Macarthy heavier, healthier; Day 11 notebook

DolapoMacarthyisabout15poundsheavierthanayearago,andhelooksit.

Withbigger,broadershoulders-andaddedmuscleonhislowerbody,too-the6-foot-5seniorlooksmorelikeatightend,thepositiontheconvertedwidereceiverwillplaythisseason.

"ItwassomethingIreallytriedtofocuson,gettingmyweightup,carryingsomemoremusclemassintheupperbodysoIwouldbeabletogetanyblowsorblocksoranythingthatIneededtodoouthereonthefield,"hesaidafterFridayafternoon'sshortspecialteamspractice."Igotuptoabout235andfeltcomfortablewiththatweight,stillamabletorunprettywellandmoveprettywell.Ifeltreallygoodaboutthat."

Macarthyhadtogainthemusclethissummerdespiteinjury.Inthespring,justashewasmakingthetransitionfromwidereceiver,MacarthysufferedadislocatedshoulderandlabraltearafterabsorbingahardhitfromsafetyRobertGregory;itdidn'trequiresurgerybutdidmonthsofrehabilitation.

Butitwentwell,andhesayshe'sfeltfineduringthefirsttwoweeksoftrainingcamp.

"IthoughtI'dcomeouthereandhavesomeissueswithmystrengthandkindofwasworriedaboutfallinghereorfallingthereinanawkwardposition,"hesaid."ButIhavenoworries,canjustletlooseandgoplay.It'sbeenarelief."

Macarthy'slookingforabigseason,afterwhathadtobeafrustratingonein2013.DespitebeingoneofPurdue'smoreexperiencedwidereceiveroptionslastseason,heplayedlittle,makingonlyonereception.Butinanefforttoputhiminbettermatchups,Purduemovedhiminsidetotightendduringthespring.

Itcouldgetthelong,butperhapsnotparticularlyspeedy,receiverinmoreone-on-onebattlesagainstlinebackersorsafeties.Butduringcamp,offensivecoordinatorJohnShoophashadMacarthylinedupnotonlyontheendoftheline,butelsewhere,also.

"Backinspring,IsatdownwithCoachShoopandwetalkedabouttherolethatI'mgoingtohave,"Macarthysaid."Hesayshewasgoingtosplitmeout,havemeinthewingposition,havemyhanddowninathree-point(stance)asatightendsometimes.IloveitbecauseIcanbeanywhereatanytime.Defensescan'treallykeyinonme.Igettojustlearntheinsandoutsoftheoffenseanddosomanydifferentthings."

Butheneedstobeabletoplaytightend,too,meaninghe'lloccasionallyhavetoblockontheedge.Andtheaddedweighthashelped.

"Inoticeadifferencewheneverwedoaninsidedrillandfitrunsagainstdefensiveendsandlinebackers,"hesaid."I'mabletoholdmygroundalotbetterthanIwasabletobackwhenIwas220pounds.Ifeelreallygoodaboutthat."

TightendscoachGeradParkerhaslikedwhathe'sseen,especiallyconsideringthedepthMacarthyhasprovided.He'sinthepositiongroupwithJustinSinzandGabeHolmes,butgivestheBoilermakersabitofadifferentlook.

"He'schangedhisbodyandthatwashischallenge,"Parkersaid."Wesaid,'Hey,you'vegottoatleastcomeinherelookinglikeonetosurvivesomeofthestuffwedo.'He'sputon12to14poundsandlooksgoodwearingit,andhasreallychallengedhimselfphysicallytomakesurehecandosomeofthethingswedoattightend.Man,whatagreatattitudeandateamguywhoisgoingtohelpuswingames."(KC)

IntherotationThoughPurdue'sdeepestpositionprobablyisreceiver,it'slikelyfreshmanGregoryPhillipswillgetgamesnapsasarookie.

He'smadetoomuchofanimpressionduringtheoffseasonandinhisfirsttrainingcampnotto.

TeammatesandcoachesravedaboutPhillips'workethicandconditioningintheoffseason,pointingtohimasoneoftheteam'shardestworkersandmostwillingtopushotherplayersinrunsanddrills.He'sshowedthatinpractices,too,workingattheXreceiverpositionbehindDeAngeloYanceybutalreadygeneratingchatterfromDarrellHazellandothersthatPhillipscouldmakeamoveononeoftheteam'sbestplayers.

