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We do not know with any certainty who is on the interview list or what the next step will be in the process. One of the biggest challenges for search chair Mike Berghoff has been getting the entire group together. And, as Berghoff said when we spoke with him last week, he still hopes that this process, which has been going on in form another since February, will come to a conclusion before the season opener on Sept. 3.
We have told you about Purdue's interest in NCAA executive Oliver Luck, but can't say with any certainty whether the interest is mutual. We do think that Ohio athletic director Jim Schaus has some level of involvement here also, as do Purdue alum and San Francisco 49ers staffer Keena Turner, former Texas A&M, South Carolina and TCU A.D. Eric Hyman (who now works in a university role at Auburn) and Xavier A.D. Greg Christopher. (staff)
Ohio wide receiver Brevin Harris, who just committed to Purdue this weekend, is a close friend of Boilermaker defensive tackle target Derrius Mullins. Purdue's been recruiting them accordingly, telling them they should come to Purdue together. Whether that's going to work or not obviously remains to be seen, but that Harris is a good friend of Mullins can't possibly hurt Purdue's case with the lineman.
And though it has been behind Indiana and Michigan State (if it is serious about him) with Mullins, the interest there has been sincere enough that the three-star prospect has visited Purdue multiple times this spring and summer.
Mullins is a player Purdue would love to have. (BN)
Here's a quick video interview with Tusha, the offensive lineman from Jacksonville who committed in the spring.
Purdue's in a great spot with prior 2018 targets Robby Carmody and Robert Phinisee, but neither are in any hurry to commit anywhere. Carmody may have already seen all he needs to see from Purdue, but he's relishing being recruited in the most productive way possible and doesn't seem bound to do anything until next June at the earliest.
Phinisee will tell anyone who'll listen that he's not deciding any time soon.
There's no reason to think there are any quick-commitment possibilities among those newly offered and Purdue didn't offer other players in hopes of shaking down longer-standing targets, but sometimes such things have that effect. If a recruit has an idea of what he wants, sometimes they move quicker than they planned to in order to make sure they don't lose it.
A.J. Hammons, Basil Smotherman and Kyle Molock come to mind as players whose commitment timeframes might have been impacted somewhat by the prospect of other, uh, prospects taking their spot.
Some stuff on those new offerees.
• Foster Loyer: The dynamic point guard is the son of NBA assistant coach John Loyer, who was with the Detroit Pistons this past season but is now on the market, so Clarkston (Mich.) may not be home base, for all we know.
Foster Loyer has family on his mother's side that lives in Lafayette, so there's a strong connection there.
Michigan State reportedly offered prior to him even getting to high school. If that offer stands, the Spartans figure to loom large here. Clarkston is Michigan State assistant coach Dane Fife's old high school. His dad, Dan, is the coach.
• Musa Jallow: The Bloomington North guard/wing says he'd be comfortable going to Purdue living in the figurative shadows of Assembly Hall, but we'll see. That is not an easy move to make, especially if Indiana really wants the player.
Purdue's best chance is for Jallow to make a straight-up academic decision and for its science-and-math strengths to give it a shot. Even then, though, with high-level academic schools like Vanderbilt and Northwestern wanting him, too, there's still ways to go that wouldn't involve him signing with the quote-unquote enemy.
• Eric Hunter: The Tindley shooting guard has an offer from Xavier, so it's not like he's gone unnoticed, but he does play for a small high school and hasn't played for one of the name-brand grassroots programs, though his team did play in some prominent events in July, playing with Gary Harris' up-and-coming AAU program.
Hunter can really score and is a really dangerous pull-up shooter, for one thing.
Don't know yet where Purdue might stand here, but this does stand to be an impactful offer for him.
• Joey Hauser: Purdue's going to have to do a hell of a job recruiting him just to get in the mix for a player who's been a known commodity for some time in Wisconsin and will have Marquette - where his brother plays - and Wisconsin all over him. Chalk this up to 'Worth a shot.'
• Courtney Ramey: Purdue has been on Ramey for more than a year and has had him on campus. He came to elite camp last year. Ramey and his father sincerely like Purdue, but again, he is going to be a very highly recruited player.
Purdue will get a look, but it may have to really set itself apart somehow in order to get him.
The dust hasn't settled yet on who else wants the 6-11 center, so it's early in terms of knowing the lay of the land there.
But, the family connection to Indianapolis is going to matter, and once Purdue gets into its spiel about featuring its big men, that would stand to matter also.
Of the most prominent programs that seem to have offers on the table now, Purdue would seem to stand out if he's partial to the Midwest. Otherwise, you'd think St. Mary's and Utah, with their histories with Australians, would be particularly attractive. New Mexico might have a connection to work in that assistant coach Alan Huss remains connected at LaLumiere, the school Epperson will attend this year. He used to be the coach there. Illinois has proximity to Indy, but it also has a five-star center committed in Epperson's soon-to-be LaLumiere teammate, Jeremiah Tilmon.
Louisville would seem like a potential impactful entry. They're close to Indy and father Ken Epperson is from the city originally. Epperson's coach, Rhys Murphy, said the other day that North Carolina watched him this July a few times, but there's not much reason to believe that's anything close to an offer situation.
Suddenly, it seems like there's a real chance Purdue includes a true center - whether it be Epperson or Chris Sodom - in a 2017 class that seemed destined to wind up going small at the 5 with a Xavier Tillman- or Theo John-type to wind up at the position.
Of note about Jackson: By moving to LaLumiere, he's forfeited the chance to win Indiana Mr. Basketball. He'd have been in that mix, for sure. He also can't be named to the Indiana All-Star team. (BN)
The reason for the Chicago trip: Purdue will go watch the Olympic Team - in town to play Venezuela Friday night - afterward.
Here's a link to the Chicago Bulls' web site about Team USA playing in the United Center, complete with an incredibly inappropriate lead. Enjoy. (BN)
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