Darrell Hazell told me on June 27 at a JPC event when I asked to confirm the late arrivals of Rob Simmons and Brian Lankford-Johnson that they would be on campus in "a week or two, in July."
One would think such arrivals would coincide with the start to a new summer session, which is why Jackson Anthrop is now on campus. (He had a previous agreement with Hazell to postpone his arrival after his high school baseball season was finished.) But, apparently, Monday was not the day for the two other signees/newcomers.
Hazell, per SID Matt Rector, says that Lankford-Johnson and Simmons are "finishing up work.”
To go along with Javonte Ferguson, who also still isn't on campus because he has "work to do," per Purdue, not such a good percentage of no-shows for a 20-member class (minus the three who enrolled in the spring).
Lankford-Johnson's absence may be the biggest concern. With D.J. Knox out, Purdue desperately needs a solid backup running back to emerge in camp. Lankford-Johnson would offer an element none of the other guys could: Speed. There's much more to the game, obviously, but it could have been a trait that could have gotten him a look in camp. But without any conditioning work in advance — at least under Purdue's supervision — and the inability to learn the offense, he'll come in (presuming he does) at a significant disadvantage.
Though Purdue doesn't need immediate help at receiver, its corps will be severely depleted after this season, so Ferguson's addition could have helped in 2017, especially with him having a year in the system by then.
Simmons likely wouldn't be a factor this season anyway, as an undersized end.
We have messages in with Lankford-Johnson, Simmons and Ferguson.
One would think such arrivals would coincide with the start to a new summer session, which is why Jackson Anthrop is now on campus. (He had a previous agreement with Hazell to postpone his arrival after his high school baseball season was finished.) But, apparently, Monday was not the day for the two other signees/newcomers.
Hazell, per SID Matt Rector, says that Lankford-Johnson and Simmons are "finishing up work.”
To go along with Javonte Ferguson, who also still isn't on campus because he has "work to do," per Purdue, not such a good percentage of no-shows for a 20-member class (minus the three who enrolled in the spring).
Lankford-Johnson's absence may be the biggest concern. With D.J. Knox out, Purdue desperately needs a solid backup running back to emerge in camp. Lankford-Johnson would offer an element none of the other guys could: Speed. There's much more to the game, obviously, but it could have been a trait that could have gotten him a look in camp. But without any conditioning work in advance — at least under Purdue's supervision — and the inability to learn the offense, he'll come in (presuming he does) at a significant disadvantage.
Though Purdue doesn't need immediate help at receiver, its corps will be severely depleted after this season, so Ferguson's addition could have helped in 2017, especially with him having a year in the system by then.
Simmons likely wouldn't be a factor this season anyway, as an undersized end.
We have messages in with Lankford-Johnson, Simmons and Ferguson.
