Purdue has practiced five times with three coming in full pads. There was no full-scale scrimmage today, but there was live hitting in a situational scrimmage for one period of practice. Here are 12 "things" from today's practice.
1. We have the first big hit of the spring, and it was a teeth-rattler: Dedrick Mackey, meet Zander Horvath. During live, situational scrimmaging during Period 10, 6-3, 230-pound sophomore RB Zander Horvath took a hand-off and bolted to the left. He broke into the clear and spotted Dedrick Mackey. The 5-11, 185-pound sophomore corner was no match for Horvath, who lowered a shoulder and deposited Mackey onto the turf with a thud. Teammates wailed in delight.
Redshirt freshman S Kadin Smith (6-0, 205) struck a blow for the defense when he drilled redshirt freshman RB Alfred Armour (6-1, 230).
2. It was a tough practice for sophomore LB Jaylan Alexander. First, he threw up on the field near the sideline. (He did his best to clean it up.) Later during red-zone work, Alexander was helped off the field with what looked like a left ankle injury. He was examined and then helped to the locker room. This isn't good news for a LB unit that already is perilously thin.
Jaylan Alexander
3. There was no Rondale Moore. He practiced Monday. He has the Hornung Award banquet coming up in Louisville on Thursday. LB Markus Bailey, DE Derrick Barnes, DT Anthony Watts, S Brennan Thieneman, RB Richie Worship, DT Lo Neal, LB Cornel Jones, QB Nick Sipe and C Viktor Beach all didn't practice.
4. Speaking of Beach, he didn't practice all this week and missed parts of last week. Jeff Brohm says he has a back issue.
"He is going to have to utilize every day he can once he gets healthy to get ready to go because he is a guy we would like to count on to be our starting center if we can get that done.," said Brohm.
Viktor Beach
Sipe also has missed multiple practices.
"He has a lower back issue," said Brohm. "I don’t think that one is serious. We have spring break coming up. By the time we get back from that, he’ll be OK."
With Sipe out of late, redshirt freshman Jack Plummer has been the No. 2 quarterback. And, he has looked good at times.
5. A look at the players working at DT today: Giovanni Reviere, Lawrence Johnson, Jeff Marks, KJ Stokes, Willie Lane, Jack Sullivan. Rieviere and Marks are first-team. Johnson and Sullivan were the No. 2s. Again, no Anthony Watts today. He typically is a first-teammer.
6. The position groups with the smallest numbers? Tight ends and running backs, with three players apiece. The TEs: Brycen Hopkins, Darius Pittman, Payne Durham. The RBs: Tario Fuller, Zander Horvath, Alfred Armour.
7. I noticed sophomore Mark Stickford working with the first-team O-line at right guard. He had been a second-team right tackle in other practices this spring. The rest of the top-line today was LT Grant Hermanns, LG Jimmy McKenna, C Sam Garvin, RG Stickford, RT Matt McCann. The second-team was LT Eric Miller, LG Alex Criddle, C Bryce Brown, RG DJ Washington, RT Will Bramel
8. During work between the DBs and WRs, coaches had the cornerbacks wearing black mittens. Why? So they couldn't grab receivers. That's one way to teach it.
9. Watched the wideouts. Here is a look at who lined up on the outside, and the inside.
Outside: Amad Anderson, Jr., Jared Sparks, Kory Taylor, Jordan Bonner, Jackson Anthrop
Inside: Jackson Anthrop, Tyler Hamilton, Noah Ellison
10. With Rondale Moore not present, WR Jared Sparks joined WRs Jackson Anthrop and Tyler Hamilton as a punt return man.
11. Several members of the Lafayette Jeff football team watched practice. Jeff has a legit high-major DT in junior Peyton Price, who goes 6-2, 295. His brother, Brian, played for the Browns and Raiders last season after also toiling for the Packers and Cowboys in a career that began in 2016. Brian Price prepped at McCutcheon.
The Bronchos also have a recruitable DE in junior Jalen Monrrow, 6-4, 238. And senior WR Derrick Matthews (6-1, 175) and junior QB Maximus Grimes (6-2, 200) are turning heads, too.
Jalen Monrrow and Derrick Matthews.
