Purdue QB Ryan Browne Returns to Illinois, Site of 2024 Near-Upset

Two years after his first college start nearly produced an upset at Illinois, Ryan Browne brings one of the Big Ten's top passing averages back to Champaign on Saturday.

Ryan Browne returns to Illinois on Saturday, two years after making his first college start in Champaign on Oct. 12, 2024. The Purdue quarterback now arrives with different credentials: his 283.8 passing yards per game are bettered by only two Big Ten quarterbacks through the season's first month.

The growth extends past the raw yardage. Explosive touchdown passes have come more frequently this season, interceptions more rarely, and Browne mixes in read-option carries and scrambles that pick up first downs. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson said Browne has "grown tremendously as a player."

Browne's path to this point was winding. A three-star recruit ranked outside the top 50 quarterbacks and the top 1,000 overall in the On3 industry rankings, he committed to Purdue on Oct. 7, 2022, while Jeff Brohm's team was headed to a Big Ten championship game appearance. Brohm left for Louisville before signing day, and Browne stayed to play for Ryan Walters after attending four schools in four years between high school and prep school.

He first saw game action at Northwestern on Nov. 18, 2023, alternating series with Bennett Meredith while Hudson Card was injured. By mid-October 2024, Purdue had dropped four straight while averaging 11 points per game against FBS opponents, and Walters had fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. After a 52-6 defeat at Wisconsin, Card developed concussion symptoms, and Browne took over as the starter with Walters calling the plays himself.

The opening half of that first start was rough. Browne produced one scoring drive before halftime, a field goal, and stood at 4 of 7 for 9 yards at the break. Once Illinois opened the third quarter, Purdue faced a 27-3 deficit.

The second half revealed what was possible. Browne connected with Jahmal Edrine on a 53-yard double move, hit Max Klare for 62 yards on a reverse flea-flicker and found him again for 40 on an RPO. Down 40-28 with 5:05 remaining, Browne scrambled 10 yards on third-and-8 and completed his final four passes on a drive capped by Devin Mockobee's 2-yard touchdown run. Purdue recovered the onside kick, a 21-yard completion to Jaron Tibbs put the ball back in the red zone, and a back-shoulder throw to Mockobee delivered the go-ahead score before Browne's two-point pass to Edrine made it 43-40.

Illinois forced overtime with a field goal and scored on the first play of the extra period. Purdue answered, with Mockobee's 22-yard run setting up Arhmad Branch's 3-yard touchdown, but Walters went for the win, the Illini blitz went unblocked and Browne was sacked on the game's final play. Klare said afterward that Browne "left everything out there" and "gave us a chance to win that game."

Browne made one more start that season, going 9 of 19 for 93 yards with an interception against then-No. 2 Oregon, before Card returned to finish the year as the starter. Browne then transferred to North Carolina during the coaching transition from Walters to Barry Odom and came back to Purdue after spring practice. Last season brought the bumps of a first-year starter on a 2-10 team.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema, speaking before last season's matchup, called Browne a "very impressive kid" who "understands it, gets it" and was visibly gaining confidence. Two seasons later, Browne brings that improved version of himself back to the stadium where his potential first showed itself.