Sorry to the lateness of the post but better late than never...
QB's: It seems the 4 QB's have a good relationship given the closeness of the competition that is evolving this spring, which is good to see.
Appleby: Looked the most poised and confident of the group while running drills, especially the portion of practice meant to work on the hurry up aspect of the offense. Still struggles throwing the ball deep and will occasionally have a wobbly duck as well. Of the 4, probably has the weakest arm strength but also is the only one to really challenge the defense deep down the field in 7v7 and 11v11.
Blough: Blough ran with the 1's and did a good job of managing the offense and not having mistakes. Seems to throw a good ball on the short to medium but struggles with the deep pass due to a lack of next level arm strength. Shortest of the 4 QB's which may be an issue (I know, Brees is short too) but seemed to run well and execute the read option looks as well. I would say he is a good mix of Etling and Appleby in terms of intangibles and abilities.
Etling: Made the one glaring mistake that I saw during practice when he completely bumbled the hurry up offense portion of practice. Still struggles with the deep ball and rarely challenged the defense by throwing down field. Limited throws to check downs and under neath patterns, even when obvious one on one situations left a WR against a CB. I think this is where the problem with Etling comes from, in terms of not throwing the ball deep. He seems content in practice to do the same and not challenge the defense, which then comes full circle in games. As they say, you play like you practice.
Sindelar: Although a little lanky, had he not blown his knee out I would say he would take the starting job away from the other three. Throws by far the best ball of the four and seems to be able to throw the best deep ball. Mobility is still an issue as he isn't fully healed from his knee injury but he was able to do most drills out side of anything 'live' on Thursdsay. Commands the huddle well and takes some shots down the field well. If his knee can get healthy and he can come into the summer and make a strong move, don't be surprised to see him as the #2 or #3.
Overall: Appleby wins the starting job with Blough right behind. I understand it is only one practice, but mistakes like Danny's should happen when there isn't even a defense on the field to challenge you. Sindelar is the X factor in this whole situation but I just can't honestly see him winning the job without a spring under his belt. Appleby wins the job on intangibles and just outworking the others while calls for Blough will come soon after the first couple losses rack up. Inevitably, I give it a 50/50 shot that Danny Etling transfers after this spring ball...especially if he comes out as the #3 and I don't think any one would be upset at him for doing so.
Running Backs:
DJ Knox: Nothing incredibly flashy but has good burst and quickness into the hole while also having good blocking skills when called for. Catches the ball well out of the backfield as well.
Keyante Green: Slowest of the RB's I saw and as you saw last year frequently broke through the line but was caught by a LB or DB in the open field. Being the largest of the RB's, I would hope to see him in a role similar to that of Brandon Jones when he shared the backfield with Jerod Void. A FB/RB hybrid used well in the offensive game plan and who could be used in passing situations well.
Markell Jobnes: Jones is probably the most physically ready RB I have seen step on campus at Purdue, personally. At 5'11 and closer to 210, he is built to carry the load and has the physical tools to do so from Day 1. Seemed to be the one Rb who just had a quick burst about him and just seemed to run angry with the ball in his hands. Jones catches the ball well out of the backfield and appeared to have a solid handle on the offense at this point. If he can make some plays in teh scrimmages and the spring game, he could easily play significant minutes this fall.
Overall: This appears to be Jones job to lose, from what I saw. Knox also has a lot of potential and I think we eventually see the two of them carrying the load at Purdue for the next four years with Green putting some more weight on and becoming a good option as a FB type of back. With Curry moving to TE, Green becomes the largest of the backs and unless they want to pull what appears the best overall TE off the line for those plays needing a FB, Green appears to be the best option.
Wide Receiver: This could get very dicey if Anthrop doesn't get healed up and up to 100% by the time summer camp rolls around. He appeared to still walk with a very noticeable limp which is a little worrisome after 3-4 months removed from surgery.
Mahoungou appears to have some quality skill about him and could end up being a great find for the Boilermakers. Long length who runs with long strides and smoothness in his routes. Needs refinement in those routes but appears to be learning quickly.
Yancey was praised considerably by OC John Shoop throughout practice. At this point, it appears the light bulb has gone off for the soon to be junior after being sat for lack of effort both on and off the field last year. Appears to have put in considerable time in the weight room to improve strength and conditioning. Ran improved routes, although refinement still needs to be done to continue improvement for man to man coverage against upper level CB's.
Trae Hart still appears to be incredibly small but he will probably not put on a bunch of weight. Showed good hands and good routes. Seemed to be the best option at PR with Frankie Williams out due to injury. Tracked the ball well and didn't seem to make many bad decisions while the ball was in the air (the practice did not include live drills for punting/receiving punts).
Posey appears to have improved the most out of the WR's I saw on Thursday. Improved route running, flexibility in his hips, and catching the ball with his hands. Was used in a multitude of facets in the slot for WR screens and other inside routes. If Anthrop can come back healthy, this combo on the inside could pose an advantage against most teams Purdue will face next season.
Monteroso, Mikesky, and Marshall didn't wow me with anything in particular but will provide good depth behind receivers such as Anthrop, Yancey, Mahoungou, and Posey.
