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Much has been written about the four Purdue freshman receivers: David Bell, Milton Wright, TJ Sheffield and Mershawn Rice. And, through four practices, the “Fab Four” has made an impact.

Leading the charge? It has been Wright and Sheffield, largely because they have taken part in all four training camp practices. Rice hurt a leg in the second practice and has missed the last two. Bell—an Indianapolis product and the most touted of them all—has yet to participate as he deals with a hamstring issue.

“I think they’ve done a good job of doing everything they’ve been asked,” said Rondale Moore. “They have done that, and some more. They all came from really good high schools. They are physically ready to play. They are smart guys. I think they’ll be able to make some plays for us this year.”

Moore has been dealing with his own hamstring issue that has kept him out the last two practices.

"He will be fine,” Jeff Brohm said of Moore. “He has had some hamstring issues. We are being very cautious with him. Rondale I would think hopefully (will be back) by the end of the week. David Bell, since he hasn’t practiced yet, I am not sure. I’d like to get him back by the end of the week, but I am not positive.”

The absences of Bell and Moore have allowed Wright and Sheffield to make an early impression.

“They have done a really good job so far grasping what we ask them to do,” said wideout coach JaMarcus Shephard. “And they practice hard.”

The younger players stay on the field for some extra scrimmage work after the full squad has left for the locker room. Sheffield caught Shephard's eye today in that late session.

“He took a screen and went 70 yards for a TD,” said Shephard. “He looked as fast at the end of practice as he did at the beginning.”

Wright also has impressed. In fact, he may be the best of the bunch to this point.

“He is a tough kid,” said Shephard. “When he came in this summer, you couldn’t see how tough he was gonna be. It has carried over to camp. He has been with the "ones" and the "twos" and he’ll stay there. He likes to work.

"He called me last night, and he had his girlfriend, and she was telling me the route concepts. He is a worker. He is going over the plays at night (with her). I was excited about that and fired up.”

For the third day in a row, the same five players were on the No. 1 offensive line: Grant Hermanns at left tackle, Alex Criddle at left guard, Viktor Beach at center, DJ Washington at right guard and Matt McCann at right tackle.

“I think we are making small strides,” said Jeff Brohm. “It will be a daily battle to get that done. We have to get a lot of action with them, we have to get a lot of repetitions with them and they have to start to gain some confidence …. It probably will be more guys playing at this point than we normally do just to give guys a chance because we are still not gonna know how they do until the bright lights come on in a game situation. So, being able to rotate eight or nine guys in there is more likely what it’s gonna be.”

At one point today, the No. 1 o-line had McCann at right guard and Will Bramel at right tackle; the other three spots were the same. We had seen a similar No. 1 line on the first day of camp.

Stay tuned.

Jeff Brohm has liked what he has seen from fifth-year senior quarterback Elijah Sindelar, but he has work to do.

“Elijah has a big arm,” said Brohm. “He can throw it vertically. It’s really the same things we want to work on. Making decisions. Not forcing it down field, not throwing interceptions. He is aggressive in his approach. We don't want to take that away. Buy, yes, he has to be smarter and he has to play within himself and let the offense work for him and take what the defense gives him. That he still has to improve on.”

Jeff Brohm said sophomore offensive lineman Mark Stickford is “gonna be out considerable time” as he deals with a stress fracture. He was seen in a boot on Saturday. Stickford started with the No. 1 offensive line at guard in the spring game.

Brohm also said freshman linebacker Crishawn Long likely will redshirt as he deals with a shoulder issue he arrived on campus with. He has yet to practice.

Other key players missing today: DT Lorenzo Neal, RB Richie Worship, DT Giovanni Reviere, RB Da’Joun Hewitt, S Marvin Grant, WR David Bell, RB Alfred Armour, WR Mershawn Rice, DE Willie Lane and WR Rondale Moore.

Worship, Hewitt and Grant all did conditioning work separate from the team. Moore, Bell and Neal watched practice in shorts.