Tario Fuller, Purdue’s leading running back, is out indefinitely following a significant injury suffered during the team’s scrimmage last Saturday. Fuller, a fifth-year senior, had surgery on Sunday to repair two fractures in his jaw.

Boilermaker’s head coach Jeff Brohm confirmed the news following the team’s practice on Monday.

"It was a fluke thing that happened on special teams. I feel bad for him because he's worked hard, was in good shape and ready to go. He'll be out indefinitely and I don't know the time frame."

The loss is a blow to a running backs room with little experience.

“We’ve got to get everyone ready to play,” Brohm said following Saturday’s scrimmage.

Sophomore Zander Horvath has been elevated to the first string responsibilities, with a pair of freshmen – Da’Joun Hewitt and King Doerue – along with walk-on Alfred Armour fill out the available depth chart. Horvath appeared in 13 games last fall, rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He also pulled in four receptions for 38 yards.

“Now Zander is going to consume to carry the load.”

The two newcomers, who were part of the program’s top 25 recruiting class, will be pressed into a greater roles immediately. Doerue was the No. 36 rated running back nationally by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, while Hewitt was listed as No. 87 in the country.

“It’s going to make that position thinner,” Brohm said. “The young freshmen are going to have to step in and play.”

The needed impact is no secret, but Brohm doesn’t want to overload them.

“They are spinning right now," Brohm said following the scrimmage. "We can’t ask them to do too much.”

On Monday, Brohm added that both rookies have been dinged up a bit during fall camp, but they should each be ready to go for the opener.

"Both of them have an opportunity to play," he said. "We will see which one steps above the other. But both will be ready to play and we are gonna use both of them.”

Brohm will instead, utilize sophomore Rondale Moore at times and seek to add new wrinkles to the offense to help alleviate the workload.

“We’ll use Rondale in the backfield some and do some creative things to give [Horvath] a spell.”

Moore, who as a freshman was selected as the Paul Hornung Award recipient as the nation’s most versatile player, totaled 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 21 rush attempts in 2018.

Purdue opens the 2019 campaign on August 30 at Nevada.