Although the position seems to lack next level talent, Purdue has always seemed to do well with the type of players the WR's currently are at Purdue. My true opinion is that their development has been lagged due to poor QB play over the past three years. As the QB's continue to improve so will the WR's and I saw glimpses of that in practice with Appleby and Blough.
Tight Ends: Overall the group seems to a definitive breakout type of player. The loss of Holmes and Sinz will definitely be felt, even though those two lacked some needed qualities of effective TE's in the college game today. Justin Curry seems to have made a shift to TE and appears to be the best overall option. He runs nice routes and displayed some good hands. Burke still appears to have issues catching the ball and running quality routes. Carvajal appears to finally be close to fully healthy and catches the ball decently but still has issues running quality routes. He and Burke worked with a coach during a drill on just running certain routes, so that issues seems to be one they are focusing on. This appears a position that the two incoming freshman may be able to see significant playing time if they can pick up the blocking schemes quickly. I am confused at the issue the staff had in bringing in a top flight TE prospect given the graduation of two seniors and what appears on the surface to be a lack of top end talent at TE. Hopefully the guys here take a major step forward from now to the first game as a quality TE is something that enhances and opens up an offense considerably.
LB's: Clearly the first three spots are Herman, Bentley, and Danny E. After that there appears to be a solid drop off so keeping those three healthy and fresh are important. Garcia will serve as the primary backup for OLB positions while Hudson will serve as backup to the MLB.
DB's: I didn't pay a lot of attention to this group but they appear to be a bit nastier than last year, and I think that comes from coaching. Without Frankie Williams it is tough to sort out the positions but I wonder if he is needed as a safety for the betterment of the defense, rather than at CB. Gregory appears to have locked down one of the safety positions but I'm not sold on any of the other players opposite him. Williams and Gregory would provide a solid set of safeties with Clarke and Hunte appearing to be solid starting CB's.
OL & DL: Nothing really to report here as they did a lot of drills and went against the D-line on the other side of the field as I was watching WR's, RB's, TE's, and DB's. I can go to another practice and focus on the the DL and OL a bit more.
***I didn't really take in to account many of the incoming freshman that may be able to make an impact next year such as Richie Worship (RB/FB), Tario Fuller (RB), Domonique Young (WR), Shane Henley (DE), Markus Bailey (LB), or Shane Wyatt (LB).***
This post was edited on 3/16 11:29 AM by JohnnyDoeBoiler
This post was edited on 3/16 11:55 AM by JohnnyDoeBoiler
QB's: It seems the 4 QB's have a good relationship given the closeness of the competition that is evolving this spring, which is good to see.
Appleby: Looked the most poised and confident of the group while running drills, especially the portion of practice meant to work on the hurry up aspect of the offense. Still struggles throwing the ball deep and will occasionally have a wobbly duck as well. Of the 4, probably has the weakest arm strength but also is the only one to really challenge the defense deep down the field in 7v7 and 11v11.
Blough: Blough ran with the 1's and did a good job of managing the offense and not having mistakes. Seems to throw a good ball on the short to medium but struggles with the deep pass due to a lack of next level arm strength. Shortest of the 4 QB's which may be an issue (I know, Brees is short too) but seemed to run well and execute the read option looks as well. I would say he is a good mix of Etling and Appleby in terms of intangibles and abilities.
Etling: Made the one glaring mistake that I saw during practice when he completely bumbled the hurry up offense portion of practice. Still struggles with the deep ball and rarely challenged the defense by throwing down field. Limited throws to check downs and under neath patterns, even when obvious one on one situations left a WR against a CB. I think this is where the problem with Etling comes from, in terms of not throwing the ball deep. He seems content in practice to do the same and not challenge the defense, which then comes full circle in games. As they say, you play like you practice.
Sindelar: Although a little lanky, had he not blown his knee out I would say he would take the starting job away from the other three. Throws by far the best ball of the four and seems to be able to throw the best deep ball. Mobility is still an issue as he isn't fully healed from his knee injury but he was able to do most drills out side of anything 'live' on Thursdsay. Commands the huddle well and takes some shots down the field well. If his knee can get healthy and he can come into the summer and make a strong move, don't be surprised to see him as the #2 or #3.
Overall: Appleby wins the starting job with Blough right behind. I understand it is only one practice, but mistakes like Danny's should happen when there isn't even a defense on the field to challenge you. Sindelar is the X factor in this whole situation but I just can't honestly see him winning the job without a spring under his belt. Appleby wins the job on intangibles and just outworking the others while calls for Blough will come soon after the first couple losses rack up. Inevitably, I give it a 50/50 shot that Danny Etling transfers after this spring ball...especially if he comes out as the #3 and I don't think any one would be upset at him for doing so.
Running Backs:
DJ Knox: Nothing incredibly flashy but has good burst and quickness into the hole while also having good blocking skills when called for. Catches the ball well out of the backfield as well.
