Linebackers still improving; Day 11 notes

ConsideringSeanRobinsonandAndyJamesGarciahavegottenthemajorityofsnapswithPurdue'sfirst-teamdefenseattheoutsidelinebackerspots,it'dseemlogicalthey'dbeonthefieldfortheopeneratCincinnati.

Andit'dseem,withJoeGilliam'stimetabletighttoreturnfromfingersurgeryintime,thatmiddlelinebackerwouldbethebiggestquestionoverthenexttwoweeks.

LinebackerscoachMarcusFreeman,though,saidthat'snotnecessarilythecase.

AsallofPurdue'scoacheshavestressedthroughoutcamp-andinthespringwhentheyfirstarrived-allpositionsareincompetition,Freemansaid.Perhapsevenmoresowithhisgroup,onethatdoesn'thavemuchstartingexperienceordepth.

"We'reinexperienced,definitelyinexperienced,butwe'regettingbetter.That'sthebiggestthingistheguysareworkinghardeveryday,"FreemansaidafterPurdue's11thdayoftrainingcamp.

"Nobodyhasasolidspot.There'sguysyouexpecttobeoutthereonAug.31,butthereisnosolidifiedlinebackerspots.None.Notone.Everybodyknowsthatinthatroom,thatweareevaluatingeveryday,everypractice,everymeetingfortheguyswecancounton."

There'snodoubt,though,thatthemiddlepositionhasbeenthemostintriguingspotsinceGilliamwassidelined.Bymanyaccounts,Gilliamhadmadegreatstridesatthepositionandwasseemingtosettleinafterbeingafull-timestarterforthefirsttimelastyear.

Sincethatinjury,though,Purduehashadtoshuffle.

WillLucasandJimmyHermanhaveeachspenttimeworkingwiththefirstteam.LucashadspenthiscareerfortheBoilermakersasastarteratweaksidelinebackerbeforethecoachesswitchedallthoseweaksideguystothestrongsideforcamp.Now,he'sinsidethebox.

"Heseemsalotmorenaturalinside,"FreemansaidofLucas."IthinkusasastaffthinkyouputWillinside,andhekindofsticksoutalittlebit.That'swherehelikestobe,inthebox,beingphysicalandmakingplays.He'sdoneareallygoodjobofjuststeppinginthereandknowingwhattodoandmakingplays.But,justliketherestofus,hehasalongwaytogoinalittlebitoftime."

Lucasisn'ttheonlyonelearning,though.

Hermanmadetheswitchtothemiddlelastyear,andhe'sbeentryingtoadapt.HeseemstobeoneofthePurdue'smostactiveplayers,though,showingnicerangeandathleticism.HehadaleapinginterceptionofRobHenry'spassinthemorningpracticeTuesday.

Afterthatplay,Freemanwasexcitedlyyelling"Jimmy."That'sacommonrefrainfromFreeman,followingthateitherwithpraiseorinstruction.

"Wejokewe'regoingtostopcallinghimJimmy.Wedon'tknowhowmanygreatmiddlelinebackersarenamedJimmy,"Freemansaid."I'mtryingtogetusedtocallinghimJimorHermorsomethingelse.He'syoung,andifyou'renotcoachinghimonsomething,I'mnotdoingmyjob.IfI'mnotyelling,'Jimmy,dothisordothat,'I'mnotdoingmyjob.Buthe'sdoinganexcellentjobbeingyoungandneverbeinginthatpositionandwe'rejustcoachinghimup.Gettingbettereveryday,everyrep."

MakingmostofrepsAntoineLewismaybesittingbehindstartersRicardoAllenandFrankieWilliamsandnickelbackNormondoHarrisonPurdue'sdepthchartatcornerback,buthe'squicklyproventomakethemostofhisopportunities.

ThesamewasthecaselastseasonwhenLewishadtwointerceptionsdespitebeingbehindonthetwodeep,andhe'sshownupthiscampbybeingactiveandball-hawking.

Hesaysit'spartiallyaproductofbeingmoredisciplinedandlearningtheposition.

