Installation has begun on a new Purdue defense

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Purdue is looking for change. Purdue is looking for improvement. And it begins with a better defense.

That's why Bob Diaco is firmly planted in West Lafayette. Jeff Brohm brought the high-energy defensive coordinator to campus to improve a Boilermaker defense that had grown stale and largely ineffective under former coordinator Nick Holt.

On Monday, Diaco could be seen sprinting from player to player, cajoling, yelling instructions and offering encouragement in a spirited coaching style. Diaco looks like he still could play, sporting broad shoulders, a tapered waist and perfectly coifed hair. He was a whirlwind of activity.

“I like what I've seen to this point,” Brohm said. “Coach Diaco has a great deal of experience and knowledge and intelligence. He's coached that side of the ball for a long time. ... I feel confident that because of the discipline he'll bring to the defense, he'll do some very good things for us.”

The Boilermaker defense struggled last season under Holt, ranking 12th in the Big Ten in rushing defense (192.5 ypg), 13th in passing defense (243.8 ypg), 13th in total defense (436.3 ypg) and 12th in scoring defense (30.6 ppg). One area that rankled Brohm the most: Big plays. (see chart) Purdue yielded too many long plays from scrimmage (10-yards or more) in the eyes of Brohm, who is in his fourth season at Purdue.

"We gave up way more big plays, explosive plays on defense than we ever have," said Brohm. "You're not going to win football games doing that. You want to be aggressive and all those things, but you can’t give up that many big plays. We're gonna work hard to get that number down."

Diaco transformed the Louisiana Tech defense in his one season in Ruston, La. Now, he is at Purdue, hired by Brohm in late December to replace Holt. Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz hated to see Diaco go, but he appreciated all he did during a 10-3 season that culminated with a 14-0 victory vs. Miami (Fla.) in the Independence Bowl.

The Bulldogs finished third in C-USA and 31st nationally in scoring defense in 2019, allowing 21.8 points per game. And Diaco's defense scored five touchdowns last season, all on interception returns, to finish first in the conference and third nationally in the category. But the Bulldogs yielded a lot of big plays, allowing 184 in 13 games to rank 11th in C-USA. Still, the overall performance by Diaco's defense in Ruston, La., was good.

Diaco did it with a 3-4 base while at Louisiana Tech. It's an alignment he has favored throughout his career, which has seen him coordinate defenses at schools like Notre Dame, Nebraska and Cincinnati.

“It is built on a 3-4 defense,” Holtz told GoldandBlack.com earlier this offseason. “(Former DC) Blake (Baker) was out of a 4-3 and moved to a 3-4. Bob is based out of a 3-4 but can move to a 4-3 or 4-2, predicated on formations. It’s a 3-4 defense, but he does a great job and has a lot of flexibility in his package.”

Hotz says Diaco’s defense showed a variety of looks, attacking at times with blitzes and playing straight up on other occasions.

“I think it’s predicated upon his opponent,” said Holtz. “And his personnel. I think that was one of the things he did a great job of was coming in in one year and he made his system fit his talent rather than make his talent fit his system. He has a system. He has all the pressure packages you want or he can sit back and play zone.

“But what he did a great job of, was some weeks you had injuries and guys can’t play. And I thought he did a really good job of putting his players in a position with a chance to be successful.”

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Brohm said after the first spring practice on Monday that Diaco would offer a variety of looks.

"We're going to be very multiple in what we do," said Brohm. "You have to come out and teach all the details of every single thing. We're going to take segments of it and continue it work it in great detail and make sure we understand it and see it against multiple looks."

At the first practice, Purdue looked to be in a 3-4 alignment. Sophomores George Karlaftis and Branson Deen were the ends, while senior Anthony Watts was the nose tackle. Behind the line, JC transfer DaMarcus Mitchell and sophomore Jalen Graham were lined up outside with Mitchell hugging the line in. Junior Jaylan Alexander and senior Derrick Barnes were lined up inside at linebacker. The front seven can morph, mix and match as it sees fit. Mitchell is a key cog.

"Mitchell is a guy that has size and athleticism and we're going to have to find a spot for him on the field," said Brohm. "He needs to be a productive player for us."

Barnes played the "Leo" spot in 2019, a hybrid linebacker/end. His first two seasons, Barnes was a linebacker. Graham is billed as a safety, but his 6-3, 215-pound frame seems well-suited to be an outside linebacker.

"We're going to try to get the best 11 guys on the field," said Brohm. "Derrick has been a productive player for us. He's gotten sacks on the line of scrimmage from a stand-up position at times. We want to look at him at both spots and make sure we're putting the best 11 guys on the field."

Watching all of this on Monday was fifth-year senior tackle Lorenzo Neal. He was dressed in practice gear but didn't take part. The 6-3, 315-pound Neal didn't play a snap in 2019 after undergoing offseason knee surgery. The defense needs his presence on the interior to excel. Neal could be an All-Big Ten-caliber player.

"Lorenzo Neal is gonna continue to rehab," said Brohm. "You probably won't see him much out here in team segments at all this spring."

But once training camp arrives and Purdue is pointed toward its season opener at Nebraska on September 5, Neal is expected to be geared up and ready for action for a made-over Boilermaker defense led by Diaco that holds a big key to success in 2020.

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