Countdown to Camp: Purdue linebackers

Leading into August’s training camp, GoldandBlack.com is breaking down Purdue position by position. Here’s the second installment of our series, previewing the team’s linebackers.

Purdue’s linebackers need to refocus their instincts.

Rather than immediately stepping toward the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball, as they did in the previous defensive scheme, the Boilermakers have to be more patient. And in first-year defensive coordinator Ross Els’ system, their first step, likely, will be lateral, or maybe even backward.

And that’s a big-time change that takes not only physical adjustment, but — and probably more critically — mental, as well.

“We’ve become a pass-first defense,” middle linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley said. “Last year, I’d say we were more run-first, downhill, shoot the gap. Now, we have to be a little more patient. (Linebackers) coach (Marcus) Freeman says it’s better to have to slow us down, rather than speed us up.”

The change is one of a number of them for the Boilermaker linebacker corps this season, and it might not be the biggest. Rather, that Purdue will frequently have only two ’backers on the field, as part of its nickel defense, likely will be. And with the position arguably being Purdue’s deepest — it has five players with starting experience, plus a sixth who has the potential to be one — it’ll mean increased competition to see how the snaps, fewer of them in total, are divided.

“Coach Freeman has made it clear that sometimes for an entire game we might only have two linebackers on the field,” junior Danny Ezechukwu said. “We might have three playing bigger teams. Or we may just have one (against spread offenses), but Coach Freeman doesn’t harp on that. He treats us as young men and professionals and lets our play hash it out. He grades our film and lets it speak for itself.

“There’s nothing hidden in our room. If you make a mistake, it’s out there. If you do well, it’s out there. What’s understood doesn’t need to be explained too much. We understand the situation our defense is in; we all want to play and we’re all going to do what we have to in order to see the field. The play will speak for itself.”

So who will it be?

It’s a question that, aside from Bentley in the middle, isn’t yet answered. Ezechukwu, a two-year starter, has played a lot at weakside linebacker the last couple seasons, but might still be a developing player. Senior Jimmy Herman has been a starter, when healthy, the last couple seasons, but the healthy part — he missed a majority of spring after shoulder surgery — has been a constant problem. Senior Andy Garcia was Purdue’s third-leading tackler last year, after he subbed in for Bentley and Markus Bailey following their ACL injuries. Junior Garrett Hudson was pressed into action last year for the same reason. And Bailey, having returned from knee surgery, is a bright young redshirt freshman who should figure into the two-deep, at the least.

Bentley and Bailey participated in the spring, although they sat out the jersey scrimmage and spring game for precautionary reasons as much as anything else.

“That’s one position where we have too much competition,” Els said. “… We had a little bit of trouble in spring of getting enough guys enough reps. Part of it was that Bailey and Bentley both had those knee injuries, but we didn’t have anyone who stood out and said, ‘Oh, you’re the guy.’ And that’s why we rolled a lot of people in. When you took Bailey and Bentley out, that allowed other guys to work with the first unit, too. There was a lot of rotation there, but we’ll see how August goes to see who is going to be in.”

The player who covers the best might get the first chance on the weakside. Ezechukwu thinks he’s improved, and he's needed to, after struggling with the added responsibility last season.

Although he totaled 79 tackles, including a couple for loss, he could get lost in coverage at times, as well. In the new scheme, that won’t be ideal.

“I’m grateful that’s it’s something the coaches think I can do because they’ve been trying me at it in the spring,” he said. “I just need to show I can do it and that it’s something I’m comfortable with.”

But if he isn’t, then someone else might be. Maybe it’s Bailey, who tore his ACL early enough last season that he was granted a medical redshirt. But before the Game 3 injury, the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder showed that he had the potential to be a very good player at Purdue. Maybe it’s Herman, who has been the Boilermakers’ best coverage linebacker, again, however, when he's healthy.

Even Bentley has to be better in coverage. The veteran will frequently be lined up over the running back, almost shadowing him, and often responsible for him in coverage. But that’s not been Bentley’s strength his first two years, when his best plays have come in rush defense at the line of scrimmage. But the 6-2 ‘backer was down to 248 pounds by mid-summer, feeling like that would give him a better chance.

“Being lighter period will help in coverage and running,” said the junior, who had 49 tackles, with 7.5 for loss, before being hurt before Game 6 in 2015. “Running sideline to sideline will be a lot easier, and it will be lot easier since I was 260 doing it. I’ll feel a lot different being 248 and doing it. Losing that weight will help me along.”

When Purdue plays a third linebacker, it won’t be a traditional strongside because it won’t necessarily be responsible for coverage on the tight end. In Els’ base defense, for example, the Mike will line up in the middle, aligned with the running back, with the Will positioned behind the three technique, while the “Buck” — Els' terms — will be opposite the Will, regardless of where the tight end is lined up.

“They get the same look over and over again,” Els said.

Still, it comes down to whether Purdue’s linebackers — most of the top players being veterans of another set of schematic rules — can adjust.

“You can’t take a false step,” Ezechukwu said. “And you’re not going forward all the time. … I’m embracing it. Playing lateral first is true, because one thing that Coach Els preaches is coverage first and react to the run, so playing laterally will suit us very well. It’s just something that we’ll have to get used to. I don’t think it will be too hard. … It’s not impossible to do. It’s just muscle memory.”

More: 2016 football primer

More: Gold and Black Illustrated's pre-camp depth chart

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