All-American Dillon Thieneman Explains Decision to Transfer From Purdue to Oregon

When Purdue's 2024 football season concluded, safety Dillon Thieneman was one of multiple key players to enter his name into the transfer portal. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-American selection had plenty of suitors as one of the top defensive backs available.

Eventually, Thieneman settled on one of the Big Ten newcomers to continue his career in college football, committing to Oregon. The Boilermakers' loss was the Ducks' gain.

Thieneman admitted that his decision wasn't an easy one to make, but he believed Oregon was the best option available when it came to his future in football.

"It was definitely a very difficult decision. I had to talk to my family for a long time about," Thieneman said, per Oregon Ducks on SI. "But we found it was going to be in my best interest to leave and find where I could get proper coaching, proper development, where I can go against some of the best competition in the country."

Thieneman thrived during his two seasons at Purdue and was one of the diamonds in the rough across two tough years in West Lafayette. He started in all 24 games of his career, totaling 211 tackles, 14 passes defended, six interceptions and two forced fumbles. The safety received All-Big Ten and All-American honors in 2023, the same season he received the league's Freshman of the Year honor.

But Purdue seriously struggled in those two years under former coach Ryan Walters. The Boilers posted just a 5-19 record, which included a 1-11 mark in 2024. They also failed to win a single conference game.

After such an abysmal season, paired with a coaching change, it's easy to understand why Thieneman looked for greener pastures.

Thieneman joined a program that finished the regular season with a 12-0 record and defeated Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Ducks earned the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, but lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

With two years of eligibility left, Thieneman is hopeful that his transfer to Oregon will not only lead to more team success, but will also prepare him for the NFL. Those are the two biggest reasons why he left West Lafayette for Eugene.

"I saw that Oregon's really good at taking in transfers and developing them and transitioning them to the next level," he said. "And I mean this defense, they kind of set you up for that level."