Bailey feeling good; Monday Purdue notebook

Markus Bailey has played about 90 snaps in his career.

Yet, the linebacker is a redshirt freshman with four years of eligibility remaining. It’s a nice combination of experience, although limited, and youthful potential.

“When I first got injured, I was really down on myself,” Bailey said, reflecting on the third game of last season, when the linebacker tore his ACL. “I had to make a decision about whether to keep getting down on myself or to have a positive attitude. Looking back on it now, it was probably a blessing in disguise, because I got all that experience, got to travel with the team too, played good competition and I got an extra year, too.”

Now Bailey has a solid base, a reason why the gifted underclassman is working with the second-team defense at weak-side linebacker, backing up veteran Danny Ezechukwu. And in the rare occasions when Purdue has put three linebackers on the field, Bailey has moved up to the 1s, playing Will while Ezechukwu shifts to the Buck.

Bailey’s experience helps, after he made 12 tackles last season, including six in the Virginia Tech game before being hurt.

“He’s been in the fire,” linebackers coach Marcus Freeman said following Purdue’s Monday morning practice, the fourth of training camp. “He’s a smart kid, which gave him a chance to play last year. And he’s a very mature kid for his age. He’s smart, he’s mature, he works hard. He’s going to help us.”

And Bailey’s healthy now, too. The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder was back for the spring, running around and looking well, but Purdue held him out of most live drills, like the jersey scrimmage and spring game.

But he tried to get as many repetitions as possible.

“Even when I wasn’t in, I was getting a lot of mental reps and film study,” said Bailey, who said he’s feeling good now. “I knew I wasn’t going to get that many live reps, so I had to make sure I was paying attention and taking extra time. So I think what I did in the spring has set me up for the opportunities I have now.”

Bailey thinks his camp has gotten off to an OK start, particularly knowing that he needs to be good in coverage — Ross Els’ scheme calls for it — to be able to maximize his playing time. He’s playing alongside veteran Jimmy Herman with the 2s now, but is keeping an eye toward Ezechukwu, trying to push the junior for snaps with the first-team defense.

“He’s doing great,” Herman said. “He’s one of the hardest workers and is always detailed. He’s asking questions. He’s got a bright future here. It’s good to be with a guy who can tell you what to do sometimes. The communication in a new defense, and having a guy next to you who knows what he’s doing, is a good thing.”

Ja’Whaun Bentley doesn’t look like a player who is returning from an ACL that cost him the second half of last season.

He didn’t look like it in the spring either.

Still, Purdue put the cuffs on him then, wanting to limit the middle linebacker as much as possible, holding him from live drills.

Not now.

“He’s moving better, which comes with time,” Freeman said. “These four months have helped him heal even more. He looks like he did before.”

The snaps are limited.

Purdue will only play two linebackers a majority of the season, part of Els’ DB-heavy match-up scheme. It means the ‘backers might get about a third less snaps this season than last.

Considering the Boilermakers have five linebackers with starting experience, plus Bailey, who is considered a starter-capable player, it’s created a logjam of those wanting to play.

“Having the depth is invaluable for us,” Herman said. “The competition is there. It helps drive me, helps drive everybody in the room. The depth is good, because it really helps us stay fresh, think more clearly.

“If we play less reps in a game, but they’re better reps, we have a better chance to win.”

And the 2s are likely to get a chance, says Freeman, because Purdue wants to keep its players as ready as possible. So perhaps Bailey spells Ezechukwu for a series.

“We’re going to roll guys for sure,” Freeman said. That’s the best part about what we’re doing, we’re going to have fresh guys in there. … We’re going to make sure we have fresh linebackers in the game.”

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