Let’s take a Deep Dive …
• It goes without saying that DaMarcus Mitchell’s return is huge. The senior had been in a bit of academic limbo. But, the former JC transfer is good to go for 2021, according to sources. Mitchell has been out of late as he deals with dehydration issues. He had been running with the No. 2 defense at Leo, as redshirt freshman Kydran Jenkins was the first-teamer. But, Mitchell figures to be the No. 1 man at that hybrid linebacker/end slot opposite George Karlaftis at the other end of the line when the season starts. That will give Purdue a formidable presence off each edges.
• Speaking of George Karlaftis , he showed his full fury on one 11-on-11 play when he drove past OT Eric Miller and enveloped the QB in a flash. We may see a lot of that this fall. GK looks to be "Kerrigan-esque."
• Hard not to notice RB Dylan Downing. Yes, the redshirt freshman is a preferred walk-on after transferring from UNLV. But the 6-0, 225 Carmel, Ind., native looks good and runs hard. Perhaps he can carve out a role in 2021. Late in practice, Downing had a nice TD run.
• News I got from Jeff Brohm before practice on projected starting MLB Semisi Fakasiieiki was not good. Broken ankle, as I posted earlier. And it sounds like there is damage beyond that. Surgery is forthcoming. It seems like a long shot that Fakasiieiki will play in 2021. The No. 1 LB unit looked like this today: WLB O.C. Brothers, MLB Kieren Douglas, SLB Jalen Graham. Jaylan Alexander (coming off hip surgery) will be a starter come game time, likely moving to MLB in place of Douglas.
• DT Damarjhe Lewis had his left hand heavily padded and wrapped in black tape, as he apparently broke it according to a recent post on his Instagram account. He was full-go in activities on Thursday. The Indiana transfer had a good summer and has looked promising in camp, sometimes running with the first-team at 3-technique. The hand wrap/cast didn’t appear too cumbersome or big to be an impediment. Lewis is an active force up front along with fellow 3-technique Branson Deen, whom Lewis is pushing.
• OL Marcus Mbow was dressed out for the first in camp, but the promising true freshman didn’t look to be full-go as he comes back from an ankle injury. Speaking of not being full-go, that appeared to be the case for C Gus Hartwig and G/T Cam Craig. G Tyler Witt was full-go after getting dinged (ankle) a few days ago. Spencer Holstege was the No. 1 center today, with Josh Kaltenberger at left guard. Also saw S Marvin Grant (quad) and WR Marcellus Moore (hamstring) on the field doing some work, along with CB Jamari Brown (hamstring) doing drills with his position group. Didn’t see DE Sulaiman Kpaka, who was dinged late on Tuesday. Lastly, OL/DL DJ Washington was working with the defense today.
• Saw Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, Jackson Anthrop, T.J. Sheffield, Ja'Quez Cross and Deion Burks running back punts. Cross is very quick.
• Jack Plummer got lots of time with the No. 1 unit. And he often the first QB to take his turn in drills, FWIW. Plummer had some nice throws today.
• How will three co-defensive coordinators—LB coach Brad Lambert, DL coach Mark Hagen, DB coach Ron English—operate? I asked Lambert that recently:
“Oh, it's good. I love Mark. I’ve never been around Mark. And Ron’s a great guy. And so a lot of knowledge in the room … it’s just really a collaboration. And then, you know, I got to call it on game day. But it's not Brad’s show. It’s really about Purdue, and that's what Coach (Brohm) and I talked about when I interviewed. Everything we do, we’re trying to help Purdue. And that's everything we project to our players. It’s about that jersey. There have been a lot of good players play here, there's a lot coming after us. And our goal right now is to elevate the jersey and that's from a staff standpoint and a player standpoint. So, it's worked out great and it'll be good because you can lean on guys like Mark and Ron and (CB coach) James (Adams). They're just guys that have coached a lot of football and a lot of experience.”
• A raft of NFL scouts were on hand, including from the Browns and Colts.
Thanks for reading!
