GoldandBlack.com - Who's the PK?; Day 12 report

August 15, 2012

Kyle Charters
Danny Hope audio coming soon

Purdue's most heated training camp position battle might be at place-kicker, where the Boilermakers are looking to replace four-year specialist Carson Wiggs.

Paul Griggs is a true freshman, and one of the nation's top prospects in the 2012 class, while Sam McCartney, a red-shirt freshman, is a local product and walk-on from nearby West Lafayette High School.

"We're having a competition" Danny Hope said after practice Wednesday, "and right now I would give Sam the edge a little bit."

The battle could last into the season. Asked whether he would be up for using two place-kickers during games, perhaps one for extra points and one for field goals, Hope didn't dispel the idea.

"It depends on how they do in practice," he said. "I don't have any problem sharing duties. If we're going to play three quarterbacks, we'll sure use two kickers. That's an easy decision."

As for the other kicking specialists, they appear more clear-cut. Junior incumbent Cody Webster is ahead as Purdue's punter - and should be able to handle all aspects of the position, not share responsibilities like he did with Wiggs a year ago - although Hope said he's being challenged by freshman Thomas Meadows. The latter, however, might also find a place in 2012 as the Boilermakers' kick-off specialist.

"That's really where we potentially had a void at this season," Hope said. "But he's done a great job with it; I don't think we've dropped off any on kickoffs from where we were last year, and that's really good considering we had a veteran."

BTN in the house
Purdue practiced in front of BTN cameras Wednesday for a preview show to air later on the network.

The extra eyeballs kept the Boilermakers simple, a tactic Hope has employed since he came on the job four years ago.

"The cadence and the snap count is always something that you want to keep a cover on, if you will," he said. "We went out there early in practice and we were disjointed a little bit, trying to use a different snap count, but we got back to something really simple and that kind of helped us.

"… We kept it simple and kept it vanilla, obviously."

The BTN's Purdue show will air at 10 p.m. ET Thursday.

Three guard offense
Purdue's been rotating Peters Drey, Cody Davis and newcomer Devin Smith at its two guard spots, and that might continue in the season.

Drey has largely been the left guard, with Davis and Smith rotating at right. But Davis is versatile enough to play either guard position.

"There is some competition, but I would anticipate seeing both of those guys in the game," Hope said of Smith and Davis. "Devin mostly at right guard and the possibility of Cody switching around at all three inside spots."

Wednesday, Davis was at left with Smith at right, while Purdue sat Drey; he's coming back from a back injury that cost him the latter half of last season, and Purdue's allowed him some rest time during camp.

"We try to, we try to be smart," Hope said. "He was clear to go in the spring but we were cautious and kept him out. He's done well all camp long and practiced hard and fast and physical. We pull him out sometimes to make sure he doesn't get too much, and we held him out all day today. He had a little bit of soreness."

The emergence of redshirt freshman center Robert Kugler has also allowed Purdue some flexibility. When he's in, starting center Rick Schmeig can also man a guard spot.

Kugler had an injury, but is back practicing.

"He's done well," Hope said. "He's only been back for two days."

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