Scholarship hasn’t changed Purdue’s Jordan Jurasevich

Jordan Jurasevich’s life hasn’t dramatically changed since the Purdue senior tight end was awarded a scholarship last spring.

Here comes a subtle alteration, one that brings a smile to his face.

“When school starts, I’ll notice a difference with training table and all the benefits that come with it,” Jurasevich said, referring to the quality of his meals improving. “So far, it’s just football at this point.”

It hasn’t been all football for Jurasevich, who suffered a hip flexor on the first day of camp and is getting back to full-time work heading into Saturday’s jersey scrimmage at Ross-Ade Stadium.

“I was five or six steps into my route and I really tried turning it up and I felt a little – I don’t know really what you would call it – a little tweak. I just shut it down,” he said.

Jurasevich’s initial reaction was anger. At the time, he didn’t know the severity of the injury and after being evaluated it wasn’t considered a major setback. The good news was the injury happened early in camp, giving Jurasevich enough time to recover.

His absence allowed junior Jonathan Curry and redshirt freshman Cole Herdman to work with the No. 1 offense.

“In the end, it may be the best thing to have happen to us,” first-year tight ends coach Terry Malone said. “Cole got a lot more reps than he would’ve gotten. He improved immensely. You could see improvement from day to day and you have to keep telling yourself how young this kid is.”

But Jurasevich is the tight end the offense will lean on the most to start the season. It’s been a long journey to West Lafayette to reach the top of the depth chart.

The Crown Point native started at North Central College, a Division III program in Naperville, Illinois, before transferring to Purdue. He tried out twice, including once for the previous coaching staff, before coach Darrell Hazell brought him aboard prior to spring practice in 2013.

He is the only Boilermaker with experience at tight end, appearing in all 12 games last year and making one catch for two yards.

“I can build on it for sure,” Jurasevich said with a grin.

The Boilermakers are deeper at receiver this season compared to 2014, likely shifting the role of the tight ends. They’ll continue to be a factor in the power running game and short-yardage situations, but are needed in certain pass protection schemes.

Hazell anticipates the tight ends on the field between 20 and 25 percent of the game.

“We’re going with a little bit more spread sets sometimes,” Jurasevich said. “When it comes down to it, we run the same offense, we still run the same plays, but we’re a little bit more spread sometimes.

“I like to think my role is to control the line of scrimmage and protect the quarterback. We want to make a statement in the run game and slip out for a couple of passes here and there.”

Malone’s goal for the group is to add toughness to the offense.

“We’re going to add some protection on the edge of the formation, both in the run game and the pass game,” he said. “I think we can be quality receivers. We might not be the downfield threats you look for at times from the position, but I think we can be rock solid in the pass game.”

Saturday’s scrimmage

At Ross-Ade Stadium

Time: 11:15 a.m.

Note: Players will be available to sign autographs following the scrimmage