39 questions as spring football kicks off
MORE: Spring football information
Purdue will break the seal on spring football practice on Monday. And there is a lot to learn.
The Boilermakers will practice 15 times, concluding with a spring game on April 4. Myriad questions face Purdue, which is looking to rebound from a 4-8 season as Year Four under Jeff Brohm dawns.
There are many unknowns. Here are 39 questions--in no particular order--that won’t necessarily be answered this spring … but will need to begin being addressed.
1. Is WR Rondale Moore over his hamstring injury?
2. How does DT Lorenzo Neal look after missing 2019 (knee)?
3. What scheme will new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco play most?
4. Who will anchor the rebuilt linebacking unit?
5. Is sophomore CB Cory Trice ready to lead the secondary?
6. Can sophomore Payne Durham replace departed TE Brycen Hopkins? Or will redshirt freshmen Kyle Bilodeau or Garrett Miller assume command?
7. Will sophomore QB Jack Plummer see much action coming off an ankle injury?
8. Is JC LB DaMarcus Mitchell the real deal?
9. Who will be the center?
10. Could true freshman Gus Hartwig make an impact at center?
11. Is redshirt freshman DT Steven Faucheux pushing the pocket?
12. Will new special teams coach Marty Biagi juice up the return game?
13. Is K J.D. Dellinger still booming the ball?
14. Where is sophomore Jalen Graham playing most: safety or linebacker?
15. How do WRs TJ Sheffield and Mershawn Rice look coming out of redshirts?
16. Are early enrollee WRs Maliq Carr and Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen looking good?
17. Is JC Geovonte Howard a plug-and-play cornerback?
18. Has QB Aidan O’Connell improved?
19. Are redshirt freshmen LBs Khali Saunders and Jacob Wahlberg ready to step up?
20. Is redshirt freshman RB Da’Joun Hewitt ready to challenge for playing time?
21. Has sophomore WR Milton Wright improved his hands?
22. Is junior Jaylan Alexander the leader at linebacker?
23. How is redshirt freshman QB Paul Piferi developing?
24. Is DE George Karlaftis bigger, stronger … and better?
25. Is Derrick Barnes playing more linebacker than end?
26. Can redshirt freshman DE Dontay Hunter become a force off the edge?
27. Are junior CBs Dedrick Mackey and Kenneth Major more consistent?
28. Is redshirt freshman S Marvin Grant being physical?
29. How much bigger and stronger is sophomore S Cam Allen?
30. Is sophomore P Brooks Cormier more consistent?
31. Which young offensive linemen will step up? Redshirt freshman Cam Craig? Sophomores Eric Miller and Will Bramel?
32. Can early enrollee S Sanoussi Kane make an impact?
33.Is senior Semisi Fakasiieiki playing DE or LB?
34. Is junior RB Zander Horvath pounding people?
35. How will WR coach JaMarcus Shephard manage his abundance of talent?
36. Is fifth-year senior OT Grant Hermanns dominating?
37. Are sophomore DTs Lawrence Johnson and Jack Sullivan ready to emerge?
38. Is senior DT Anthony Watts his usual feisty self?
39.Is sophomore King Doerue the alpha dog at running back?
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