This post was updated June 30 at 9:12 p.m.

UCLA officially joins the Big Ten on Aug. 2. After 96 years and 123 national championships in the Pac-12, the Bruins are at the forefront of the Big Ten’s West Coast expansion. Prior to UCLA’s official move, Daily Bruin Sports will preview football, men’s basketball and other top programs of each school.

Football
2023 Record: 4-8, 3-6 Big Ten
Coach: Ryan Walters

Coach Ryan Walters made his debut at Purdue’s helm in 2023.

To introduce Walters to West Lafayette, Indiana, the Boilermakers toiled through one of the most brutal schedules in the nation. Prior to its final showdown against Indiana, Purdue battled through 10 straight teams that boasted records at or above .500, including powerhouses Ohio State and Michigan as crossovers. The gauntlet thwarted the Boilermakers’ bowl game aspirations.

Replacing Jeff Brohm’s longstanding legacy in West Lafayette was no cakewalk. The six-year Boilermaker head coach spearheaded his pack to four bowl appearances – and its first Big Ten West title and Big Ten championship appearance. He revitalized Purdue football, rekindling a winning spirit that had waned since the Joe Tiller era of 10 bowl game appearances in 11 years.

Brahm’s core pillars – playing harder, tougher and smarter than the opposition – alongside his explosive offense propelled Purdue to head the Big Ten in passing yards in 2022. His resignation triggered a roster turnover – just four defensive starters returned for the following season.

The Boilermakers plummeted to ninth in the Big Ten in passing yards for the 2023 season.

Texas transfer Hudson Card assumed the starting mantle under center in his first year, replacing an NFL starting quarterback in Aidan O’Connell. And in spite of injuries in the second half of the season, Card threw for 217 yards per game on a 58.6% completion percentage and a 15-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Drudging a battered offensive line and a depleted wide receiver corps lacking individual prowess, Card could still chisel his lasting mark should he enter the 2024 season healthy.

Walters and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell commenced a new coaching era in 2023 amid a season marred by injuries and roster gaps. Following a stretch of 17 victories in the prior two seasons, Purdue stumbled to a 4-8 record, enduring a four-game losing skid at the season’s crux.

Yet another grueling schedule could complicate Walters’ and Harrell’s second year.

Remnants from Brohm’s departure in the wide receiver room entered the portal in the offseason, leaving Purdue with uncertainties and a notable void. Once characterized by star receivers, the program now grapples with insecurity in the role.

However, once-thin quarterback and offensive line positions won’t cast their treacherous spell in 2024. Card will return for what could be a final year, backed up by Marcos Davila – a member of the nation’s No. 29 recruiting class – and Ryan Browne. The Boilermakers will benefit from the return of their top linemen, Mahamane Moussa, Gus Hartwig, Jalen Grant and Marcus Mbow, who anchored a Boilermaker ground game that generated over 300 rushing yards against both Minnesota and Northwestern in 2023.

A repeat of last year’s offensive staff – omitting tight ends coach Seth Doege, who departed to Marshall – will have to better their play-calling abilities at the third- or fourth-down situations and streamline their teams’ running game to prevent opponents from deciphering strategies.

On the defensive end of the gridiron, Purdue has historically employed a 5-1-5 alignment – one that placed it at the bottom of the Big Ten, conceding at least 30 points in eight of its 12 affairs.

The Boilermakers will be devoid of outside linebacker Nic Scourton – the squad’s defensive stalwart who led the Big Ten in sacks with 10 in 2023. Eyes will turn to Georgia transfer CJ Madden and Purdue’s trio of returning nose tackles to fill the cavity.

Walters’ and Harrell’s second year in West Lafayette bears the weight of Purdue’s hurdle – a tall one, at that.

Men’s basketball
2023 record: 34-5, 17-3 Big Ten, NCAA championship game appearance
Coach: Matt Painter

A ship is losing its helmsman.

The vessel won’t rupture, but it’ll dampen.

Typical commanders navigate treacherous waters, stabilize their crew and explore uncharted territory. Few make history while doing it all.

7-foot-4 Zach Edey, hailed as college basketball’s greatest of the last two years, will soon see his black-and-gold jersey hung on the walls in which he executed his magic.

The center – who heard his name called in the NBA Draft on Wednesday – swept National Player of the Year honors in consecutive years, joining UCLA’s Bill Walton in the spotlight. Edey leads NBA Draft prospects in both points and rebounds per game, etching himself as the only player in NCAA history to average at least 25.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Largely credited to Edey’s imposing presence and unstoppable drop step, the Boilermakers have been one of the most dominating Division I teams, posting a 106-28 record in Edey’s four seasons – the country’s third-best winning percentage in that span.

Purdue made a historic run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, routing NC State 63-50 in its first Final Four since 1980. Despite its 75-60 loss to back-to-back national champion Connecticut, Purdue is on the back of one of its finest seasons in program history. It bulldozed through 10 nationally-ranked opponents out of 11 games through the past season, with its only loss in the season’s finale.

The 2024-2025 season will spell one of major remodels for coach Matt Painter’s arsenal. It could reel in the wake of Edey’s loss.

The Boilermakers are returning three starters from its title-contending roster, with guard Braden Smith at the front line. Smith carved his name as the second player in college basketball to finish a single season with at least 450 points, 275 assists and 200 rebounds, setting a Big Ten record for season assists as he is poised to run the Boilermakers’ backcourt.

Smith shot 43.1% from beyond the arc – contributing to Purdue’s 40.4% average from 3-point range last season, the second-best in the nation. Perimeter sniping could be Purdue’s compensation for what it may lose in the frontcourt.

The Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, forward Mason Gillis, opted to use his final season of collegiate eligibility under Duke’s storied program. Gillis ended the season shooting 46.8% from deep, proving his versatile nature on both ends of the court. The Boilermaker bench will likely look to forward Caleb Furst to assume the duty.

Smith and fellow guard Fletcher Loyer will have to maneuver the floor without Edey’s gravitational pull on defenses. Edey’s presence streamlined every position, remedying errors and masking shortcomings – demanding a steadfast commitment to fill the loss.

But Painter has constructed a squad that remains a Big Ten favorite despite critical departures.

The ship is still alive. Time will tell if it reaches shore.