Henry stays at 1; more Day 5 notes
RobHenryspenthisthirdconsecutivedayasPurdue'sfirst-unitquarterback,andalthoughDarrellHazellwon'tbudgefromhistimelinetonameastarter,itappearstheseniorhasemergedasthefront-runner.
Hazell,however,didofferhisassessmentofHenry'sperformancefollowingWednesday'spractice,thefirstinfullpadsthistrainingcamp.
"Robhasdoneanexcellentjob,"saidthefirst-yearcoach,whohaspreviouslysetadateoftwoweeksbeforetheAug.31openertonameastarter."He'shadfivereallygoodpractices.We'restillnotthereyet.Butthere'sabattlegoingontherestill,justsoyouguysknow."
DannyEtling,whofirsttookconsistentfirst-teamsnapsonSunday,hasbeenwiththesecondunitforthelastthreedays,whileAustinApplebyleadsthe3s.ButlikeTuesday,Hazellrepeatedhisrefrainthatnothingshouldbereadintotheconsistencyofthedepthchart.
"Absolutelynot,absolutelynot,"hesaid.
Wednesday,HenryledtheBoilermakersona65-yardtouchdowndriveinthetwo-minuteoffense,usinga40-yardscreentoAkeemHunttosetupa19-yardscoringpasstoJustinSinzinafull-contactteamdrill.
Butearlier,the1sstruggledtogetofftheirowngoalline,beingdeniedafirstdownbythedefense.
"I'mstilllearning,"Henrysaid."AndCoach(John)ShoopandCoachHazellarecontinuingtopushme.Westillhavelike24days-youlosecountduringcamp;itkindofrunstogether-toimproveandweneedto."
ConsideringHazell'spraiseWednesday,Henrywasaskedtoassesshisownplay,perhapsbygivingitalettergrade.Butthequarterback,ashe'sgenerallydonethroughouthiscareer,washesitanttotalkabouthimself.
"Ihatetodothat,"hesaid."There'ssomanythingsthatgointoplayingquarterback.Thenumbersdon'talwaystellthewholestory.Youhavetohavegoodblockingbytheoffensiveline,thereceivershavetocatchtheball.Thebackshavetopickupblitzes.It'shardtogivemyselfagradebecausethere'ssomuchthatgoesintoit."
Thenhowaboutagradefortheoffense?
"We'vehadourupsanddowns,butI'llgiveusprobablyaC-plus,B-minusatthispoint,"hesaid."Wehaven'thadtoomanymistakesandwe'recontinuingtoreduceourmissedassignmentsandmentalerrors.…WehavetocontinuetoimproveandbeA-pluscomeAug.31."
Boilersgofullpads
Forthefirsttimeincamp,onDay5,theBoilermakerswereinfullpads.
Itallowedthemtotackleinteamdrills-theydidsolateinpractice-andtogetphysicalinpositionwork.Forinstance,runningbacksfacedlinebackersinahard-hittingface-off.Andin"SteelerDrill,"threeoffensivelinemenfacedthreedefensivelinemen,witharunningbacktryingtogetacrossthegoalline.
"It'sagoodwelcometofullpads,"defensiveendRyanRussellsaid."Goin,getintoitandcompeteagainstthebestandreallyfightforeveryinch.That'sreallywhatthe'SteelerDrill'is,amanfightingforeveryinch."
Hazellwasencouragedbywanthesaw.
"Ithoughttheirspiritswerereallygood,"hesaid."Alotofenergyouthere."
Holmesontheside
TightendGabeHolmeswaslimitedWednesday-anddidnottakepartinanycontactteamdrills-duetoaminorhamstringsufferedlateinTuesday'ssession.
Inhisabsence,PatrickBademovedinastheNo.2tightendinthetwo-TEpackagesonthefirstteam(withSinz).
Tothebacks
Duringthefirstfivedaysofpractice,Purduehasshownatendencytofrequentlylookunderneathinthepassinggame,hittingrunningbacksintheflatortightendsneartheline.
Therunningbackscreenappearslikelytobeastapleoftheoffenseandcouldbeaweapon.Hunttookone40yardsWednesdaytosetupascore.
ButHazellsaystheBoilerswanttospreadtheballtoalloftheireligiblereceivers.
"Wetalkaboutgettingcompletions,nomatterwheretheballisgoing,"hesaid."Thoseareeasythrowsforthequarterbacks,droppingitofftotherunningbacksandtightends.Butwedoneedtopushtheballvertically."
BilalMarshallClickThisandthatHeretoviewthisLink.wassidelinedagain,histhirdstraightday,withahipflexorinjury.
Scoutshavebeenattendingpractices.OnWednesday,threeteamswererepresented,includingtheSt.LouisRamsandNewEnglandPatriots.
Whilecomingofftheirowngoallineinateamdrill,theBoilermakeroffensesrepeatedlywerecalledforpre-snappenalties.
ThreestraightagainsttheNo.2offensehaditstartingonitsowninch-line.
TrevorFoyClick"It'sfrustratingandthere'sareasonforit,"Hazellsaid,possiblyalludingtoahardcount."Ican'tshareitwithyou,butthere'sareasonforit."HeretoviewthisLink.hasmovedtorightguard.
Thesenior,arighttacklepreviously,waswiththesecondunitWednesday.
"WeneededtomoveTrevorinsidetohelpusoutalittlebit,ontherightside,"Hazellsaid.
Meanwhile,CodyDavis,whohadstartedwiththefirstteamatRG,isatbackupcenterandcouldgivetheBoilersdepthontheinterioroftheline.
HazellsaidFoywillcompetewithJordanRoosforfirst-teamsnaps.RooshasbeenwiththeNo.1sthelasttwodays.
DavidKohout,ofthenon-profitorganization"TalkIsCheap,"wasaguestspeakerfortheBoilermakersatateammeetingTuesdaynight.
AfterwardAustinApplebytweeted"Whatwejustheardwasunbelievable.#BeGreat#MakeDifference."
"Iwishyouguyscouldhavebeenthereforthemessage,"saidHazellofthetake-care-of-othersthemedspeech."Itwasoutstanding."
Hazellwillbringothersinoverthenextcoupleweeks,includingformerBoilerLeroyKeyesonThursday.
"Wetrytogetourguysalittlebitofperspectivefromdifferentguyscomingin,"Hazellsaid.
Purdue'sfirsttwo-a-dayisThursday.
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