Keyante Green: Slowest of the RB's I saw and as you saw last year frequently broke through the line but was caught by a LB or DB in the open field. Being the largest of the RB's, I would hope to see him in a role similar to that of Brandon Jones when he shared the backfield with Jerod Void. A FB/RB hybrid used well in the offensive game plan and who could be used in passing situations well.
Markell Jobnes: Jones is probably the most physically ready RB I have seen step on campus at Purdue, personally. At 5'11 and closer to 210, he is built to carry the load and has the physical tools to do so from Day 1. Seemed to be the one Rb who just had a quick burst about him and just seemed to run angry with the ball in his hands. Jones catches the ball well out of the backfield and appeared to have a solid handle on the offense at this point. If he can make some plays in teh scrimmages and the spring game, he could easily play significant minutes this fall.
Overall: This appears to be Jones job to lose, from what I saw. Knox also has a lot of potential and I think we eventually see the two of them carrying the load at Purdue for the next four years with Green putting some more weight on and becoming a good option as a FB type of back. With Curry moving to TE, Green becomes the largest of the backs and unless they want to pull what appears the best overall TE off the line for those plays needing a FB, Green appears to be the best option.
Wide Receiver: This could get very dicey if Anthrop doesn't get healed up and up to 100% by the time summer camp rolls around. He appeared to still walk with a very noticeable limp which is a little worrisome after 3-4 months removed from surgery.
Mahoungou appears to have some quality skill about him and could end up being a great find for the Boilermakers. Long length who runs with long strides and smoothness in his routes. Needs refinement in those routes but appears to be learning quickly.
Yancey was praised considerably by OC John Shoop throughout practice. At this point, it appears the light bulb has gone off for the soon to be junior after being sat for lack of effort both on and off the field last year. Appears to have put in considerable time in the weight room to improve strength and conditioning. Ran improved routes, although refinement still needs to be done to continue improvement for man to man coverage against upper level CB's.
Trae Hart still appears to be incredibly small but he will probably not put on a bunch of weight. Showed good hands and good routes. Seemed to be the best option at PR with Frankie Williams out due to injury. Tracked the ball well and didn't seem to make many bad decisions while the ball was in the air (the practice did not include live drills for punting/receiving punts).
Posey appears to have improved the most out of the WR's I saw on Thursday. Improved route running, flexibility in his hips, and catching the ball with his hands. Was used in a multitude of facets in the slot for WR screens and other inside routes. If Anthrop can come back healthy, this combo on the inside could pose an advantage against most teams Purdue will face next season.
Monteroso, Mikesky, and Marshall didn't wow me with anything in particular but will provide good depth behind receivers such as Anthrop, Yancey, Mahoungou, and Posey.
Although the position seems to lack next level talent, Purdue has always seemed to do well with the type of players the WR's currently are at Purdue. My true opinion is that their development has been lagged due to poor QB play over the past three years. As the QB's continue to improve so will the WR's and I saw glimpses of that in practice with Appleby and Blough.
Tight Ends: Overall the group seems to a definitive breakout type of player. The loss of Holmes and Sinz will definitely be felt, even though those two lacked some needed qualities of effective TE's in the college game today. Justin Curry seems to have made a shift to TE and appears to be the best overall option. He runs nice routes and displayed some good hands. Burke still appears to have issues catching the ball and running quality routes. Carvajal appears to finally be close to fully healthy and catches the ball decently but still has issues running quality routes. He and Burke worked with a coach during a drill on just running certain routes, so that issues seems to be one they are focusing on. This appears a position that the two incoming freshman may be able to see significant playing time if they can pick up the blocking schemes quickly. I am confused at the issue the staff had in bringing in a top flight TE prospect given the graduation of two seniors and what appears on the surface to be a lack of top end talent at TE. Hopefully the guys here take a major step forward from now to the first game as a quality TE is something that enhances and opens up an offense considerably.
LB's: Clearly the first three spots are Herman, Bentley, and Danny E. After that there appears to be a solid drop off so keeping those three healthy and fresh are important. Garcia will serve as the primary backup for OLB positions while Hudson will serve as backup to the MLB.
DB's: I didn't pay a lot of attention to this group but they appear to be a bit nastier than last year, and I think that comes from coaching. Without Frankie Williams it is tough to sort out the positions but I wonder if he is needed as a safety for the betterment of the defense, rather than at CB. Gregory appears to have locked down one of the safety positions but I'm not sold on any of the other players opposite him. Williams and Gregory would provide a solid set of safeties with Clarke and Hunte appearing to be solid starting CB's.
OL & DL: Nothing really to report here as they did a lot of drills and went against the D-line on the other side of the field as I was watching WR's, RB's, TE's, and DB's. I can go to another practice and focus on the the DL and OL a bit more.
***I didn't really take in to account many of the incoming freshman that may be able to make an impact next year such as Richie Worship (RB/FB), Tario Fuller (RB), Domonique Young (WR), Shane Henley (DE), Markus Bailey (LB), or Shane Wyatt (LB).***
This post was edited on 3/16 11:29 AM by JohnnyDoeBoiler
This post was edited on 3/16 11:55 AM by JohnnyDoeBoiler
