Gregory eager for new chance; Day 5 notes

RobertGregorydesperatelywantedachancetogetonthefieldforPurdue.

Ifthatmeantanotherpositionswitch,sobeit.

SowhenhemetwithDarrellHazellafterreturningfromsemesterbreak,Gregoryaskedthecoachwherehesawthesophomore's"bestfit."

Whenspringballstarted,Gregorywasondefense,workingwiththesafeties.It'shisthirdpositionsincearrivingatPurdueasaquarterback,thenmovingtorunningbackbutnotgettinganygamesnapstherelastseason.

"Manypeoplefrombackhome,mentors,highschoolcoachesandpeoplethatwatchedmegrowingup,saidsafetywouldbeagoodlook.Withthesizeandtheathleticability,Ihaveachanceofplayingatthenextlevelatthisposition,soIdidn'thaveaproblemwithit,"GregorysaidThursdayafterthefifthdayofPurdue'sspringball.

Afternotplayinganysafetyatanypointpreviously-althoughheplayedalittlebitofcornerbackinhighschool-thetransitionhashaditsupsanddownsthisspring,Gregorysaid.ButhelikesnewsecondarycoachTaverJohnsonandhasbeenappreciativeofthecoach'sdisciplineandfocusonlearning,likerequiringplayerstotakenotesduringmeetings.

Duringpracticeslastseason,Gregoryshowedanabilitytobephysicalwhilehavingtheballinhishands.He'sshownsomefearlessnessearlythisspringatthenewspot.

"He'sahitter,"Johnsonsaid."Hemadeacoupleplays(Thursday).We'vegottocleanhisfeetup.He'salittlebitoffishoutofwater,firsttimeplayingtheposition.ButIlikehim.Bigguylikethatthatcancomeupandcoveralotofground,that'stheplanrightnow(tokeephimhere)."

Earlyinspring,Gregoryhasbeenworkingwiththesecond-teamdefense.LandonFeichterandTaylorRichardshavethetoptwospotslocked,andsophomoreAustinLoganiscomingoffaseasonwithsomegamesnaps.

Still,Gregorydidn'tmakethemovejusttositonthesidelines.

HeevenhadaninterceptionduringWednesday'spractice-thefirstoneduringteamworkintheopenpractices.Hesaiditdidn't,though,becauseitwasactuallyinthewrongplacebuthappenedtomakeaplay.Still,itshowedsomeplay-makingskills,somethingthesecondaryneedsin2014withinterceptionsleaderRicardoAllengraduated.

"Idon'tfeelasifIcontributedasmuchasIcouldhavelastyearplayingtherunningbackposition,"hesaid."Somemakingtheswitch-andwewerekindoflowonbodiesasfarassafetiesgo-soIfigure,I'llcomehelpthemoutwithmyathleticismandmybodytypeandmakeitbustthatway,aswellasstillplayspecialteams."

TalkingupCoachJohnsonhasn'tbeenoncampustoolong-hisfirstchancetomeetwithplayersafterbeinghiredwaslastmonth-buthe'squicklymakinganimpression.

Gregory,TaylorRichardsandFrankieWilliamsallsaidtheyappreciateJohnson'smixedapproach,andtheyfeellikehecanhelpmoldthesecondaryintoasuccessfulgroup.

ForRichards,it'shisfourthdefensivebackscoachinfouryears,whichhasbeen"overwhelming"attimes,hesaid.Buthe'shappywithNo.4.

"IloveCoachJohnson,"Richardssaid."HeremindsmealotofCoachAnarumoandalotofCoachBurns.CoachAfromthedisciplinesidewherewehavetobesotechnicalwitheverythingandCoachBurnswhereit'salotmoreenergyandhebringsthehave-funkindofattitude,reallygetexcitedtoplayfootball.It'sabrandnewday,let'sbringiteveryday.Iloveit,Ireallydo.Ittakesalittlebitofadjusting,butatthesametime,it'sreallygood."

SpeakingoutRichardsspokewithreportersforthefirsttimesincepleadingguiltyinlate-FebruarytoaClassCmisdemeanorofoperatingavehiclewithaBACofatleast0.08ormore.

Hewassentencedto364daysofprobationand32hoursofcommunityservice.Hazell,though,hasyettoannounceanyofhisowndisciplinaryactionsfortheseniorsafety.

"DefinitelywhatIdidwaswrong,"RichardssaidThurssday."IapologizeforeverythingthatIdidtotheuniversity,tomyfootballteam,tomyparents,myfamily.ButCoachHazellishandlingitrightnow,andwhatevertherepercussionsare,we'llfindout.Rightnow,I'mjustfocusingonfootballandgrades."

HeadingoutPurdue'splayerswillscatteroverthenextweek,headingoutforspringbreak.ThreeBoilermakerswillbemakingasignificantjourney-toSouthAfricaonamissiontripheadedbyPurdueathleticchaplainMartyDittmar.

Williams,DolapoMacarthyandSeanRobinsonwillflyfromIndianapolistoLondontoJohannesburg,SouthAfrica,andthenheaduptothesmalltownshipofHammanskraaltohelpatanorphanage.

TheBoilermakerswillbeinSouthAfricaforaboutsixdays,returningtotheStatesonFriday,Williamssaid.

Copyright,Boilers,Inc.2014.AllRightsReserved.Reproducingorusingeditorialorgraphicalcontent,inwholeorinpart,withoutpermission,isstrictlyprohibited.E-mailGoldandBlack.com/Boilers,Inc.

GoldandBlack.com Mobile for your AndroidClick GoldandBlack.com Mobile for your iPhoneClick Here to view this Link. | Here to view this Link.

Click Click Here to view this Link. Here to view this Link.