ADVERTISEMENT

Cam Craig

FirstDownB

All-American
Oct 12, 2015
9,764
13,880
113
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.
 
Last edited:
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.
the attrition from that 2019 class is just brutal
 
Are there any recent Indiana Heavyweight state champion wrestlers out there not playing football now? I.E. like Nick Hardwick. If Aidan O'Connell and Devin Mockobee can be discovered, you would think an opportunity OL should be out there as well. Hopefully, player personnel is scouring every program in all 6 states for the last few years. Fast hands and feet along with a good frame. Most are likely in either collegiate wrestling or Football already, but you never know. One might be looking for the chance.

In the meantime, get Gus German back in pads if he would be interested if anything for depth. Maybe it was feet or desire, who knows. Just wish we'd be able to see most starters in a class see it thru.
 
Are there any recent Indiana Heavyweight state champion wrestlers out there not playing football now? I.E. like Nick Hardwick. If Aidan O'Connell and Devin Mockobee can be discovered, you would think an opportunity OL should be out there as well. Hopefully, player personnel is scouring every program in all 6 states for the last few years. Fast hands and feet along with a good frame. Most are likely in either collegiate wrestling or Football already, but you never know. One might be looking for the chance.

In the meantime, get Gus German back in pads if he would be interested if anything for depth. Maybe it was feet or desire, who knows. Just wish we'd be able to see most starters in a class see it thru.
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.
It seems pretty common for this to happen to OL. A lot of guys we “missed” on like Blake Fisher and Collinsworth can attest.
 
Are there any recent Indiana Heavyweight state champion wrestlers out there not playing football now? I.E. like Nick Hardwick. If Aidan O'Connell and Devin Mockobee can be discovered, you would think an opportunity OL should be out there as well. Hopefully, player personnel is scouring every program in all 6 states for the last few years. Fast hands and feet along with a good frame. Most are likely in either collegiate wrestling or Football already, but you never know. One might be looking for the chance.

In the meantime, get Gus German back in pads if he would be interested if anything for depth. Maybe it was feet or desire, who knows. Just wish we'd be able to see most starters in a class see it thru.
thought German was on the roster.
 
It seems pretty common for this to happen to OL. A lot of guys we “missed” on like Blake Fisher and Collinsworth can attest.
Regardless, you don't expect an overwhelming majority of recruits at any position to have career ending injuries. Graduating with the ability to walk makes you valedictorian of our OL room.
 
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.
Not a surprising development, but, a disappointing one certainly...and, I am sure that it is for Craig himself, as well as the staff.

Just hard to imagine how bad things have been for the OL...for essentially the duration of this regime unfortunately...add to it some questions about the OL coach and development, and, no wonder that Purdue has (and has had) the issues that they have.

Here is hoping that they can continue to find some guys via the portal, as, it is going to be necessary it seems.
 
Not a surprising development, but, a disappointing one certainly...and, I am sure that it is for Craig himself, as well as the staff.

Just hard to imagine how bad things have been for the OL...for essentially the duration of this regime unfortunately...add to it some questions about the OL coach and development, and, no wonder that Purdue has (and has had) the issues that they have.

Here is hoping that they can continue to find some guys via the portal, as, it is going to be necessary it seems.
The portal has provided life support for the OL. It has also masked some fundamental problems with recruiting and development. I am greedy and want guys who committed to Purdue out of high school to have some success too. Otherwise we are just wasting scholarships and not to mention the bodies of these young men. I lay responsibility equally at the feet of the OL coach and S&C. If the problems have been addressed, then great. But it isn't obvious with the same OL coach still kicking around. I do like the fact that the starting OL is guys who have been out of high school for more than 3 years other than Mbow who had the size from day 1.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DAG10
thought German was on the roster.

Hit the Portal near the end of July. He had a specialty Major of Aviation Technology. Not sure where he could pick that up at. If he was serviceable, maybe Portal pickup will fund some of the Schooling vs walk on? I suspect he is still at Purdue if he likes Flight Schooling.
 
