Charlie Jones had some sizzle, but Iowa earned most important statistic in reunion

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As Purdue’s Charlie Jones outran Iowa’s Cooper DeJean for a 41-yard completion in the first quarter, he held his arms out in what appeared to be a mild, low-key celebration.

The big play offered some sizzle from Jones, who transferred in the offseason from Iowa to Purdue and has earned the nickname “Chuck Sizzle.”

Jones had 11 receptions for 104 yards in Saturday’s performance. It was his third consecutive game and sixth time this season that he recorded at least 100 yards.

His 19 targets from Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell were the most to any receiver on either team Saturday. No other Purdue player had more than four targets, and Iowa’s most-targeted receiver was Sam LaPorta with six.

Jones’ high use — he has 83 catches in 2022 through nine games after having only 21 catches in 14 games as a Hawkeye — was an incentive for him to transfer.

“(Jones) wanted to go somewhere and showcase what he could do at receiver,” Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm said in the summer.

Ultimately, though, Iowa earned the most important statistic — a 24-3 win.

“I have a lot of friends on that team, but most importantly you have to come out and get the win,” Jones told Purdue reporters, per the Lafayette Journal & Courier. “We didn’t get it.”

Purdue already had been a frustrating opponent for Iowa after beating the Hawkeyes in four of the previous five matchups.

“As seniors, the only time we’ve beat these guys before today was in 2019,” Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras said. “Not many of us were playing back then. … That certainly feels good.”

There was an added pleasure in beating the Boilermakers because of Jones' offseason movement.

“Love Charlie, love (fellow Iowa transfer) Tyrone (Tracy), but it does feel good to beat him,” Petras said.

Iowa defensive back Kaevon Merriweather had some words for Jones “during the game and after.”

“After was a little bit more lifelike, but during the game was like a little more trash talk for sure,” Merriweather said.

What exactly was Merriweather’s trash talk? “I didn’t say nothing,” Merriweather said, greeted with several laughs.

Did he at least point to the scoreboard? “They knew what it was. I didn’t have to point to the scoreboard.”

Defensive back Riley Moss similarly said he was “talking some trash and stuff and having fun while doing it.”

At the end, there was plenty of postgame love for Jones from Merriweather, Moss and many others from the east sideline.

Several Iowa players and staff members made a point to embrace Jones, including special teams coordinator LeVar Woods.

Moss called it an “honor to be able to play him” and expects to be “friends for life.”

By the time the on-field reunion was nearing an end, Jones was one of the last Purdue players left on the field.

“I saw him when he was packing up in May, back in May,” Petras said. “I hadn’t seen him since then, so really good to see him.”

Not everyone seemed to be feeling the love for “Chuck Sizzle,” though.

Iowa wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland had a tweet about “those who stay” and a “great TEAM win” with the abbreviated “if you know you know” hashtag. It had several-hundred likes in the first hour.

Kirk Ferentz was unusually short in his postgame press conference when asked about Jones.

“He’s a good player,” Ferentz said. “Same as they were yesterday. A good player.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com