In less than year, former WR Norwood already in starting cornerback mix

In Purdue training camp last year, much like this one, Myles Norwood was fighting to move up the depth chart.

Then, it was at receiver.

And Norwood didn’t do much moving.

So by the time the season began, Norwood decided he needed a change. He approached cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson, as well as head coach Darrell Hazell, and said he’d be willing to make a move. That happened in mid-September. Less than a year later, Norwood is the mix for a starting cornerback spot.

It's been quite the year.

"It's hard to believe I'm here," Norwood said Thursday after working with the first-team defense for the second consecutive practice. “It’s something that you just have to adjust to. I played DB in high school, so it’s not that big of a difference. But once you believe in Coach Johnson, you believe in your guys, those guys in the room, they encourage me. They know I’m very raw. Believing in guys like Da’Wan Hunte. I take him and follow him. He’s experienced. He’s been out there, so I just follow him, ask him for advice, technique stuff. I call up guys like Frankie Williams, AB, the guys in the league who have done this. You just take pointers, take criticism and go from there.

“It’s hard to believe I’m here, but once you put your head down and work, it’s (also) not hard to think that I’m here.”

Johnson had been in Norwood’s ear for awhile about coming to his side. The obvious reason: Norwood is 6-foot with long arms and athletic. That’s not a physical package that comes along too often at cornerback. But it had Johnson intrigued, and once Norwood obliged and made the switch, the two had considerable work to do. Norwood had to learn some technique things and refine others, and then when Ross Els and his new scheme entered the picture, Norwood had to quickly get up to speed with new and different responsibilities.

Norwood’s done enough in a short time, though, to make coaches take notice.

He’s locked in a battle right now with Tim Cason and Kamal Hardy for the second starting cornerback spot. Norwood was with the first-team defense Wednesday afternoon and for walkthrough stuff Thursday morning, and he’ll get plenty of chances against the 1s and the 2s on Saturday in the jersey scrimmage. And he’s getting that opportunity because of the work he’s put in and the fact that coaches are learning to trust him.

“He really does a good job of understanding how he fits in relation to everyone else,” Els said. “Sometimes at that cornerback spot, you can get isolated and go, ‘This is my job and I have no idea where my help is. I don’t know my run fit, but I know I have to be here.’ Norwood understands everything.”

Last spring, Els make a point to put his DBs in difficult situations, often lining them up in press man with no help over the top. For many, that meant getting beat on deep balls down the sideline. For Norwood, it helped cultivate the necessary mentality to play in tight quarters with pressure to come through. Often now, he and Hunte will talk about believing their matchup will not catch the ball, believing — and speaking out loud — that they can be shut-down guys.

With Norwood’s physical makeup, maybe he can develop into that.

“Guys at receiver in the Big Ten, they’re 6-2, 6-3. Bringing a guy that’s a little bit taller, maybe a little longer and lengthy that’ll get in their face a little bit, that’s what I want to bring,” Norwood said. “Length, that gets a receiver bothered. I know from playing on the other side. You see a corner that’s the same size as you or bigger than you and you’re like, ‘Oh … OK.’ ”

D.J. Knox won't make a direct impact toward any on-field success Purdue may have this season: He's out for the entirety of it, having had ACL surgery in the spring and using this year to rehab.

But he fully intends to play a big role this season.

"I had to find a place where I could help the team," Knox said Thursday after practice. "Bringing guys along (is it) because if the whole room is better and everybody knows what they’re doing, everybody plays better. That is exactly what we need. ...

"The guys, they understand that I put my heart and soul into this. Whether it’s the younger guys, the older guys, they always come to me, which makes me feel good. I’m always able to give them a little tip or something to give them that edge. I’ve accepted that role and that’s what I want to do and that’s going to be my contribution to Purdue football in 2016."

After starting last season as Purdue's top back, Knox was surpassed by Markell Jones in the middle of the year. But Knox still was a key contributor and intended to push Jones for snaps again this season. Until his knee gave out during a run in the spring game in April. Since the surgery, Knox has attacked rehab — and more.

Because his lower-body work couldn't be extensive in training this offseason, he put more emphasis on his upper body. That produced bigger, broader shoulders and a thicker chest. And proved Knox wasn't going to fade away.

He's attacked practices in camp, too, in the only way he can: By giving maximum effort in the pit, the area for injured players in practices ruled by members of the sports performance staff. Knox worked a bit too hard, though, trying to test himself to see just how hard he could push, and he's had to take the last two days to rest.

"I have to keep some kind of edge," he said. "I’m working 24-7 over in the pit, doing chin-ups, dips, push-ups, a lot of things. It sucks. But it’s getting me better.

"I don’t plan on coming back this year, but I’m going to train like I am coming back this year."

Purdue's final practice of camp is Saturday's much-anticipated jersey scrimmage, which starts at 11:15 a.m. at Ross-Ade Stadium. It'll be a key practice to determine the two-deep heading into next week when the Boilermakers will start game-week-type preparation for Eastern Kentucky by dividing into scout teams.

Darrell Hazell said he'll plan on resting some key players, too, Saturday, allowing four players to play only one series or so. It's imperative Purdue get through the 100-play scrimmage healthy. Though Hazell didn't specify which players, starting running back Markell Jones, starting middle linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley and starting defensive linemen Jake Replogle and Evan Panfil could be safe bets.

The starting spots still undecided: One corner, one safety and right tackle.

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