Purdue Hopeful for Cornerbacks Cory Trice, Jamari Brown to Return After Bye Week

During Purdue football's 35-24 loss to Wisconsin last Saturday, redshirt senior cornerbacks Cory Trice and Jamari Brown both left the field with injuries in the first half and were unable to return to the game. 

With the health of the two starting players on defense in question, depth became an immediate concern in the secondary as the team manages a bye week. According to head coach Jeff Brohm, neither player's injury is season-ending, but their availability is vital for a group that's struggled in recent weeks.  

The goal for those who left the game against the Badgers is to return to practice this upcoming week as the Boilermakers prepare for a home matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov. 5 at Ross-Ade Stadium.   

"We came out of this one with some bumps and bruises," Brohm said on Tuesday. "Gotta get healthy, so we'll speed it up as fast as we can and try to get some of them back by Sunday, if not later." 

Should Trice and Brown miss an extended period of time, the team's top cornerback will be fifth-year senior Reese Taylor. Purdue will also look for redshirt senior Bryce Hampton and junior Sanoussi Kane to receive extra practice reps at the position to bolster depth. Brohm also mentioned that sophomore Brandon Calloway would not be available for the team due to an injury. 

The Boilermakers are also preparing to be without fifth-year safety Chris Jefferson for the third straight game after he stated via social media that he was focusing on mental health. 

Against Wisconsin, Taylor collected three total tackles and one pass breakup. Redshirt junior cornerback Camdyn Childers, a walk-on and former wide receiver, also saw action in the loss. He tallied a pair of tackles.