division in that senior year.
Kid’s taking a gamble on himself at a very prestigious university and I respect that.
Next up! A transfer tailback who played at Jasper High School in southern Indiana: Carter Holsworth.
Holsworth arrives in West Lafayette from Marshall University in the only directional Virginia, also west. The 6’0” 202-pound runner, who ran for just under 1,500 yards and rushed in 18 touchdowns as a senior at Jasper High, told Sports Illustrated that West Virginia simply did not feel like home. After winning the conference in 2024, Marshall head coach Charles Huff took a head coaching job at Southern Miss, leading Holsworth to look around.
Holsworth will also be further down on the depth chart, but for now I can predict him sticking around and hoping to crack the depth chart (as the top three running backs are two seniors and a sophomore).
The former all-SIAC running back is more of a power back than anything, but watching the film of what he can do with the ball in his hands and churning his legs with great downfield speed after hitting a hole and breaking a single tackle…I can see him doing some good things down the line.
Welcome to Purdue, Finn and Carter! Boiler up!