Hammering Down: Fame Ijeboi Ran to Prove Something to Purdue, Not Minnesota

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fame Ijeboi resembled a cement truck flying down I-65 on Saturday night. Any Gopher that attempted to impede his progress was quickly turned into roadkill and tossed to the side of the highway. When the Purdue running back got the ball in his hands, nobody was slowing him down.

Ijeboi plowed through Minnesota on his way to a career-high 195 yards and three touchdowns in Purdue's 41-13 victory. It was the most rushing yards for a Boilermaker ball carrier since Markell Jones racked up 217 yards against Indiana in the 2017 Old Oaken Bucket Game.

Every time Ijeboi touched the football, it looked like he was running with purpose. Most might expect that he wanted to prove a point against Minnesota, a program he spent two years with before transferring to Purdue.

Ijeboi did want to prove a point Saturday night, but it had nothing to do with the team wearing the white uniforms and maroon helmets. Purdue's star running back felt like he had something to show his current teammates.

"My mindset was not to make it about myself, make it about my teammates," Ijeboi said after the game. "It was an opportunity for me to show them how much I care about them, how much I love them with how I played. To show them they're my brothers now, my family, and I'm ready to do whatever I've got to do to win and help the team. This was a great opportunity to show the love I have for my teammates."

Finding motivation usually isn't difficult for college football players. It typically stems from doubters or past experiences, but Ijeboi seems to find it in his current situation. Even though he saw familiar faces on the opposing sidelines, he never mentioned anything about Minnesota adding fuel to his fire this week.

He didn't need it, either. Ijeboi had plenty of juice from the opening kickoff. He had eclipsed 30 yards on his first three carries. By halftime, he had accounted for 131 yards, more than any other running back had rushed for against the Gophers in a game this season.

As a team, Purdue rushed for 305 yards against Minnesota. The Gophers entered Saturday night's game allowing an average of 94.0 yards per game on the ground.

Ijeboi's motivation on Saturday night is better than if he had a vendetta against Minnesota. What fueled his drive against the Gophers can translate across the remaining six games on the schedule. Because it's not about the opponents standing on the other sideline, it's about proving something to the guys who share a sideline with him now.

Ijeboi knows that no running back has success without a great offensive line. When he was asked about his individual performance against Minnesota, he was quick to credit the guys up front, paving a path for him to run through.

"I want to give credit to my O-line, they did an amazing job allowing me to get to the second level," Ijeboi said. "We had a great game plan ... we really executed throughout the week. It's not something that just happened today, it's something we built on throughout the week."

Throughout the first six games, Ijeboi has provided consistency for Purdue out of the backfield. Including Saturday's 195-yard effort, he's now averaging 91.5 yards per game and has scored nine rushing touchdowns. He's been difficult to tackle, and a player who is always falling forward for extra yardage.

Ijeboi's best performance of the year might have come against his former team, but it's not the only time he's played at a high level for his teammates. He's done it all year long.

We learned on Saturday night, though, when Ijeboi and the offensive line are collectively playing at a high level, Purdue's offense can be incredibly difficult to stop, just like a cement truck barreling down the highway.