WEST LAFAYETTE — If Clarence Nunnally had his way, his son CJ Nunnally IV wouldn’t be blossoming as Purdue football’s best pass rusher.
“He wanted me to play baseball after I got my first concussion,” CJ Nunnally said.
CJ Nunnally gave up the sport after T-ball.
It’s safe to say he made the right choice.
Blessed with his mother’s height and his father’s speed, the 6-foot-3 senior defensive end has made the transition to the Big Ten after starring at Akron the past two seasons, where he was twice first-team All-MAC.
Needing to bolster its pass rush, Purdue inserted Nunnally into the starting lineup after the season’s first two games.
“I don’t know if there’s a pass rush move in there other than he’s going extremely hard,” defensive coordinator Mike Scherer said of Nunnally after he became a starter. “He plays with a high motor. I think he’s starting to have a little more confidence in his game and he’s continuing to grow.”
That added confidence and growth has Nunnally leading Purdue in tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (4), quarterback hurries (4) and fumble recoveries (1).
In the past two games against Illinois and Minnesota, Nunnally has 10 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and two sacks.
“He’s a relentless rusher. He goes until he’s there. That’s what we need,” linebacker Mani Powell said. “That’s what we need on both sides and on the interior for anybody who is going after the quarterback. We need relentless effort until the play is made. It’s great to see he brings that and he shows it to others so they understand what it’s like to be relentless.”
Scherer said there’s no real secret to Nunnally’s success beating opposing offensive tackles.
It’s simply a matter of going hard rather than any signature pass rush move Nunnally relies on.
Nunnally broke down his straightforward strategy.
“See ball, get ball,” he said. “But I do love hunting the quarterback.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Needing a boost on defense, Purdue football has found it in ‘relentless’ CJ Nunnally IV
Reporting by Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
