The grills are fired up in West Lafayette, and the Purdue Boilermakers are flipping more than just burgers this offseason—they’re flipping the script. After a bittersweet end to a promising season, Purdue is embracing what head coach Matt Painter calls the “Oscar Mayer mindset”: consistent, hard-working, and built to perform under pressure.
You don’t think of deli meats when you think of elite basketball programs, but the analogy works. Oscar Mayer isn’t flashy—it’s reliable, efficient, and always ready to deliver. That’s the exact approach Purdue is bringing to its summer workouts. The message to players? Don’t focus on the sizzle—focus on te substance.
Purdue’s returning core is treating every weight room session and pickup game like it’s March Madness. Zach Edey may be NBA-bound, but the next generation of Boilermakers is ready to rise. Sophomores like Myles Colvin are putting in double shifts, hungry to carve out bigger roles. Incoming freshmen are getting their first taste of Painter’s demanding culture, where nothing is given and everything is earned.
There’s also a noticeable focus on nutrition, conditioning, and mental toughness. “Grill season” isn’t just a metaphor—players are literally putting in work in the kitchen and on the track. Team dietitians