25 years old, former salesman and married. Meet Purdue football’s leader of the secondary

• Crew Wakley, a 25-year-old safety, has become a leader on Purdue’s defense since transferring from BYU in January.
• Wakley was an all-state quarterback in high school but transitioned to safety after a unique journey that included a two-year church mission and a stint selling solar panels.
• Purdue defensive backs coach Charles Clark highlights Wakley’s maturity and game day experience as valuable assets to the team.

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 this July.

Grimes mentions Wakley’s vocal leadership, which stems from his maturity and experience as a quarterback, as a positive for Purdue’s defense.

More: First college start at 17 years old has transfer poised for Purdue quarterback battle

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 Cougars football 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, head coach Barry Odom and defensive coordinator Mike Scherer sold Wakley on the Boilermakers.

He arrived not long after selling solar panels door-to-door in Utah.

Throughout the spring, Wakley has been working at safety with the Boilermakers’ No. 1 defense and ended one practice with a pick-six interception during a scrimmage.

“The cool thing for me is everything they told me in recruiting has stayed true, which is the hard part, right?” Wakley said. “You go out and you’re told all these things from all these different people. It’s like, what’s true and what’s fluff and trying to ooh and aah you. It’s cool because I put my trust in them and ever since I’ve been here, they’ve been true to their word.”

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.

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