Bob Diaco is new to the Purdue staff, but there is one member who knew all about the freshly minted defensive coordinator before he arrived in West Lafayette: Anthony Poindexter.

The Boilermakers co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach was the defensive coordinator at UConn for Diaco when Diaco was the head coach in Storrs, Conn., from 2014-16. And Poindexter and Diaco served together under Al Groh on the Virginia staff, too, from 2006-08.

"The whole secondary, they are starting to understand the system a little bit better," said Poindexter. "It’s a new system. So everyone is learning. They come out here every day trying to work and absorb the information. They are doing a pretty good job right now. Just have to learn how to work, retain the information from the meetings. But they are doing a nice job."

Did Poindexter recruit Diaco to Purdue?

"No," said Poindexter after the Boilermakers' fourth spring practice on Monday. "That was him and Coach (Jeff) Brohm, they got to talking. I just gave my opinion on him, that I had worked with him and known him a long time. His resume sells itself. I didn’t have to sell Coach Brohm on it."

Poindexter enjoyed success at UConn running Diaco's defense. In 2014, the Huskies ranked No. 6 in the American Athletic Conference in total defense (378.6 ypg), No. 2 in 2015 (355.1 ypg) and No. 5 in 2016 (410.8 ypg).

"I’m familiar with (the defense)," said Poindexter. "Ran it at Connecticut. We have been together, obviously, at UVA, too, where we got some of the pieces from it. I’m familiar with it. He changed some things down through the years when we were apart. I got the gist of it."

In the 2015 season at UConn, Poindexter led a unit that ranked seventh in the nation in red-zone defense (73 percent), 15th in scoring defense (19.5), 20th in passing defense (189.3) and 33rd in total defense (355.1).

Purdue is looking to rebound from a 4-8 record last season, when the program missed a bowl for the first time in the Brohm era. The defense could use a spark. The Boilermaker defense struggled in 2019 under coordinator Nick Holt, ranking 12th in the Big Ten in rushing defense (192.5 ypg), 13th in passing defense (243.8 ypg), 13th in total defense (436.3 ypg) and 12th in scoring defense (30.6 ppg).

One area that Brohm and Diaco want to improve: limiting big plays. The Boilermakers ranked No. 12 in the Big Ten in 2019 in long scrimmage plays allowed (10 yards or more) with 176. Purdue yielded 211 (12th in Big Ten) in 2018 and 184 (12th) in 2017.

It’s hoped the arrival of Diaco will help spark a turnaround in the fourth season under Brohm.

"(Diaco) brings a lot of energy," said Poindexter. "He brings a lot of passion. He loves kids. He loves football. He loves to work. And he loves to win. That’s what he’s gonna bring, that kind of attitude. Every day, it won’t change."

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The safeties play a huge role in Bob Diaco's new defense, which plays a 3-4 as its base alignment. In fact, the safeties call the defense.

"We are the voice of the defense ...," said fifth-year senior Simeon Smiley, who mostly played nickel back last season. "We make all the calls. That’s something that’s really different.

"I’ve always been a quiet guy. It’s cool. It’s what I have to do for my job. Just have to be loud and set all the calls."

Fifth-year senior Brennan Thieneman says it has been an adjustment. Before, former coordinator Nick Holt called the defense.

"The safeties are given definitiely more responsibilities in terms of setting the front and stuff and calling the field," said Thieneman. "It’s a lot more official in the calling. You gotta do shell, alignment and the coverages, so there are a lot more aspects to it that safeties have to communicate compared to the last defense. The last defense was a lot more assumed things. This time, different calls call for different things you have to point out.

"I would say right now, I am definitely getting the hang of it. The first few days, it was kind of weird. There is a lot more to the call than just the coverage."

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There is no shortage of promising young talent at safety with players like sophomore Cam Allen and true freshman Sanoussi Kane, who is enrolled and going through spring drills. And don't forget about redshirt freshman Marvin Grant, who is still getting over a shoulder injury from 2019.

"We are getting a chance to see a lot of (Grant)," said co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Anthony Poindexer. "Obviously, there are some things he’s limited in doing. Being able to evaluate him somewhat, we are excited about him. He has a lot of potential. We’ll see how it goes.

"He is just a good football player. Athletic, has size, can run. Got contact toughness. He can add a lot. We obviously just have to get him ready."

Kane also has caught the eye of Poindexter.

"He’s doing a good job," said Poindexter. "It hasn’t been too big for him. He’s coming out here, working hard. He’s a freshman, so he's gonna do freshman things. I’ve been impressed just with the way he has been attacking the work, and just how he comes to work every day. He’s excited for football, he loves football. We are excited to coach him."

Allen may be the best of them. No doubt, he's the most proven.

"He’s night and day," said Poindexter. "Obviously, we didn't have him last spring. You can’t put a measurement on getting into the real action of real games. He played over 200 plays last year. That was big. He came out here and is real comfortable in what he has to do. He just has to learn the system. But he has all the tools and all the equipment to be a good one."

Allen has the attention of Brennan Thieneman.

"He seems a lot more comfortable now, just a little more experienced," said Thieneman. "He has the confidence. He’s played here one season and it feels like he’s been here five years. You forget he’s a freshman. He thinks he can push me around."

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