Griggs, MacDougall still battling; Wednesday notebook

PaulGriggstypicallydoesn'tlackforconfidence.

Inthespring,hesaidhewaslookingto"own"Purdue'stopfieldgoalkickerspotinthefall.Madesense,consideringhewasthestarterin2013andalsohadsevenattemptsasatruefreshmanin2012.

Butsofarovertheteam'sfirstthreeweeksofpractices,juniorGriggshasn'testablishedafirmholdonthejob,dueinparttoanupgradeincompetition.Fifth-yeartransferIanMacDougallhasbeenlargelyconsistentsincehearrivedatPurdueinthefall,somuchsothatCoachDarrellHazellsaidafterWednesday'skickingscrimmagehe'snotsurewhowillbethestarterforWeek1.

OnWednesday,Griggsmade6-of-12fieldgoals,andMacDougallwas9-for-13.Amongthemissesforthekickers,eightwereinside40yards.

"Ithinkit'sgoingtobedifficulttodecide,basedon(Wednesday's)performance,"Hazellsaid."IthoughttheywereOKinthefirsthalf,andweweren'tasgoodasweneedtobeinthesecondhalf.We'vegottohitthose.Theywereallshortfieldgoals,andweneedtobeabletohitthoseshortfieldgoals.

"We'lltakealongandcloselookatitandmakeadecisionwhichguyisourguy."

Griggs'makeswerefrom30,31,34,36,35and42,buthemissedfrom32,34,34,36,37and46.Onemisswasofftheleftupright,anotherkickwasblocked.

GriggswasworkingwithAustinApplebyasaholder,andJesseSchmittasthesnapper.ApplebyhadanicesaveoffabadsnapandgotitdownforGriggstostillkickitthrough.GriggssaidpunterThomasMeadowswillbethefirst-teamholderduringtheseason.

"I'vedoneprettywell,"Griggssaidofhisfall."WesatdownwithCoach(Brian)Masonbeforecampandwrotesomegoalsdown,andI'mprettyclosetomygoals.(Wednesday),obviously,wasnotliketherestofthepracticeswe'vehad.Itwasalittlebitmorekickingfocused,soitwasabiggerdayforthespecialistsandwe'regoingtogowatchthefilmandseehowitturnedout.ButIthinkI'vebeendoingprettywellandbuildingalotofconfidencefortheseason."

Griggssaidhedidn'tknowhisfieldgoalpercentageduringcampbutsaidheandMacDougallhavecombinedtomakeabout75percent.Thegoalwas80percent,hesaid.

Inhiscareer,Griggshasmade10-of-19fieldgoals(53percent).

MacDougall'sgameexperienceislimitedtoDivisionIIIWabashCollege,wherehestartedkickingonthefootballteamaftermakingtheswitchfromsoccerafterhisfreshmanyear.Inthreeyears,MacDougallmade26-of-38fieldgoals.

"ThenicepartisthattranslatingfromDivisionIIItoDivisionI,theuprightsarestillthesame,thehashmarksarestillthesame,youstillkickofffromthesamespot,"MacDougallsaid."Granted,theguysherearealotbiggerandalotfaster.Tome,kickingiskicking.Forme,it'sactuallyreallytherapeutic.Ienjoyjusthittingthesnotoutoftheballandwatchingitgothroughtheuprightsorgooutthebackoftheendzone."

MacDougallsaidhe'd"obviously"liketobePurdue'skickerfortheseasonopener,buthealsothinkshisbestcharacteristicisbeingagoodteammate.Whoeverthechoiceis,MacDougallsaidthegoalistobe"thebestspecialistunittogooutintheBigTenthisyear."

Griggsseemstohaveenjoyedthecompetition,too.Andwillcontinuetofightforthejob.

"IanandIaregoingoutthereeverydayandbuildingeachotherupandgettingbetter,"Griggssaid."Yourcoachesgettomakethatdecision,andwejustgooutthereanddoourthinganddoittothebestofourability."(SC)

ConfidenceinMeadows

Meadowshasn'thadmuchcompetitionforhisNo.1puntingresponsibilities.

Buthe'snotneededit;thejuniorhaspuntedwellsincetakingoverforRayGuyfinalistCodyWebsterinthespring.MeadowsseemedtohaveaconsistentdaypuntingWednesdayafternoon,especiallywithhisskykicks.Hehadpuntsdownedatthe4andthe7andanotherwascalledforafaircatchatthe9.

"Tome,thatguyhasbeenreally,reallyspecial,"Hazellsaid."Whatmakeshimspecialishisconsistency,hejustcontinuestodrivetheballandhislocationhasbeenverypreciseforus.

"He'sverymature.He'sverycalm.Andhe'sworkedatit."

It'shelpedMeadowstohaveonlyonekickingresponsibilitynow.Afterkickingoffhisfirsttwoseasons,Meadowsgavethatupforthisyear-responsibilitywillfalltoGriggsandMacDougall-andhe'snotkickingfieldgoals,either.

"IthinkIfeelmorecomfortablethanIlook,"Meadowssaid."Ifeelreallycomfortablebackthere.IknowthatifIgetagooddrop,I'mgoingtokillit,doareallygoodjob.IfeellikeIhavereallygoodtouchontheballrightnowandcanpinguysinsidethe20andinsidethe10whenIcan.Ifeelreallyconfident,althoughtherearestillsomethingstoworkon."

MorefromMeadowsThursday.(KC)

MoreMostert

RaheemMostert'sspecialteamshighlightsaregenerallyreservedforkickoffreturn.

ButWednesday,heblockedafieldgoal,comingofftherightedgetoknockitdown.Helikelydidn'twinhimselfajob-Purdueprobablydoesn'twanttooverworkitsNo.1runningback-buthecouldbeanoption.

"Ifthere'soneofthosesituationsattheendofthegame,hemightbeaguyyouthrowoutthere,"Hazellsaid.(KC)

Comingup

PurduewillpracticelightlyforthenextfewdaysbeforegearingupnextweekforWesternMichigan.

TheBoilermakerswillbeinshellsforaclosedpracticeonThursday,thenwillhaveawalk-thru-they'llrehearseasifplayingagame-onFridayfollowingthekickoffluncheon.PlayersareoffSaturday,thengolightonSundayandoffagainonMonday,thefirstdayofclasses.

"Then,Tuesday,WednesdayandThursday,we'llpairitwaydownandgetreadytogo,"Hazellsaid.(KC)

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