At Purdue, a new position for former Hawkeye Tyrone Tracy Jr.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Tyrone Tracy Jr. wasn’t having it. Wasn’t really listening.

When he was a junior at Decatur Central high school in Indianapolis, he ran into Lamar Conard as Tracy Jr. was about to go through an offseason workout at the school.

Conard was an assistant coach at Illinois State at the time. Tracy already had committed to the University of Iowa.

“He was telling me ‘Man, you’re going to be a running back. You’re going to be a running back,’” Tracy said in a preseason interview. “I was like ‘Nah, I’m a receiver, I’m already going to Iowa.’

“I kind of just blew him off. He was from a lower school, no disrespect to lower schools. I was already committed to Iowa, so I wasn’t giving him my full attention.”

Funny how Conard turned out to be incredibly clairvoyant.

After a stint at Miami (Ohio), where he coached both of Tracy’s brothers (Kenny and Javon), Conard came back to Purdue, his alma mater, to be running backs coach this season. Not so coincidentally, Tracy was switched from receiver to running back as a sixth-year senior.

He’s coming off a career game in which he carried the football 21 times for 112 yards and a touchdown in a win last week against Illinois. The previous week against Wisconsin, Tracy had eight carries for 84 yards and a TD.

Iowa and Purdue play Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. It’s a 2:33 p.m. (CT) kickoff (Peacock).

“A lot of people don’t understand that I’ve been playing running back ever since I was in little league. If you watch my high school tape, it was running back stuff with very minimal receiver,” Tracy said. “(Conard) coming here was a blessing from God. I needed somebody who actually knew me, because I’m new at the position. That creates a different type of bond when I’m back there at the running back position.

“God willing he ends up here. It’s God, I’m not going to lie to you. It’s something that you really can’t put down on paper. You couldn’t write it better.”

Tracy played four years at Iowa at wide receiver, transferring to Purdue last season. It was another former Hawkeye, Charlie Jones, who made a huge impact for the Boilermakers, with Tracy catching 28 passes for 198 yards and rushing for 138 yards on jet sweeps and things.

This position switch has allowed Tracy to get the ball in multiple ways. He has eight receptions this season and leads Purdue with 288 yards and five touchdowns rushing.

“I’ve known Tyrone since he was in high school,” Conard said. “I coached both of his brothers at my previous location. I always thought his biggest attribute is that he’s built and he runs like a running back. He has embraced it, so you bring that receiver skill set that he has, and you put it in the running back room ...

“His football IQ is through the roof, as is his work ethic. You (add that up) and it brings diversity. He can do everything on the football field that you want, right? In the backfield, split him out. It also relieves the pressure (for the other running backs).”

Tracy also has been Purdue’s primary kickoff return guy, running one back 98 yards for a touchdown in the team’s season opener against Fresno State. Playmakers need the football, and Tracy finally is getting it.

He credits Conard, obviously, as well as Purdue offensive coordinator Graham Harrell for that.

“I don’t think of the past. I try to go day to day, game to game. Right now this team has put me in a position where I have opportunities in front of me. I have to go in and seize the day, seize every opportunity,” Tracy said. “Coach G has a creative mind. He knows how to get his playmakers the ball in space. Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do to the best of my abilities.”

“I’m just happy for him,” said Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins, a fellow Indianapolis guy. “I know his family, I know how hard he has worked. When you are a competitor in this league, I just have respect for having to stick it out. I couldn’t imagine going to a different school and basically starting from scratch. Then changing positions. I know he’s going through a lot. I’m excited for him. But when it comes to Saturday, I’m just trying to win the game.”

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