Why Purdue's 'physical creature' was top college football running back to start season

WEST LAFAYETTE — His birth name is Ohifame, but Purdue football fans know their transfer running back as Fame Ijeboi.

After Friday night against Indiana State, a lot more people know of the former Minnesota back who transferred to Purdue in January and elevated himself to the top of the Boilermaker depth chart.

In the former Golden Gopher No. 2 back who had nearly 500 yards and three touchdowns last season, Purdue appears to have found a 6-foot, 215-pound gem in the transfer portal.

“He’s quicker than I thought he was on video,” Purdue running backs coach Cornell Ford said early in fall camp. “I thought he was more of a … watching him on video, I thought he was more of a downhill, blow-things-up type of guy. And he can do that, but he can also make you miss in the open field, and he’s done that. His feet are really, really good for a big guy.”

That was on display in Ross-Ade Stadium on Friday night.

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Ijeboi was the highest-graded running back for Week 1 by PFF after producing 117 yards of total offense and a rushing touchdown, averaging 9 yards per touch. His most impressive play of the night didn’t even count, a 63-yard touchdown that showcased Ijeboi’s ability to make tacklers miss in open space.

A holding penalty — correctly called, though it had no impact on the play — negated the touchdown.

Ijeboi was equally impressive with what offensive coordinator Josh Henson labeled running with “body violence,” and Ijeboi can certainly understand Ford’s definition of his game based on watching his freshman season highlights at Minnesota.

Trying to make a name for himself, Ijeboi said his strategy was just to run hard, plow ahead and pick up extra yards. Now a more seasoned back as a sophomore, he’s added to his game.

Purdue RB Fame Ijeboi is firmly on my radar after week 1

Loved the low pads he ran with through contact and the balance he displayed to ward it off. Had an assembly of dead legs that left defenders looking silly as well. Patience really stood out at LOS.pic.twitter.com/2Xdt7X5JMt

— Nick Martin (@themicknartin) September 8, 2026

“He’s just so low center,” Purdue linebacker Jojo Hayden said. “You think you got him. He’s just got that wiggle, but he’s got that strength up top to keep his feet moving. He just keeps getting off tackles. He’s special.”

Based on Ijeboi’s Minnesota production alone, Purdue defensive coordinator Kevin Kane, who was on Minnesota’s staff last season, alerted his new co-workers of a running back the Boilermakers needed to target.

“He’s a physical creature first off. You look at that guy, and he’s built like a good running back. He looks the part,” Kane said. “He is just a phenomenal human being. I got a chance to hang out with him a little bit when I was up there, and I enjoyed my time with the cat. Once I found out everything that was going on here and what we needed, there’s a guy I know, and here he is.”

Through one game, Ijeboi looks like a star in the making. After his 63-yard touchdown run was called back, he said his mindset was “do it again.”

The same applies to his Game 2 performance on Saturday against Wake Forest.

He didn’t transfer to Purdue to have one big game. He did so to change the perception of a program.

“I wanted to be a part of the change at Purdue,” Ijeboi said. “I really feel like we can do something special. We can be the group that can put the program back to where it should be.”

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Purdue's 'physical creature' was top college football running back to start season

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