Former NorthWood star Nitro Tuggle caught a touchdown for Purdue in the Boilermakers' 56-30 loss to Notre Dame Saturday.
SOUTH BEND ― Confidence is key for Purdue sophomore wide receiver Nitro Tuggle.
The former NorthWood High School standout made his presence felt back in his home area Saturday, Sept. 20, in the Boilermakers' 56-30 loss to Notre Dame, catching a 24-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.
Tuggle finished the game with three catches for 66 yards and a score. His first catch was a diving 31-yard snag that setup the Boilermakers' first score.
"It was great," Tuggle said. "I'm still kind of bummed that we didn't get the win; that's kind of the only thing I'm thinking about right now."
Purdue sophomore quarterback Ryan Browne dropped the touchdown pass just over Tuggle's left shoulder, and the former Panther celebrated in routine fashion as the Boilermakers cut the Irish's deficit to 13 points at the time. Tuggle has always had self-confidence, and that shone through during his senior season at NorthWood when he amassed 1,449 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns en route to an IHSAA Class 4A state championship appearance.
After the game Saturday, Tuggle even caught up with Notre Dame freshman safety Tae Johnson on the field, reminiscing on the days they used to play seven-on-seven against one another in their youth. Johnson went to Fort Wayne North Side High School, a little more than 60 miles from NorthWood in Nappanee.
Saturday was a true homecoming for Tuggle, who wouldn't have had this opportunity had he stayed at Georgia, the program he spent his freshman season with before transferring to Purdue.
Tuggle's self-assured nature has rubbed off on his quarterback, who could tell that Tuggle had the potential to be a difference-maker in the Boilermakers' offense as soon as the two reported to spring camp in May. Through four games in 2025, Tuggle has 189 receiving yards on 10 receptions, including a touchdown in three straight.
"It makes it easy for me to have confidence in him," Browne said. "He's a great route runner, he's a competitor and he wants to make plays."
Purdue head coach Barry Odom also spoke highly of Tuggle, stating his combination of speed and route-running prowess as a unique trait. Even this early in Tuggle's tenure with the Boilermakers, Odom believes the Goshen native hasn't even tapped into his potential yet.
"He's physical, he does a nice job fighting through press coverage, he does have good hands," Odom said. "He's got a chance to continue to improve and be a big-time playmaker for us."
If Tuggle can take the next step and become a staple of the Purdue offense, it'll all circle back to his confidence, a trait that may even outweigh his physical gifts.
"If you don't have confidence, you can't do anything," Tuggle said. "On the field, off the field, wherever − if you don't have that mindset, it's not going to happen."
Kyle Smedley is a high school sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at[email protected].
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Nitro Tuggle is more than just a fun name. He's a Purdue playmaker
Category: General Sports
