It felt like January outside, but "spring" ball raged on inside Mollenkopf Center. The last two practices have been in full pads, leading up to Wednesday's scrimmage. The team is off Friday and all of next week for spring break. Pro Day is Tuesday morning. Yes, I will be there.
Here are 10 "things" from Spring Practice No. 4.
1. This was a physical session, easily the most physical yet of spring drills. We even saw Jeff Brohm "get after it," if you know what I mean. The team had another session of "board drills," and there were plenty of hits, pushes and shoves ... with lots of yelling and energy. Later, the offensive and defensive lines battled in a pass-rush drill. DT Anthony Watts and DE Kai Higgins looked good. DE George Karlaftis had a stalemate with OT Eric Miller.
2. During scrimmage work about halfway through practice, redshirt freshman CB Byron Perkins and redshirt freshman WR Amad Anderson, Jr., had to be separated. Perkins was incensed with Anderson ... not sure about what. Had to be some "extra-curriculars." Once away from the pack, Perkins flung his helmet in anger.
3. The secondary was the first position group on the Mollenkopf turf, as co-defensive coordinator/secondary Anthony Poindexter and cornerbacks coach Greg Brown ran their troops through the paces. The starters looked like this: CBs Simeon Smiley (junior) and Kenneth Major (sophomore); Ss Cory Trice (redshirt freshman) and Navon Mosley (senior).
4. Speaking of the secondary, it's fun to watch safeties Jalen Graham (6-3, 215) and Cory Trice (6-3, 210). When on the field, they often are playing "down in the box," almost like a linebacker. At one point in scrimmage-time, they were on the field together. And remember this: S Marvin Grant (6-2, 190) arrives in June.
5. Hard not to notice redshirt freshman walk-on RB Alfred Armour. The 6-1, 230-pound Indianapolis native is a "heavy" runner who can turn the corner. He also has nice hands. During an extended scrimmage session in the back half of practice, the rushing game time and again had some nice runs. Purdue will have a physical trio of RBs in the fall with Armour, Zander Horvath and Richie Worship, out this spring recovering from a knee injury.
6. Junior K J.D. Dellinger continued to kick the ball well, booming one field goal from 49 yards. His holder was junior quarterback Danny Carollo. Freshman Hunter McDonald snapped. The field-goal team moved about the field, kicking from opposing hash marks from varying ranges. Dellinger's kicks were high and strong. Dellinger even worked a bit as a punter and boomed the ball. Rondale Moore, Jackson Anthrop and Tyler Hamilton worked as return men.
7. Sophomore QB Nick Sipe was in shorts and T-shirt. He also missed Friday's practice. And centers Viktor Beach and Spencer Holstege were MIA. Sophomore Sam Garvin was the No. 1 center; junior Bryce Brown No. 2.
8. The first-team defensive line looked like this:
First team: E George Karlaftis, T Anthony Watts, T Giovanni Reviere, E Kai Higgins.
Second team: E Willie Lane, T Lawrence Johnson, T Jeff Marks, E Jack Sullivan
During position sessions, the following players drilled with the DTs: Giovanni Reviere, Anthony Watts, Lawrence Johnson, Jeff Marks, KJ Stokes, Jack Sullivan.
The DE group was: Willie Lane, George Karlaftis, Robert McWilliams, Kai Higgins, Branson Deen.
9. Caught up with John Cravaack, the father of redshirt freshman linebacker/defensive end Jack Cravaack. The dad said Purdue was the only school to offer Jack as a defensive end. All the others wanted him as a TE. In high school, Jack was a TE/LB. He played at a Madeira High in Cincinnati, a small public school know for academics. John Cravaack said he played TE one year at Furman and finished at Hanover College.
10. You can't read EVERYTHING into it, but it's always a bit telling to see who is first in line during pre-practice warmup drills. Today, the "line leaders" were OT Grant Hermanns, OT Sam Loebig, TE Brycen Hopkins, RB Tario Fuller, WR Jackson Anthrop, CB Dedrick Mackey, WR Jared Sparks, QB Jack Plummer, LB Jack Smith, LB Jaylan Alexander, DT Anthony Watts, DT Giovanni Reviere and DE Kai Higgins. Know this: QB Elijah Sindelar and OT Matt McCann were late to practice.
