What was old is now new again for Antonio Blackmon.
As Simeon Smiley was being helped onto a medical cart after suffering a gruesome injury in the first half of last week's season opener, Blackmon knew he would be immediately returning to his old position. Blackmon spent last season at the versatile nickel position in Purdue's 4-2-5 scheme and in the midst of a reshuffling at halftime, Blackmon reintroduced himself for the final 30 minutes to his old position.
"I played all last year so last week was nothing new to me," Blackmon said. "When you're switching your focus immediately to just corner and then back to nickel in the middle of a game, it would seem tough but really, if you know your assignments, you can play free."
Jeff Brohm confirmed Wednesday evening during his weekly radio show that Smiley would be inactive this weekend against Eastern Michigan due to concussion symptoms. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt said Blackmon would return to a nickel spot and freshman Kenneth Major would be at the cornerback spot opposite Tim Cason.
"The overall message (for the defense) is to play harder, more physical and with more confidence," Holt said Wednesday. "Go make something happen. Don't wait for it to happen. Don't wait for somebody else to make it happen. You make it happen."
With less than three minutes to go in the first half, Smiley collided with Cason on a throw over the middle. Smiley was examined by Purdue trainers and medical staff for an extended period of time before being carted off the field. He required multiple stitches to close a laceration to his face.
Brohm and Holt have both suggested multiple players would see action at the nickel spot depending on the body type they need at the position. Holt said after Wednesday's practice that sophomore Tobias Larry could find himself in that spot if Purdue is in need of a more physical presence and even freshman Elijah Ball could see his first collegiate action this weekend.
"We're always trying to find guys to make up our best 11 out there and that is an every-day type of thing," Holt said.
Blackmon, who made five tackles and a broke up a pass last week in the loss to Northwestern, said Wednesday it's not necessarily his responsibility to get defenders in the back lined up properly as a nickel but feel comfortable as a veteran on this Purdue defense to correct younger players for the first time in his career.
"(Last week) we had those young guys in there so I was just trying to tell them to calm down and understand what the situation was. For example, if it was third-and-deep then telling them to back up and remember they'll be trying to get behind you toward the (first down) sticks," Blackmon said. "If I see a guy out of position, it's my responsibility to let them know where they should be. You want to be that role model for them like the older guys were for me a few years ago."
Holt thought the defense's shutout of Northwestern in the second half was a result of Purdue's inexperienced players feeling their way through the game but praised the leadership roles of the veterans including Blackmon.
"The coaches have been telling us all week that you can have effort and be in the wrong place, too," Blackmon said. "However, I do feel like a lot of the big plays we gave up (against Northwestern) really weren't assignment errors. It was missed tackles and mistakes that you just can't afford to have happen against a team like Northwestern."
Blackmon, a Fort Wayne native who joined the Boilermakers as a walk-on in the spring of 2015, made 11 tackles in 11 games as a reserve player last season.
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