Purdue Basketball starts with strong post-play, but replacing Zach Edey is a near impossible task for one man.
This season, there is a massive hole on the block for the Purdue Boilermakers. A spot that had been solidified for the last four years by a 7-4, 285 pounds man.
A lottery pick to the Memphis Grizzlies, a two-time National Player of the Year, and All-American, Zach Edey was everything everyone thought he couldn’t be, and he will continue to prove the doubters and haters wrong.
25.4 points per game, 12 rebounds per game, and arguably the most dominant college basketball player in the last 25 years is what Purdue and Matt Painter are trying to replace.
Purdue has turned into Big Man U under Head Coach Matt Painter. From JaJuan Johnson to Zach Edey and everyone in between, Painter has continually replaced one massive human for the next and it always ends with results.
But, this time it is different, not only are you replacing another Center for the Boilermakers, you are replacing the focal point of the offense, everything went through Zach Edey for the last 60+ games for the Boilers.
The good news for Boilermaker Fans abroad, there are capable bodies on the Purdue Roster that can help fill the hole left by the two-time NPOY and All-American. Will one person single-handedly replace the production? No, but as a group in the post and veteran guards returning to lead the charge on the perimeter, Purdue will still have a successful 2024-2025 season, even without Zach.
Familiar Faces will provide stability early in the post. Early odds show that Purdue will employ Trey Kaufman-Renn at the center position. At times last season, he would be the single man in the post with his back to the basket. At 6-9, 230 pounds, it is not the 7-foot giant that Purdue fans have become accustomed to, but with a slithery spin move and a soft hook shot, TKR is a proven commodity that is returning for his Redshirt Junior Season.
He started in all 39 games last season, hand in hand with Zach Edey. TKR can stretch the floor, but his best ability is with his back to the basket. He has a motor that never stops and will gladly go toe-to-toe with any postman in the country.
Caleb Furst will provide a veteran presence in the post as well, at 6-10, 235 pounds, Caleb is returning for his senior year in West Lafayette. While he did not start any games last season, during his career at Purdue, he has started in 33 games and played in 105 games overall.
Caleb was a highly ranked prospect and can provide versatility on both ends of the court, where he can defend more athletic bigs, either centers or power forwards, and can prove to be a quick mismatch for slow-footed centers.
Between TKR and Furst, there is plenty of veteran experience on this roster to provide a boost underneath, but there are also a couple of unknowns, how do players like William Berg and Daniel Jacobsen fit into the fold of this roster?
TKR and Furst are not your traditional giant 7-foot plus center that Coach Painter has rolled out since the days of A.J. Hammons, but Berg and Jacobssen are.
The Swedish Sensation, Willaim Berg stands at 7-2, 260 pounds, and showed promise in limited playing time last season. Is there a world where he takes over the center position by himself and TKR stays nearby at the Power Forward Position like last season?
Coach Painter had great success with having a true center on the court with Trey at the same time, why not run it back with the same ideology?
Daniel Jacobsen brings length and athleticism to the center spot as well. At 7-4, 230 pounds, he is a little thin, but during his prep days, his best ability was blocking shots – Purdue will need a rim protector out on the court, could he supplant Berg and be the go-to big man?
Daniel also showed great touch during his prep career, stretching the defense with the ability to shoot the three-ball.
Replacing Zach Edey is an impossible task, but, there are options for Coach Painter and his staff. It will take a group effort for the Boilermakers this season under the basket, but the group is willing and able to take the next step.