Think that is it. THANKS!
Here are 10 "things" from Spring Practice No. 4.
1. This was a physical session, easily the most physical yet of spring drills. We even saw Jeff Brohm "get after it," if you know what I mean. The team had another session of "board drills," and there were plenty of hits, pushes and shoves ... with lots of yelling and energy. Later, the offensive and defensive lines battled in a pass-rush drill. DT Anthony Watts and DE Kai Higgins looked good. DE George Karlaftis had a stalemate with OT Eric Miller.
2. During scrimmage work about halfway through practice, redshirt freshman CB Byron Perkins and redshirt freshman WR Amad Anderson, Jr., had to be separated. Perkins was incensed with Anderson ... not sure about what. Had to be some "extra-curriculars." Once away from the pack, Perkins flung his helmet in anger.
3. The secondary was the first position group on the Mollenkopf turf, as co-defensive coordinator/secondary Anthony Poindexter and cornerbacks coach Greg Brown ran their troops through the paces. The starters looked like this: CBs Simeon Smiley (junior) and Kenneth Major (sophomore); Ss Cory Trice (redshirt freshman) and Navon Mosley (senior).
4. Speaking of the secondary, it's fun to watch safeties Jalen Graham (6-3, 215) and Cory Trice (6-3, 210). When on the field, they often are playing "down in the box," almost like a linebacker. At one point in scrimmage-time, they were on the field together. And remember this: S Marvin Grant (6-2, 190) arrives in June.
5. Hard not to notice redshirt freshman walk-on RB Alfred Armour. The 6-1, 230-pound Indianapolis native is a "heavy" runner who can turn the corner. He also has nice hands. During an extended scrimmage session in the back half of practice, the rushing game time and again had some nice runs. Purdue will have a physical trio of RBs in the fall with Armour, Zander Horvath and Richie Worship, out this spring recovering from a knee injury.
6. Junior K J.D. Dellinger continued to kick the ball well, booming one field goal from 49 yards. His holder was junior quarterback Danny Carollo. Freshman Hunter McDonald snapped. The field-goal team moved about the field, kicking from opposing hash marks from varying ranges. Dellinger's kicks were high and strong. Dellinger even worked a bit as a punter and boomed the ball. Rondale Moore, Jackson Anthrop and Tyler Hamilton worked as return men.
7. Sophomore QB Nick Sipe was in shorts and T-shirt. He also missed Friday's practice. And centers Viktor Beach and Spencer Holstege were MIA. Sophomore Sam Garvin was the No. 1 center; junior Bryce Brown No. 2.
8. The first-team defensive line looked like this:
First team: E George Karlaftis, T Anthony Watts, T Giovanni Reviere, E Kai Higgins.
Second team: E Willie Lane, T Lawrence Johnson, T Jeff Marks, E Jack Sullivan
During position sessions, the following players drilled with the DTs: Giovanni Reviere, Anthony Watts, Lawrence Johnson, Jeff Marks, KJ Stokes, Jack Sullivan.
The DE group was: Willie Lane, George Karlaftis, Robert McWilliams, Kai Higgins, Branson Deen.
9. Caught up with John Cravaack, the father of redshirt freshman linebacker/defensive end Jack Cravaack. The dad said Purdue was the only school to offer Jack as a defensive end. All the others wanted him as a TE. In high school, Jack was a TE/LB. He played at a Madeira High in Cincinnati, a small public school know for academics. John Cravaack said he played TE one year at Furman and finished at Hanover College.
10. You can't read EVERYTHING into it, but it's always a bit telling to see who is first in line during pre-practice warmup drills. Today, the "line leaders" were OT Grant Hermanns, OT Sam Loebig, TE Brycen Hopkins, RB Tario Fuller, WR Jackson Anthrop, CB Dedrick Mackey, WR Jared Sparks, QB Jack Plummer, LB Jack Smith, LB Jaylan Alexander, DT Anthony Watts, DT Giovanni Reviere and DE Kai Higgins. Know this: QB Elijah Sindelar and OT Matt McCann were late to practice.
Think that is it. THANKS!
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