12. Former A.D. Morgan Burke was spotted.
That's about it. Thanks for reading!
1. We have the first big hit of the spring, and it was a teeth-rattler: Dedrick Mackey, meet Zander Horvath. During live, situational scrimmaging during Period 10, 6-3, 230-pound sophomore RB Zander Horvath took a hand-off and bolted to the left. He broke into the clear and spotted Dedrick Mackey. The 5-11, 185-pound sophomore corner was no match for Horvath, who lowered a shoulder and deposited Mackey onto the turf with a thud. Teammates wailed in delight.
Redshirt freshman S Kadin Smith (6-0, 205) struck a blow for the defense when he drilled redshirt freshman RB Alfred Armour (6-1, 230).
2. It was a tough practice for sophomore LB Jaylan Alexander. First, he threw up on the field near the sideline. (He did his best to clean it up.) Later during red-zone work, Alexander was helped off the field with what looked like a left ankle injury. He was examined and then helped to the locker room. This isn't good news for a LB unit that already is perilously thin.
Jaylan Alexander
3. There was no Rondale Moore. He practiced Monday. He has the Hornung Award banquet coming up in Louisville on Thursday. LB Markus Bailey, DE Derrick Barnes, DT Anthony Watts, S Brennan Thieneman, RB Richie Worship, DT Lo Neal, LB Cornel Jones, QB Nick Sipe and C Viktor Beach all didn't practice.
4. Speaking of Beach, he didn't practice all this week and missed parts of last week. Jeff Brohm says he has a back issue.
"He is going to have to utilize every day he can once he gets healthy to get ready to go because he is a guy we would like to count on to be our starting center if we can get that done.," said Brohm.
Viktor Beach
Sipe also has missed multiple practices.
"He has a lower back issue," said Brohm. "I don’t think that one is serious. We have spring break coming up. By the time we get back from that, he’ll be OK."
With Sipe out of late, redshirt freshman Jack Plummer has been the No. 2 quarterback. And, he has looked good at times.
5. A look at the players working at DT today: Giovanni Reviere, Lawrence Johnson, Jeff Marks, KJ Stokes, Willie Lane, Jack Sullivan. Rieviere and Marks are first-team. Johnson and Sullivan were the No. 2s. Again, no Anthony Watts today. He typically is a first-teammer.
6. The position groups with the smallest numbers? Tight ends and running backs, with three players apiece. The TEs: Brycen Hopkins, Darius Pittman, Payne Durham. The RBs: Tario Fuller, Zander Horvath, Alfred Armour.
7. I noticed sophomore Mark Stickford working with the first-team O-line at right guard. He had been a second-team right tackle in other practices this spring. The rest of the top-line today was LT Grant Hermanns, LG Jimmy McKenna, C Sam Garvin, RG Stickford, RT Matt McCann. The second-team was LT Eric Miller, LG Alex Criddle, C Bryce Brown, RG DJ Washington, RT Will Bramel
8. During work between the DBs and WRs, coaches had the cornerbacks wearing black mittens. Why? So they couldn't grab receivers. That's one way to teach it.
9. Watched the wideouts. Here is a look at who lined up on the outside, and the inside.
Outside: Amad Anderson, Jr., Jared Sparks, Kory Taylor, Jordan Bonner, Jackson Anthrop
Inside: Jackson Anthrop, Tyler Hamilton, Noah Ellison
10. With Rondale Moore not present, WR Jared Sparks joined WRs Jackson Anthrop and Tyler Hamilton as a punt return man.
11. Several members of the Lafayette Jeff football team watched practice. Jeff has a legit high-major DT in junior Peyton Price, who goes 6-2, 295. His brother, Brian, played for the Browns and Raiders last season after also toiling for the Packers and Cowboys in a career that began in 2016. Brian Price prepped at McCutcheon.
The Bronchos also have a recruitable DE in junior Jalen Monrrow, 6-4, 238. And senior WR Derrick Matthews (6-1, 175) and junior QB Maximus Grimes (6-2, 200) are turning heads, too.
Jalen Monrrow and Derrick Matthews.
12. Former A.D. Morgan Burke was spotted.
That's about it. Thanks for reading!
Last edited:
