• Austin Larkin (ankle) likely will be a gametime decision, Hazell said. "We’re just trying to slow down the process for Austin. We tried to accelerate it, obviously, from Thursday to game day. Now you try to decelerate it to make sure we get him back and he’s healthy for these next couple days," Hazell said."
Da'Wan Hunte (ankle) ran some on Sunday, but may not know more about him until mid-week.
Kamal Hardy (shoulder) will be out at least two weeks, Hazell said. But it could be longer, depending on how Hardy's shoulder responds. Purdue has a bye Sept. 17, so that'd potentially give Hardy an extra week without a game.
• Asked Hazell how the two first-time starters at corner — Myles Norwood and Tim Cason — did. He commented on Norwood's physicality. Then said this: "One of the things I talked to Coach (Taver) Johnson about last night was just making sure they play a little bit lower at the top of the route in man-to-man coverage. I thought they were tight coverage, but when you’re a little bit high and the guy snaps it off, you’ve got to make sure you’re coiled and not standing straight-legged. I think that’s what will help those guys at the top of the route."
• I was a bit perturbed that DeAngelo Yancey didn't get more targets Saturday – and not only because he was my "boy." He's Purdue's best playmaking receiver, I think. Get him the ball, ya know? So I asked Hazell whether Yancey needed to be more involved and it was the quickest and most definitive "yes" I've ever heard. So that's good. Hazell wouldn't get specific as to how Purdue will do that — not surprisingly, certainly is careful about giving away game plan stuff — but I'd suspect Yancey will have more than four targets Saturday. "He needs to get involved a bit more," Hazell said. One way could be by moving Yancey around and putting him in motion some, too. As I wrote about in my Breakdown, Purdue hardly motioned guys Saturday. I don't think that'll be a huge part to this offense, but it's certainly one way to help guys out, if needed. I personally think Yancey is a guy you still throw to when he may look covered, but we'll see.
• Freshman Terrance Landers played Saturday. Why? "It’s a long year," Hazell said. "You’ve got to anticipate what’s going to happen four, five, seven weeks from now. He’s a good player. He could play right now for us. But we just want to bring him along so when it’s time for him to play that he’s ready to play and that’s not the first time he has to step on the field."
Would be nice, then, if he'd get a few more snaps.
• Purdue had only 13 missed assignments on offense Saturday. "We used to have 13 in a position group," Hazell said. "It was great to see."
• Hazell reported 15 missed tackles against Eastern Kentucky but also included "missed angles" in that total.
• What happened on Purdue's fourth-and-one play that Markell Jones got stuffed? For one, tight end Cole Herdman slipped off his block on the left side of the line. It may have mattered. But maybe not. "There were 12 guys in the box — I think the official was coming downhill to try to hit us, too," Hazell joked. Not sure Blough has the power to audible — or even if he would in that situation. You're still giving the ball to your best player against an FCS line. Odds would still seem in your favor to get a yard.
• Someone had asked on the board last week if Purdue still is using the virtual reality program during the season. Quarterbacks are, but it's not programmed specifically to opponents. That's an option, but it's an expensive one. It's possible Purdue may try it at some point this season, but it's not right now.
• On Leroy Clark's interception, linebacker Markus Bailey did a nice job covering the tight end down the line. "Markus probably would have gotten a deflection or a knock down. But that’s what the defense is (built on), being able to help on vertical routes. That’s where Leroy did a great job of staying over top of him. (The QB) must not have seen the safety. Because he just floated it up there."
• Purdue changed its defense a bit depending on which EKU quarterback was in the game. Hazell wouldn't say which QB this affected, but for one of them, Purdue noticed the QB "didn't like certain coverages. We stayed in that coverage vs. one guy because he got a little antsy when he saw press-man coverage."
Da'Wan Hunte (ankle) ran some on Sunday, but may not know more about him until mid-week.
Kamal Hardy (shoulder) will be out at least two weeks, Hazell said. But it could be longer, depending on how Hardy's shoulder responds. Purdue has a bye Sept. 17, so that'd potentially give Hardy an extra week without a game.
• Asked Hazell how the two first-time starters at corner — Myles Norwood and Tim Cason — did. He commented on Norwood's physicality. Then said this: "One of the things I talked to Coach (Taver) Johnson about last night was just making sure they play a little bit lower at the top of the route in man-to-man coverage. I thought they were tight coverage, but when you’re a little bit high and the guy snaps it off, you’ve got to make sure you’re coiled and not standing straight-legged. I think that’s what will help those guys at the top of the route."
• I was a bit perturbed that DeAngelo Yancey didn't get more targets Saturday – and not only because he was my "boy." He's Purdue's best playmaking receiver, I think. Get him the ball, ya know? So I asked Hazell whether Yancey needed to be more involved and it was the quickest and most definitive "yes" I've ever heard. So that's good. Hazell wouldn't get specific as to how Purdue will do that — not surprisingly, certainly is careful about giving away game plan stuff — but I'd suspect Yancey will have more than four targets Saturday. "He needs to get involved a bit more," Hazell said. One way could be by moving Yancey around and putting him in motion some, too. As I wrote about in my Breakdown, Purdue hardly motioned guys Saturday. I don't think that'll be a huge part to this offense, but it's certainly one way to help guys out, if needed. I personally think Yancey is a guy you still throw to when he may look covered, but we'll see.
• Freshman Terrance Landers played Saturday. Why? "It’s a long year," Hazell said. "You’ve got to anticipate what’s going to happen four, five, seven weeks from now. He’s a good player. He could play right now for us. But we just want to bring him along so when it’s time for him to play that he’s ready to play and that’s not the first time he has to step on the field."
Would be nice, then, if he'd get a few more snaps.
• Purdue had only 13 missed assignments on offense Saturday. "We used to have 13 in a position group," Hazell said. "It was great to see."
• Hazell reported 15 missed tackles against Eastern Kentucky but also included "missed angles" in that total.
• What happened on Purdue's fourth-and-one play that Markell Jones got stuffed? For one, tight end Cole Herdman slipped off his block on the left side of the line. It may have mattered. But maybe not. "There were 12 guys in the box — I think the official was coming downhill to try to hit us, too," Hazell joked. Not sure Blough has the power to audible — or even if he would in that situation. You're still giving the ball to your best player against an FCS line. Odds would still seem in your favor to get a yard.
• Someone had asked on the board last week if Purdue still is using the virtual reality program during the season. Quarterbacks are, but it's not programmed specifically to opponents. That's an option, but it's an expensive one. It's possible Purdue may try it at some point this season, but it's not right now.
• On Leroy Clark's interception, linebacker Markus Bailey did a nice job covering the tight end down the line. "Markus probably would have gotten a deflection or a knock down. But that’s what the defense is (built on), being able to help on vertical routes. That’s where Leroy did a great job of staying over top of him. (The QB) must not have seen the safety. Because he just floated it up there."
• Purdue changed its defense a bit depending on which EKU quarterback was in the game. Hazell wouldn't say which QB this affected, but for one of them, Purdue noticed the QB "didn't like certain coverages. We stayed in that coverage vs. one guy because he got a little antsy when he saw press-man coverage."
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