WEST LAFAYETTE — The conversation at Purdue football practice took a turn when cornerback Tony Grimes mentioned his upcoming 23rd birthday next week.
Grimes, a sixth-year senior at his fourth college program, felt like the old man in the secondary until safety Crew Wakley one upped him.
"I didn't take a defensive snap until I was 23, which is crazy to think about," Wakley said.
Wakley has become a leader of Purdue's defense since transferring from BYU in January.
The leadership role was natural for a 25-year-old Wakley, who will celebrate five years of marriage in July.
Grimes mentions Wakley's vocal leadership, which stems from his maturity and experience as a quarterback, as a positive for Purdue's defense.
Wakley was an all-state quarterback at Jordan High in Sandy, Utah, totaling 4,431 yards of total offense and 43 touchdowns.
That was eight years ago.
Since then, Wakley went on a two-year church mission trip before starting college as a Utah State quarterback at age 20. The Aggies played just six games in 2020 with Wakley not seeing the field. He played four games in 2021.
After going through three coaching staffs in two years, Wakley moved on.
"I actually quit ball, moved to California with my wife and was selling solar (panels)," Wakley said. "My brother, then that season rolled around and it had been six or seven months since I quit right before spring, he's like, 'Do you miss it?' And I'm like, 'No, not at all.' My job was good and what not and then football season started and I was like, alright, I miss it."
Wakley resumed training, enrolled at BYU and joined the football team as a walk-on.
For the last two seasons, Wakley was a starting safety at BYU, recording 103 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups.
"Lot of game day experience," said Purdue defensive backs coach Charles Clark.
Wakley had nothing lined up and hadn't considered Purdue before Clark called and asked him to visit West Lafayette on Jan. 6.
Clark, first-year Purdue coach Barry Odom and defensive coordinator ...
