Play-making Wilson looking to eliminate mistakes for Purdue

That shows in the numbers, with his three sacks leading the Boilermakers through the first four games of the season. But the 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive tackle also understands that he can be better, particularly if he continually improves in following his assignments.

“Every day I work to improve to take out the mistakes,” Wilson said following practice Tuesday. “The good things are easy to spot, but I like to see my grade sheet and see what I did wrong. Because that is what will lose you games.”

But Wilson, a true sophomore, is showing signs of his potential. The Michigan native has athleticism that belies his size, with a knack for a quick get-off at the snap that allows him to get leverage on an interior offensive lineman. And with that, he’s been able to into the opponent’s backfield frequently during his first season as a starter.

He did so at Maryland Saturday, when he chased down Perry Hills from behind after Ja’Whaun Bentley had flushed the Terps’ quarterback from the pocket. Wilson, who missed the first two series for a disciplinary issue, had another would-be sack, as well, quickly bursting up the middle and burying Hills earlier in the game. That one was erased, however, when Hills ducked at the last moment, bring his helmet to hand level and drawing a facemask penalty.

“I think Eddy is a really talented young man,” Coach Darrell Hazell said. “I think he keeps getting better each week. He just plays with such hip and pad leverage. He's able to create penetration and also makes plays. He brings an energy to our football team defensive line-wise. He's been a good player for us.”

But he, like the rest of the Boilermakers, need to clean up their assignments, particularly in the run defense. That came to a head on Saturday, when the Terrapins rushed for 400 yards while averaging 8.7 per carry.

Wilson thought Purdue’s pre-practice walk-through Tuesday was helpful, because it gave him a chance to see not only where he was supposed to be, but also the assignments of those around him. Purdue's coaches took the plays step by step.

“Sometimes when you’re told what to do, ‘You have the A gap,’” he said, “(then it's), 'Well, I don’t know who is in the B gap, in the C gap. If I go over there, will I be wrong?'

“… We all, including myself, when we’re on the field think ‘Oh, the running back is there. If I scoot over here and make this move, I can get to him quicker.’ But then I have to realize that I am in the system and I have to do my job. I do kind of struggle with it at times, but I have to realize that there are great guys behind me who I know will be in their gaps. That’s what kind of levels my head back when I’m thinking about making a move.”

It’s a struggle, but one Wilson’s trying to work through, as are many of his teammates. But he’s doing so while making positive plays as well.

“I think a lot of guys picked up pretty quickly that he had the body and ability to play at this level,” defensive lineman Jake Replogle said. “And then he played last year as a freshman and he did a good job of getting his body right, having a good offseason and he’s shown up. He’s been a good player.”

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