"GregPhillipsisayoungreceiverwhohasalotofability.He'sgotsomefreakishtalentandsomefreakishworkethic,"AustinApplebysaidearlyincamp."He'sevengottensomeoftheolderguystobuyintohisworkethic,gettingupat5inthemorning,goingtothepooltoswimorrunningorcominginheretogetextraroutes."

PhillipsinitiallywasbringingclassmatesDavidBloughandTimCasononthoseearly-morningworkoutsintheoffseasonbut,ultimately,moreteammatesjoinedthefray.Phillipsbroughttwospecificworkoutsthatwereunique,the"frog"andthe"worm,"exercisesdoneonthegroundthatstretchthebodyandworkmultiplemusclegroups.They'reworkoutsPhillipsgotfromatrainingdowninhisnativeGeorgia,andhelovesthem.

"Ipridemyselfinbeingingreatshapebecauseyoucan'twinfootballgamesdoingtheordinary.You'vegottobeextraordinary,"Phillipssaid."Beingextraordinary,you'vegottothingsthatpeoplehaveneverdone.Therefore,that'swhatIdo,workevenhardertopushthepeoplewhoareheresowecanbringsomechampionshipsaboard."

Phillipshadacoupleroughdaysofpracticeinthemiddleofcamp,droppingmoreballsthanhehadbeenandbeinglostonacoupleofplays,buthe'srespondedwellthelastseveralpracticesandevenhadApplebytellhim"perfect"afteronerouteFriday.

"Besidesadynamicandexplosiveplayer,Iwanttobedecisiveandsmartplayer,"Phillipssaid."WhenIsaysmart,I'mreferringtoknowingthedefenseandadjustingtothequarterback.Heshouldn'thavetotellmeit'sCover2.Ishouldalreadyknow-runacertainroutesinceit'sCover2.Soit'sbasicallyjustlearningtheplays,learningtheplaybookandstudyingthedefense,studyingfilm."(SC)

WhattowatchforTheBoilermakerswrapcampwiththeirjerseyscrimmageat11:15a.m.SaturdayatRoss-AdeStadium,theeventthatdecideswhethertheoffenseordefensewillwearblackinpracticetherestoftheseason.

Butit'lldecidequiteabitmorethanjerseycolor.

Hazellsaidhehasa"shortlist"ofquestionshe'dlikeanswered,namelywhowillemergeasaNo.3runningback,whereGelenRobinsonmayprovidethebestfit(linebackerorrushend),whetherDannyEtlingorAustinApplebysolidifiesthestartingQBspotandwhocanstepinastheNo.5linebacker.

Perhapsmorethanpersonneldecisions,though,Hazellwillevaluatesomeintangiblesofhisteam.

"Iwanttoseeoperation,trynottoseetoomanymentalmistakes,guyswhoaregoingtoplayhardandcoachesmakingsuretheystayback,allthosegame-typethingsthatyoucanevaluate,"Hazellsaid.

SomekeypiecestotheseasonmaygetlimitedrepsSaturday.

ProjectedstartinglefttackleCameronCermin,whodidnotpracticeFriday,couldbelimitedto10-15snapswhilenursingagroinstrain,Hazellsaid.DavidHedelinwillgetthefirst-teamsnapswhenCermindoesn't-orifCermincan'tgo.

FreshmanlinebackerJa'WhaunBentley,whohasbeensplittingNo.1repswithJoeGilliamatweak-sidelinebacker,isquestionableforSaturdaywithhamstringandshoulder/stingerinjuries.ButHazellsaidhehopesBentleycangetatleast20snapsinthescrimmage.

Ra'ZahnHoward,thestartingnosetackle,alsowon'tplaywhilehecontinuestorehabanapparentgroin/hipinjurysufferedonDay3ofcamp.Howardhasn'tbeeninredthepasttwodaysinpractice,buthealsohasn'tdoneanythingotherthanlimitedpositionaldrills.

AlsodefinitelyoutarereceiversBilalMarshall(shoulder)andDanMonteroso(knee)andlinebackerGarrettHudson(shoulder).

QuarterbacksEtlingandApplebywillhaveone"live"setonSaturdaybutotherwisewillbenon-contact,whileNo.3QBDavidBloughwillhavetwoliveseries.(SC)

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