• It goes without saying that DaMarcus Mitchell’s return is huge. The senior had been in a bit of academic limbo. But, the former JC transfer is good to go for 2021, according to sources. Mitchell has been out of late as he deals with dehydration issues. He had been running with the No. 2 defense at Leo, as redshirt freshman Kydran Jenkins was the first-teamer. But, Mitchell figures to be the No. 1 man at that hybrid linebacker/end slot opposite George Karlaftis at the other end of the line when the season starts. That will give Purdue a formidable presence off each edges.
• Speaking of George Karlaftis , he showed his full fury on one 11-on-11 play when he drove past OT Eric Miller and enveloped the QB in a flash. We may see a lot of that this fall. GK looks to be "Kerrigan-esque."
• Hard not to notice RB Dylan Downing. Yes, the redshirt freshman is a preferred walk-on after transferring from UNLV. But the 6-0, 225 Carmel, Ind., native looks good and runs hard. Perhaps he can carve out a role in 2021. Late in practice, Downing had a nice TD run.
• News I got from Jeff Brohm before practice on projected starting MLB Semisi Fakasiieiki was not good. Broken ankle, as I posted earlier. And it sounds like there is damage beyond that. Surgery is forthcoming. It seems like a long shot that Fakasiieiki will play in 2021. The No. 1 LB unit looked like this today: WLB O.C. Brothers, MLB Kieren Douglas, SLB Jalen Graham. Jaylan Alexander (coming off hip surgery) will be a starter come game time, likely moving to MLB in place of Douglas.
• DT Damarjhe Lewis had his left hand heavily padded and wrapped in black tape, as he apparently broke it according to a recent post on his Instagram account. He was full-go in activities on Thursday. The Indiana transfer had a good summer and has looked promising in camp, sometimes running with the first-team at 3-technique. The hand wrap/cast didn’t appear too cumbersome or big to be an impediment. Lewis is an active force up front along with fellow 3-technique Branson Deen, whom Lewis is pushing.
• OL Marcus Mbow was dressed out for the first in camp, but the promising true freshman didn’t look to be full-go as he comes back from an ankle injury. Speaking of not being full-go, that appeared to be the case for C Gus Hartwig and G/T Cam Craig. G Tyler Witt was full-go after getting dinged (ankle) a few days ago. Spencer Holstege was the No. 1 center today, with Josh Kaltenberger at left guard. Also saw S Marvin Grant (quad) and WR Marcellus Moore (hamstring) on the field doing some work, along with CB Jamari Brown (hamstring) doing drills with his position group. Didn’t see DE Sulaiman Kpaka, who was dinged late on Tuesday. Lastly, OL/DL DJ Washington was working with the defense today.
• Saw Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, Jackson Anthrop, T.J. Sheffield, Ja'Quez Cross and Deion Burks running back punts. Cross is very quick.
• Jack Plummer got lots of time with the No. 1 unit. And he often the first QB to take his turn in drills, FWIW. Plummer had some nice throws today.
• How will three co-defensive coordinators—LB coach Brad Lambert, DL coach Mark Hagen, DB coach Ron English—operate? I asked Lambert that recently:
“Oh, it's good. I love Mark. I’ve never been around Mark. And Ron’s a great guy. And so a lot of knowledge in the room … it’s just really a collaboration. And then, you know, I got to call it on game day. But it's not Brad’s show. It’s really about Purdue, and that's what Coach (Brohm) and I talked about when I interviewed. Everything we do, we’re trying to help Purdue. And that's everything we project to our players. It’s about that jersey. There have been a lot of good players play here, there's a lot coming after us. And our goal right now is to elevate the jersey and that's from a staff standpoint and a player standpoint. So, it's worked out great and it'll be good because you can lean on guys like Mark and Ron and (CB coach) James (Adams). They're just guys that have coached a lot of football and a lot of experience.”
• A raft of NFL scouts were on hand, including from the Browns and Colts.
Thanks for reading!
Last edited:
