2022 Football Roster
Jersey Number 16
Aidan O'Connell
- Class:
- Sixth Year
- Position:
- QB
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 210
- Hometown:
- Long Grove, Ill.
- High School:
- Stevenson
Bio
CAREER AT PURDUE
2022
• Named All-Big Ten Second Team by league’s coaches & media, Associated Press, Pro Football Focus and Phil Steele
• Named Academic All-Big Ten
• Received National Football Foundation Drew Brees Mental Toughness Award
• Graduated with master’s degree in May
• Appeared in 12 games, making nine starts
• Took over the offense at halftime against Illinois (Sept. 25) and made first start of the season against Minnesota (Oct. 2)
• Threw for 3,712 yards and 28 touchdowns
• Had a passing efficiency of 158.8
• Went 315-of-439 passing for a 71.8% completion percentage,
• Single-season Purdue rankings - set the completion percentage record and passing efficiency, eighth in attempts, tied for fourth in completions, fifth in passing yards, fourth in touchdowns,
• Averaged 11.8 yards per pass and 309.3 passing yards per game
• Had a touchdown pass in 11 games, including two or more in the final six outings of the year
• Tallied six games of 300 yards passing or more
• Finished with 2,161 yards, 19 touchdowns and a 72.5% completion percentage over the final five games
• Joined Drew Brees as the only Boilermakers with multiple 500-yard passing games in the same season
• Tossed a pair of touchdowns in relief against UConn (Sept. 11)
• Went 12-of-19 for 182 yards and a touchdown to lead Purdue to a win over Illinois in the second half (Sept. 25)
• Threw for 371 yards on 34-of-52 passing with a touchdown against Minnesota (Oct. 2)
• Tossed a pair of touchdowns on 30-of-40 passing for 375 yards and ran for a touchdown against Iowa (Oct. 16)
• Went 40-of-54 for 536 yards and three scores against Michigan State (Nov. 6)
• Second straight 40-completion game, throwing for 390 yards and four touchdowns on 40-of-52 passing against Ohio State (Nov. 13)
• Connected on 29-of-39 passes for 423 yards and a trio of touchdowns at Wrigley Field against Northwestern (Nov. 20)
• Finished with 278 yards and four scores in a half of work against Indiana (Nov. 27)
• Threw for 534 yards and five scores on 26-of-46 passing against Tennessee (Dec. 30)
2020
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Started the first three games of the season before missing the rest of the season due to injury.
• Completed 88 of 136 passing attempts for 916 yards and seven touchdowns.
• Averaged 305.3 yards passing per game.
• Went 31 of 50 for 282 yards and two touchdowns vs. Iowa on Oct. 24.
• Completed 29 of 35 passes for 371 yards and a pair of touchdowns at Illinois on Oct. 31.
• Finished 28 of 51 for 263 yards and two touchdowns vs. Northwestern on Nov. 14.
2019
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Appeared in six games, making three starts.
• Completed 103 of 164 passing attempts for 1,101 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Connected on lone pass for four yards at No. 12 Penn State on Oct. 5.
• Tossed first collegiate touchdown on an 11-yard throw vs. Illinois on Oct. 26. Finished the game 8 of 14 for 67 yards and the score.
• Went 6 for 7 for 62 yards on a game-winning drive in the final minutes against Nebraska on Nov. 2.
• Made first collegiate start at Northwestern on Nov. 9 and completed 34 of 50 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
• Went 26 of 43 for 289 yards and two scores at No. 14 Wisconsin on Nov. 23.
• Finished 28 of 49 for 408 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana on Nov. 30.
2018
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Did not play.
2017
• Joined the team as a walkon.
• Did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL
• Completed 183 of 297 attempts (61.6 percent) for school-record 2,741 yards with school-record 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions in lone season as starter.
• Also played basketball.
