Depth at safety buoys potential of Purdue secondary

MORE: Training camp coverage

The Purdue defense has plenty of questions as it churns toward the season-opener vs. Iowa in Ross-Ade Stadium on Oct. 24.

• How quickly will the scheme of new coordinator Bob Diaco be picked up?

• Is tackle Lorenzo Neal back to his former self?

• Who will be the end opposite George Karlaftis?

• Are the linebackers improved?

But the secondary? It may have the fewest questions. Co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Anthony Poindexter likes the depth--and potential--in the back end.

"I just think we got a good overall defensive back room," said Poindexter after practice on Wednesday. "Got a lot of guys that can play, guys that wanna play, guys that work a lot, guys that love football. So, we feel good about our group."

Poindexter says four players have been the primary safeties during the early stages of camp: sophomore Cam Allen, fifth-year senior Brennan Thieneman, redshirt freshman Marvin Grant and fifth-year senior Simeon Smiley. One player to watch: Allen, who says the game has slowed down for him after he turned heads as a true freshman.

"We are all competing, man," said Allen after practice on Wednesday. "That's what I really have to say about our squad. Coach Diaco brought in a good system for us to learn. ... "

Allen may have been the most impressive true freshman in the back-end last season. The 6-1, 200-pound Virginia native showed a penchant for delivering a big hit while making 32 tackles in 11 games.

"He's been in Big Ten games, which helps a lot," said Poindexter. "He has a lot of work to do. ... but he's working hard, like all the rest of them."

Grant is another player with potential. He saw action in three games in 2019, but a shoulder injury forced the 6-2, 210-pound Grant to redshirt. And, it was difficult to watch.

"It was tough," said Grant. "... Whatever role they need me to do, and I'm gonna do it."

Hard work and improvement are needed coming off a season in which the Boilermakers were 12th in the Big Ten in pass defense (243.8 ypg). And opponents completed 61.8 percent of their passes in 2019. Only one other Big Ten school allowed a higher completion percentage. Still, a veteran secondary offers promise.

"I think we have a lot of options," said Poindexter. "We have a lot of good DBs and I've got as much depth as we've had since we've been here. ... We got a few more practices here before we have to make any decisions."

Not only will the safeties need to be active against the run and pass, they’ll also have to be leaders. And that will mean raising their voices, according to new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco. In fact, he has the “help wanted” sign out for vocal leaders.

“In a lot of instances, our secondary really drives our defense,” said Diaco. “… When the safeties speak, everybody listens. No matter what you think, you should do whatever the safeties say, is what you do. Don’t do what you think. Everybody has to be coordinated from top down. And they are doing a good job with that. But we have a long way to go in that area right now. We’ll get there. I’m very confident we’ll get there.”

Who is taking charge?

“We have the players to do it,” said Diaco. “Some are more willing communicators than others. Like, Brennan (Thieneman) is a willing communicator. In combination with his brain power, which is high, he’s really doing a nice job. The other guys are really smart guys, too, but less willing communicators right now. But every day, they get a little bit better and they’ll be ready to communicate demonstratively and drive the group by game time.”

The 6-1, 210-pound Thieneman, a fifth-year senior majoring in construction engineering, is the quintessential quarterback in the secondary.

"The safeties, they run the defense," said Thieneman. "We get the call and the safeties have to make additional calls and checks. We tell different players what they're doing each play. We run the defense, and I'm very happy and thankful that I'm at the safety role because I really love doing that."

His value as a decision-maker is key, but he also has developed skill after originally walking on in 2016. Thieneman made 49 tackles in 2019 while making eight starts.

"Definitely, I think I have stepped up my leadership role," said Thieneman, "being that this is my last season. I think the DBs are looking good, especially the safeties. We got a lot of guys back with experience. We're just getting better every practice. We got new guys coming in that are showing a lot of good athleticism, they are making plays. The defensive backs that really good this year."

UConn grad transfer Tyler Coyle played safety in Storrs, Conn., where he started three seasons and played a season for Bob Diaco when the new Purdue defensive coordinator was the Huskies head coach and Anthony Poindexter was the UConn DC. But instead of safety, defensive back Cam Allen says the 6-2, 215-pound Coyle is playing the "DOG" spot--an outside linebacker to the field side--for Purdue. Like Coyle, 6-3, 215-pound Jalen Graham also appears to figure in at “DOG." The sophomore saw extensive action as a true freshman in 2019, making eight starts and 37 tackles. ... Poindexter says no decision has been made on who will be the nickleback. ... Freshman Antonio Stevens is trying to make his mark at safety.

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