Devin Mockobee struggles with a problem that most people can only hope to have. The inability to gain weight. Purdue's top running back has never been able to pack on pounds his entire life, but he and the coaches, strength staff and team nutritionist concocted a plan to change that this off-season.

A jump from 195 to 207 pounds was tougher than expected, forcing the Boilermakers' standout out of the backfield to eat constantly during the day, on top of his already hearty meals.

"It was just one of those things where, coming into this year, it was just really focusing on making sure I just had enough calories, because with football and engineering and all that, it was really hard to fit in all the food that I needed for the day," Mockobee said.

"It got to a point where they were sending me with a lunch box to classes to keep snacks and food. Obviously, I would always be eating in class and stuff like that."

Running backs coach Lamar Conard headlined the push for Mockobee to add weight heading into his redshirt junior campaign this fall, but he wasn't alone in the battle. Conard, along with the help of Kiero Small and the nutrition staff in West Lafayette, utilized Mockobee's family to gain a better understanding of his eating habits dating back to when he was just a child.

"It takes a village, right? It started with our strength coach, Coach Ro, having a real conversation with him about the importance of it," Conard said. "I had to make some phone calls. I called mom, I called dad. I put Mock on the spot a little bit. You know, got some more information about his eating habits from people who have been around in his entire life. And then we all came together and had some tough conversations about where your future could be."

Conard credits Mockobee for his willingness and discipline to commit to changing his entire diet, leading to what he believes will be the best version of Mockobee we've seen during his time in West Lafayette.

"Ultimately, he's a professional. He understood the task and he went to work. Again, I give credit to Coach Ro, our strength coach, our nutritionist, and Mock himself for taking it serious and wanting to help his team progress and ultimately help himself be the best version of himself," Conard said.

The catalyst for Mockobee's body transformation was Conard's desire to see him take the next step in his career, having the ability to absorb contact better than before. Conard believed playing running back in the Big Ten at his weight was not sustainable in the long term, mostly due to how much strength was held in Mockobee's frame.

Conard pointed to Tyrone Tracy Jr. being 210 pounds last season and having success out of the Boilermakers' backfield.

"If you want to have a chance to take the next step in your evolution, you can't play in the Big Ten at 180-190 pounds. You know, he played last season pretty banged up. It affected a lot of aspects of his game, and it's not just the weight, it's the strength," Conard said.

"You want to be the guy and play confidently. That's kind of the separation between him and Tyrone. Last year, Tyrone was 205-210, pounds, and he was the uber confident guy because he trsuted his body," Conard said.

Make no mistake, Mockobee has never been one avoid contact, but the hits began taking a toll, causing him to have to play differently than how he is wired. The veteran running back now believes he can run through defenders more consistently after bulking up.

"I've always had that kind of mentality to want to run through guys, but obviously I didn't have the size to do that last year or the year before. So, I think it'll make a very big difference with the weight that I have this year, to actually be able to run how I was more comfortable running, versus trying to get away from stuff," Mockobee said.

That hard work has begun to pay off during fall camp, as Conard and the coaching staff have already seen how the off-season work is benefitting Mockobee and the Purdue run game as a whole.

"He's a stronger runner. He's more explosive in and out of his cuts, but he's always been really quick. He could get knocked off line a little bit. We call him crazy legs for a reason. I like that aspect of his game, but I want him to be stronger when he puts his feet in the ground," Conard said. "Most importantly, if you watch him in protections, he's just stronger. Doesn't get knocked off as much."

It's the same old Crazy Legs that will be a factor out of the backfield for the Boilermakers this fall, but the improvements to his frame could help pave the way for even more success in 2024.