- Began his career as a walk-on, listed eighth on the depth chart, and ended it as the school’s all-time leader in completion percentage (66.7%), passing efficiency (141.8) and 500-yard passing games (2)
- His five career 400-yard passing games and 14 career 300-yard passing games rank second in Purdue history, trailing only Drew Brees in both categories
- Ranks fourth in career completions (826), fifth in career touchdown passes (65) and sixth in passing yards (9,219)
- Played in 33 games as a Boilermaker, starting 26 of them
- Two-time All-Big Ten (2021, 2022)
2022
- One of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy
- Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, AP)
- Third Team All-Big Ten (Media, Phil Steele)
- Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist
- Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2022
- Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
- Led the Big Ten in passing yards per game (290.8) and completions per game (26.7), while ranking second in total passing yards (3,490) and third in passing touchdowns (22)
- Started 12 games, completing 320-of-499 passes for 3,490 yards and 22 touchdowns
- Recorded six 300-yard passing games for the second straight season
- Threw for a season-high 424 yards with three touchdowns at Syracuse (Sept. 17)
- Completed 35-of-54 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns to lead Purdue to a win over Nebraska (Oct. 15)
- Passed for 360 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a B1G victory at Maryland (Oct. 8)
- Finished one completion and one attempt shy of the single-game completion percentage record, going 17-of-19 with four touchdowns against Indiana State (Sept. 10)
- In his final game as a Boilermaker, threw for 366 yards in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 3)
• Named All-Big Ten Second Team by league’s coaches & media, Associated Press, Pro Football Focus and Phil Steele
• Named Academic All-Big Ten
• Received National Football Foundation Drew Brees Mental Toughness Award
• Graduated with master’s degree in May
• Appeared in 12 games, making nine starts
• Took over the offense at halftime against Illinois (Sept. 25) and made first start of the season against Minnesota (Oct. 2)
• Threw for 3,712 yards and 28 touchdowns
• Had a passing efficiency of 158.8
• Went 315-of-439 passing for a 71.8% completion percentage,
• Single-season Purdue rankings - set the completion percentage record and passing efficiency, eighth in attempts, tied for fourth in completions, fifth in passing yards, fourth in touchdowns,
• Averaged 11.8 yards per pass and 309.3 passing yards per game
• Had a touchdown pass in 11 games, including two or more in the final six outings of the year
• Tallied six games of 300 yards passing or more
• Finished with 2,161 yards, 19 touchdowns and a 72.5% completion percentage over the final five games
• Joined Drew Brees as the only Boilermakers with multiple 500-yard passing games in the same season
• Tossed a pair of touchdowns in relief against UConn (Sept. 11)
• Went 12-of-19 for 182 yards and a touchdown to lead Purdue to a win over Illinois in the second half (Sept. 25)
• Threw for 371 yards on 34-of-52 passing with a touchdown against Minnesota (Oct. 2)
• Tossed a pair of touchdowns on 30-of-40 passing for 375 yards and ran for a touchdown against Iowa (Oct. 16)
• Went 40-of-54 for 536 yards and three scores against Michigan State (Nov. 6)
• Second straight 40-completion game, throwing for 390 yards and four touchdowns on 40-of-52 passing against Ohio State (Nov. 13)
• Connected on 29-of-39 passes for 423 yards and a trio of touchdowns at Wrigley Field against Northwestern (Nov. 20)
• Finished with 278 yards and four scores in a half of work against Indiana (Nov. 27)
• Threw for 534 yards and five scores on 26-of-46 passing against Tennessee (Dec. 30)
2020
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Started the first three games of the season before missing the rest of the season due to injury.
• Completed 88 of 136 passing attempts for 916 yards and seven touchdowns.
• Averaged 305.3 yards passing per game.
• Went 31 of 50 for 282 yards and two touchdowns vs. Iowa on Oct. 24.
• Completed 29 of 35 passes for 371 yards and a pair of touchdowns at Illinois on Oct. 31.
• Finished 28 of 51 for 263 yards and two touchdowns vs. Northwestern on Nov. 14.
2019
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Appeared in six games, making three starts.
• Completed 103 of 164 passing attempts for 1,101 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Connected on lone pass for four yards at No. 12 Penn State on Oct. 5.
• Tossed first collegiate touchdown on an 11-yard throw vs. Illinois on Oct. 26. Finished the game 8 of 14 for 67 yards and the score.
• Went 6 for 7 for 62 yards on a game-winning drive in the final minutes against Nebraska on Nov. 2.
• Made first collegiate start at Northwestern on Nov. 9 and completed 34 of 50 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
• Went 26 of 43 for 289 yards and two scores at No. 14 Wisconsin on Nov. 23.
• Finished 28 of 49 for 408 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana on Nov. 30.
2018
• Academic All-Big Ten.
• Did not play.
2017
• Joined the team as a walkon.
• Did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL
• Completed 183 of 297 attempts (61.6 percent) for school-record 2,741 yards with school-record 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions in lone season as starter.
• Also played basketball.
PERSONAL
• Give name is Aidan James O'Connell.
• Born Sept. 1, 1998
• Married Jael Johnson on July 30, 2022
• Jael was a four-year letterwinner with Purdue Volleyball and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree
• One of six children
• Graduated Major: General Management.
• Earned Master's: Technology, Leadership & Innovation (May 2022)
• Older brother, Patrick, was a senior defensive lineman at Wheaton College.