"Ihavegoodspeed,butInoticedinthespringthatmyspeedwouldbeusedagainstme,"hesaid."Iwouldrunmyselfoutofpositiononpassplays,evenonrunplays.IwatchedmyselfandIwasjustlike,'Darn,thatjustdidn'tmakesensewhatIdidrightthere.'

"Sothegamehassloweddownformealot,andI'mtrustingmytechniquemorethanmyphysicalabilities.That'sthereasonwhyI'maroundplaysmorenow."

Lewissaiditalsohelpsplayingreceiverinhighschoolandhavingthatdesiretohavetheballinhishands.

"Asdefensiveback,IhavemytechniqueandIhavemyassignmentsbeforethesnap,butattheendoftheday,weallwanttheball,"hesaid."SoItrytodomycoverage,butwhenthereceiverthinkshe'sopenthat'swhenIusemyspeedandjusttrytocloseontheball."

NotevenahintDarrellHazelldidn'tofferanyglimpseintothequarterbackdepthchartonThursday,despiteHenrygettingalloftherepsonceagainwiththefirst-teamoffense.

"Wehavenotmadeadecisiononthequarterback,"Hazellsaid.

AskedifhestillhadthetargetdateofSaturday,twoweeksbeforetheseasonopener,toannouncewhowillstartagainstCincinnati,Hazellsaid"probablySunday."Andthenadded"MondayandSaturday"tothelistbeforesettlingon"theweekend."

AustinApplebyandDannyEtlinghavebeengettingrepswithboththesecond-andthird-teamoffenses.

InjuryupdateProjectedstartingleftguardDevinSmithcouldbeouttwoweekswitharightkneeinjury,Hazellsaid.

SmithwashurtduringMonday'spractice,andJasonKingslidintoworkwiththefirst-teamoffense.

BruceGastontweakedahamstringinthemorningpractice,butHazellsaidGastonwillbefine.

OffensivetackleJ.J.Princehasbeensidelinedthelasttwodays,too,butHazellsaidhe'sday-to-dayafter"takingashot"acoupledaysago.

RousemovesMichaelRouseIIIhasneverplayedoffense,hetoldPurdue'scoachingstaffwhentheyapproachedhimaboutswitchingfromthedefensiveline.Buthewasgametotrythemove,whichmayormaynotbepermanent.

HazellsaidhethinksRousehasachancetohelptheteamthisseasonifhecanpickupthepositionquickly.

"Ifhecanpickitup,hecanhelpus.He'sabigbody,canmove,"Hazellsaid."Rightnow,hedoesn'tknowathing.Therightguardistellinghimwhattodo,'Blockthatguy.'Idon'tknowhowsophisticatedthatisorhowlonghecangetawaywiththat."

AdecisioncouldbemadebythisweekendastowhetherRousewillstickwiththeoffenseormovebacktodefensivetackle.

NotweighinginHazell'sdecision:Howtherostershakesoutfor2014whenPurduewouldhaveonlythreescholarshiptackles.

"We'retryingtowinin2013.Weoweittotheseniors,"Hazellsaid.

Aftercominginasacorner,thenplayingnickelbackandthengettingmovedtosafety,AnthonyBrownClickEtc.HeretoviewthisLink.finallyissettledin.He'sworkingwiththeNo.2defenseatsafety,thoughtheBoilermakersnolongerdefinethepositionsas"strong"and"free."

CountBrownamongthegrowinglistofdefensivebackswhomentionfreshmanDanMonterosoClick"Ilikethisdefense.It'sverycreative,"Brownsaid."We'vegotalotofdifferentstuntsandblitzpackagesthatwehave.Ican'twaittoseehowitisongameday."HeretoviewthisLink.asareceiverwhohasstuckoutincamp."Hecameinreadytoplayrightoffthebat,"Brownsaid.

LewisoptedforleadingreturningreceiverGaryBushandbigmanShaneMikesky.

"(Bushis)aballerandashe'sgottenolder,he'sgottenstrongerandwiser.Sohe'satoughmatchup,"Lewissaid."AlotofthoseXsarethebigger-bodyguys,but(Mikesky)rantrack.Hehasthatdeceptivestridesohepullsawayfromguyslast-second,soit'sprettyhardtogaugehowfasthe'sreallyrunning."

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