Although Purdue coach Ryan Walters hoped receiver CJ Smith and cornerback Nyland Green would be available for the Notre Dame game, the situation does not appear to be promising.
Ryan Walters is not confident that wide receiver CJ Smith and cornerback Nyland Green will be available for Purdue’s in-state rivalry game against No. 18 Notre Dame this weekend. The two Georgia transfers also missed the season’s opening against Indiana State.
Smith and Green both had injuries during fall camp, which kept them out of Purdue’s first game on August 31. Walters was hoping they’d be healthy and ready to play Notre Dame, especially with a bye week in between the two games.
On Monday, Walters was queried about the status of both players. Neither was mentioned on the depth chart for Saturday’s game between the Boilermakers and the Fighting Irish.
“I wouldn’t expect them to be out there this week,” Walters stated during his weekly press conference. “They are quite close. You watch them—I can’t watch them work out in rehab because it makes me too thrilled. “I want them out there.”
Smith has been dubbed the team’s fastest player and has the potential to be a game changer on offense for the Boilers. Green is another expected starter in Purdue’s secondary.
Unfortunately, it appears that Purdue will be without these two stars for at least another week. What is the good news? As much as the Boilers want to beat Notre Dame, Big Ten action doesn’t start for another two weeks.
Saturday’s matchup at Ross-Ade Stadium begins at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will telecast on CBS. This is the first meeting between the two programs since 2021. The Fighting Irish have won six in a row versus the Boilermakers.
