WEST LAFAYETTE — The first Purdue football game is still weeks away, but not for Hudson Card.
The returning starting quarterback is attacking live periods at fall camp not as if it is the Boilermaker defense on the other side, but as if it is the Indiana State Sycamores and as if it is Aug. 31 rather than than early August.
This season is a pivotal one for the former four-star quarterback recruit from Austin, Texas.
It's week two of year two, the clichéd biggest leap in progress according to just about anyone who ever has coached football. Card is in no danger of losing his spot on the depth chart, but that "better Hudson Card" talk has been as prevalent throughout last spring and so far this fall as his hype was the spring and fall camp before that.
When Card started for Texas prior to transferring to Purdue, it was a situation of circ*mstance due to injury. Card wasn't going to be the long term solution as long as Quinn Ewers was on the Longhorn roster.
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Card wanted a program where he could start, but also had a reputation for developing NFL quarterbacks. Card's eventual goal is to join a list of Drew Brees, Kyle Orton, Curtis Painter, David Blough and Aidan O'Connell, all former Purdue quarterbacks who've started in the NFL in recent years.
Since committing to Purdue out of the transfer portal upon the hire of Walters, Card was anointed the starter. By Card's own admission, last year was an up and down rollercoaster both personally and from a team perspective.
Hudson Card's 2023 season
Card's long awaited Boilermaker debut wasn't great, but wasn't bad. He threw for 254 and two touchdowns and helped engineer a late go-ahead drive against Fresno State before the Bulldogs won the game with a touchdown in the final minute.
A week later, Card ran in the game-winning touchdown at Virginia Tech and followed that up with a career-high 323 passing yards against Syracuse on prime time television.
Perhaps the root of Card's inconsistency would come last September in a win over Illinois.
"I was pretty beat up," Card admitted at Big Ten Media Days last month. "I had an SC (sternoclavicular) joint sprain sprain after Illinois and then a rib issue after Minnesota. So yeah, I was beat up at times for sure."
Card played hurt.
Until he couldn't. Bennett Meredith and Ryan Browne shared quarterback duties at Northwestern.
"I wish I could have been out there and been able to give it a shot, give us a chance to win, but my body wasn't ready to go," Card said. "I think it would have been a disservice to my teammates trying to go out there and play. It's one I had to accept."
Card returned the following week with perhaps his best performance of the season to help the Boilermakers end on a high note with a win over Indiana.
Walters likens the progress of his starting quarterback to the leap a player makes going from his freshman to sophom*ore seasons.
The reality though is this is Card is a fifth-year senior and still has one year of eligibility, but other than sporadic experience playing for Texas, last season was Card's initiation to big time college football.
"The jump from year one to year two is exponential and it's no different for him, even though he's an older guy," Walters said.
Card started 11 games for Purdue and the Boilermakers, in their first year under a new staff and new system, let their transfer QB play through the ups and downs of his first go of being a full-time starter.
Hudson Card's offseason
Part of what makes Card so dynamic is his ability to make plays with his feet.
"Knowing your quarterback can move a little bit, it's kind of a relief," offensive tackle Marcus Mbow said. "It can get you out of bad situations sometimes. Sometimes it makes you want to block a little bit longer and see what he can do. Knowing there's a magician back there, you just wait for him to figure it out."
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With that comes added risk though as Card becomes more susceptible to big hits as a runner.
Because of that, Card's offseason focus was on becoming more durable.
"Playing the quarterback position, it's unavoidable. You're going to take hits ..." offensive coordinator Graham Harrell said. "The increased weight will definitely help him with durability. The other piece of that is he's an athletic kid. Because of that, you don't want to take his creativity away on the football field, but at the same token you say don't take a hit. At the same time, he's trying to make plays so he's going to take a couple more hits."
Card added eight pounds of muscle. Purdue's strength staff will tell you Card is freakishly strong for someone who is 208 pounds.
"I've been doing everything I can to gain what as well as have my body functioning to where it can get in uncomfortable positions and I'll be OK through it," Card said.
What's in store in 2024?
By all accounts, Card is an improved quarterback entering his second season in Purdue's system.
For now, there's not statistical evidence to back that up.
But those who played alongside him a year ago will vouch for his progress.
"I think Hudson is a way different beast than last year," receiver Jaron Tibbs said. "Last year we kind of different have the right pieces around him. Now he's more confident, more vocal in the locker room. He's just turned up this year."
How that translates on Aug. 31 and the three months that follows remains to be seen.
Purdue is confident it will turn this program back into a winner this season.
Hudson Card is a main reason why.
"As a player, he'll speak for himself," center Gus Hartwig said. "He'll do everything he needs to on the field."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Hudson Card makes offseason improvements with Purdue football
