Elijah Sindelar to Have Surgery for Torn ACL

Elijah Sindelar won last night’s game on a torn ACL. This made the rounds on Twitter last night after the game, but it is stunning to say the least:

It apparently occurred some time during the Northwestern game. Purdue could have been in dire straits too, as David Blough was already out for the season with a dislocated ankle. Also, Jared Sparks, the third stringer, got banged up against Iowa and didn’t play at all against Indiana. For all intents and purposes Purdue should have been down to Nick Sipe, a true freshman who didn’t take a snap all year, by the Bucket game. he was the last uninjured scholarship QB on the roster (Griffin Alstott has been ruled out all year).

Here were Sindelar’s numbers in the last four games with a torn ACL:

at Northwestern (23-13 loss) 37 of 60, 376 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

at Iowa (24-15 win) 22 of 37, 229 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT

vs. Indiana (31-24 win) 15 of 29, 159 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

vs. Arizona (38-35 win) 33 of 53, 396 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

Just incredible. 107 of 179 for 1,160 yards, 11 TDs, and 2 INTs. That was more than half of his production, and without the safety net of Blough behind him.

It remains to be seen how this affects the QB race next season. Blough is reportedly ahead of schedule and expects to go through spring football. You would have to think Sindelar is out for the spring, but he should have been out weeks ago if not for pulling a Robert Marve.

I am totally fine with both sitting and getting more time for Sipe and Jack Plummer. Purdue is going to be fine with either Blough or Sindelar. this is also Sindelar’s second tear (as he tore one in his final career HS game). There is no need to push either for something as silly as spring football. Sipe and Plummer can get valuable reps as the future while Blough and Sindelar, who will likely start in some combo for the next two seasons, heal.