Are there any recent Indiana Heavyweight state champion wrestlers out there not playing football now? I.E. like Nick Hardwick. If Aidan O'Connell and Devin Mockobee can be discovered, you would think an opportunity OL should be out there as well. Hopefully, player personnel is scouring every program in all 6 states for the last few years. Fast hands and feet along with a good frame. Most are likely in either collegiate wrestling or Football already, but you never know. One might be looking for the chance.

In the meantime, get Gus German back in pads if he would be interested if anything for depth. Maybe it was feet or desire, who knows. Just wish we'd be able to see most starters in a class see it thru.
I've been wondering if some of the good basketball schools that don't have football like Barr-Reeve and Loogootee couldn't produce some good football players with the proper development program?
 
  • Like
Reactions: MilwaukeeBoilerFan
I've been wondering if some of the good basketball schools that don't have football like Barr-Reeve and Loogootee couldn't produce some good football players with the proper development program?
Lot of 6'5" to 6'7" guys that can likely do it if they had the right frame. German had the right frame in the here and now. I'm sure he had the "talk" in July, but things do change.
 
There have been a bunch of decent linemen produced out of Indiana high schools. They just go elsewhere, like Iowa.

I am led to wonder about the philosophy of signing undersized players and then trying to add 50+ pounds to their bodies using our famous red shirt and conditioning program. Maybe Purdue is adding too many pounds to a player’s frame too fast. Maybe our weight and conditioning program is a joke!

look at baseball pitchers. They try too hard to throw that 100 mph fastball when their body was never meant or conditioned to throw a ball that fast. Today’s baseball pitcher’s conditioning is nothing like the past. And today’s fastball pitchers are flaming out a lot faster than the slow ball pitchers like Maddox.

people are just trying to do too much that their body was never meant to do.

This begs the question, do you recruit smaller players and build their bodies? Or do you recruit larger players and then teach them the fundamentals of how to play
 
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.

Sad to see this happen. No player deserves this after all the effort they put in. Best wishes to him moving forward in whatever career path he takes...
 
Haven't the majority or all the OL medical injuries been back related as well? Honestly begs the question regarding our strength and conditioning program. I would hope serious evaluation is going on behind the scenes.
 
And the O line takes another hit due to medical retirement. Not that this one was surprising, but still..

Since 2017, at least 2 OL from each recruiting class have not made it through a full college football career due to injury issues.

2017: Stickford, Beach, Garvin
2018: Bramel, McKenna
2019: Craig, Jornigan

Haven't seen much of the 2020 or 2021 classes yet other than Hartwig and Mbow. Does anyone know the relative health and physical development of Kaltenberger, Fox, Bycznski, and Richards? Hopefully some combination of OL recruiting and S&C program is turning a corner. For these guys recruited at 260 lb, they generally need to not play until at least their Junior year but instead focus on steady physical development.
MCKenna was never hurt. Graduated and moved on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FirstDownB
There have been a bunch of decent linemen produced out of Indiana high schools. They just go elsewhere, like Iowa.

I am led to wonder about the philosophy of signing undersized players and then trying to add 50+ pounds to their bodies using our famous red shirt and conditioning program. Maybe Purdue is adding too many pounds to a player’s frame too fast. Maybe our weight and conditioning program is a joke!

look at baseball pitchers. They try too hard to throw that 100 mph fastball when their body was never meant or conditioned to throw a ball that fast. Today’s baseball pitcher’s conditioning is nothing like the past. And today’s fastball pitchers are flaming out a lot faster than the slow ball pitchers like Maddox.

people are just trying to do too much that their body was never meant to do.

This begs the question, do you recruit smaller players and build their bodies? Or do you recruit larger players and then teach them the fundamentals of how to play
wonder how many were disc injuries. In 2005, I had a bulging disc (L5-S1) and when the physical therapist went over things w/ me , she said alot was due to me not arching my lower back and butt out on the bench and keeping my back straight which is improper technique. Her husband's hobby was lifting and when she went to the gym to visit and workout w/ him, she noticed alot of people lifting improperly
 
Haven't the majority or all the OL medical injuries been back related as well? Honestly begs the question regarding our strength and conditioning program. I would hope serious evaluation is going on behind the scenes.
I do know that coaching staff really liked Beach. The kid out of Naples, FL had a mean streak. I was told he hurt his back working out either unsupervised or wrong technique.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pboiler18
ADVERTISEMENT