“Speech! Speech!”
That is what Purdue second-year security Dillon Thieneman heard because the Boilermakers opened spring follow again in March. He wasn’t ready. He undoubtedly hadn’t anticipated his household to point out up moments earlier than or for Purdue to drop a banner honoring his 2023 All-American season (AP third-team). However he did his finest when promoted, rapidly thanking his teammates: “It is due to you guys.”
The remainder of follow, at the very least between reps, Thieneman would lookup and see … nicely … an image of himself.
“It is bizarre,” Thieneman informed 247Sports. “I form of simply saved it. I would be off a rep, look over and it’d shock me once more.”
That is about the one factor that shocked Thieneman throughout a real freshman marketing campaign that noticed him crash the nationwide dialog and even win 247Sports True Freshman of the Yr.
Thieneman did a little bit little bit of all the things for the Boilermakers. He led the group with 106 tackles, 74 of the solo selection — breaking Rod Woodson’s faculty document for a freshman and tying for fifth nationally in that quantity. His six interceptions tied for third in FBS. His 89.5 PFF School grade led all Energy 5 true freshman defenders.
He’s already the highest identify to know for a group that can waste no time touchdown within the nationwide highlight this fall, as Purdue hosts Notre Dame on Sept. 14 (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS). Thieneman’s ascent to stardom occurred immediately, too.
Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene had had an unimaginable 2023 debut in a win towards Purdue on Sept. 2, 2023. He threw for 366 yards and 4 TDs on 31 of 44 passing. There was only one minor flaw: A fourth-quarter interception that (briefly) led to Purdue taking the lead.
Keene dropped again, waited a beat to permit his receiver to complete his double transfer after which let the ball fly towards a seemingly open goal some 35 yards down the sector.
On the TV copy of the sport, it appears to be like like a positive catch, a probable backbreaker for Purdue down 4 with 5:17 remaining. However all of a sudden, like a flash throughout the display screen, Thieneman pops into the image to make a leaping interception at full velocity — banging into the receiver within the course of — earlier than getting a foot down in bounds.
“I knew as soon as the ball went up and he was into his break he was going to get it,” Purdue safeties coach Grant O’Brien informed 247Sports.
That second, in spite of everything, encompasses each factor of what makes Thieneman so particular.
Thieneman started the snap some 25 yards behind the road of scrimmage as Purdue’s lone security. Keene’s eyes instantly turned left upon the snap, so Thieneman began to scooch that means. As quickly as Keene started to wind up, Thieneman seen the receiver start his break up area. That is when Thieneman took off.
Making a learn that rapidly and the instincts to belief it aren’t frequent for first-year free safeties. That is a job that requires repetition and discovered expertise for greatness.
However O’Brien noticed these traits in Thieneman (pronounced THEE-na-man) all offseason main into final 12 months. He described Thieneman as “overprepared.” There was by no means a necessity to show Thieneman learn how to research or fear about how the true freshman would watch movie on his personal. Thieneman ready to a level he nearly did not need to assume all the way down to down. He might diagnose and react.
“He understands the sport of soccer,” O’Brien stated. “He had 100% confidence he was doing the best factor. He was enjoying soccer freely. There was no hesitation.”
Seeing what is going to occur is one factor. Having the ability to make the play is one other.
Thieneman broke earlier than the ball left Keene’s fingers. But he nonetheless needed to cowl some 25-30 yards in nearly 3 seconds to get to the ball in time. That is the place his athletic potential comes into play.
Whereas not a extremely adorned recruit popping out of Westfield Excessive Faculty in Indiana — 247Sports assigned Thieneman an 87 score — Thieneman is a formidable athlete. The 6-foot, 205-pound security posted a 4.36 laser timed 40 as a highschool junior together with a 37.4-inch vertical; to not point out a 465-pound squat and 300-pound energy clear.
These are dynamic numbers that translated to school, the place he hit 22.3 miles per hour on the GPS final offseason, in keeping with Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.
That’s m-o-v-i-n-g.
That is when the ball expertise come into play. Making interceptions is not nearly a participant’s fingers. It is about monitoring the ball within the air and attacking it forward of the opposite participant. Doing so at 20-plus miles per hour provides one other diploma of issue. But it surely’s one thing Thieneman constantly confirmed the power to do.
“If you happen to pull up follow tape main as much as that time, he made these gamers each single day like they had been routine,” O’Brien stated. “Bodily, he is what you are in search of so far as a DB profile.”
Thieneman’s banner solely provides to his household legacy with the Boilermakers. Thieneman grew up attending video games and tailgates in West Layfette watching his brothers Jake and Brennan each go from walk-ons to fan-favorite starters from 2014 to 2020.
His time round Purdue rising up is a giant cause why he chosen the Boilermakers over Northwestern, Minnesota and Indiana. As for his brothers, studying from their journey nearly helped jumpstart his profession early, at the very least in a means.
They taught him learn how to work.
“The laborious work, the willpower, the self-discipline,” Thieneman stated. “They confirmed up as walk-ons. They had been the underside of the underside. When Jake confirmed up it was a special employees. He initially wasn’t allowed to eat with the group. You simply study to place your head down and work your means up.”
