Spring break checkup: The quarterbacks

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Purdue has conducted five of its 15 allotted spring practices (including a spring game, which is April 6). Now, the Boilermakers are on spring break. The next practice: March 18. A lot has gone on the first two weeks. So, let's take a Spring Break Checkup on each position. First up: The quarterbacks.

QUARTERBACKS

The good news: The program has an unquestioned starter in fifth-year senior Elijah Sindelar. In fact, this will be the third season in a row he will open a campaign as the starter. He won training camp battles with David Blough each of the last two years before ineffectiveness (2017) and injury (2018) sabotaged his last two seasons.

The conundrum for the staff: Who is the backup? It’s a battle between sophomore Nick Sipe and redshirt freshman Jack Plummer. Also, will the line afford adequate protection for the signal-callers? (More on that next week.)

“I see a lot of promise between Sipe and Plummer,” said Sindelar. “I think they both are going to do a good job. They do a good job and they both are gonna push me because I need them to push me and I will push them.

“Everyone is gonna strive to do the best they can. I see some good stuff. We definitely need to improve, because it’s up to us to run the offense. We can’t make any more mental mistakes as a unit.”

Finding a dependable No. 2 man is a pressing issue when you consider Sindelar’s injury history. He played in just the first two games last season, as oblique and knee issues kept him out the last 11 tilts. Sindelar professes he is healthy, but you never know.

“My knee feels great, actually,” Sindelar said earlier this week. “I am able to run and scramble, I am moving up in the pocket and taking off, getting 30, 25 yards or so.”

Sindelar has a complex routine he conducts before practices to make sure there is proper blood flow in his left knee, which he had operated on after the 2017 when he played the final 3.5 games with a torn ACL. As for his arm, the 6-4, 225-pound Sindelar has been throwing lasers.

“My arm feels great,” said the Princeton, Ky., native. “I don’t have any problem with my arm. The velocity is there. The lower-half and torque with my hips is looking good.”

Sipe had his moments early in camp, running as the No. 2 man. But the Villa Park, Calif., native missed both practices this week with a back issue. That has allowed Plummer to run with the second-team.

“Sipe kinda has a lower-back issue,” said Jeff Brohm. “I don’t think that one is serious. We have spring break coming up. By the time we get back from that, he’ll be OK.”

The 6-4, 215-pound Sipe is the only reserve with experience … and it’s unremarkable, as he saw mop-up duty in a blowout win at Illinois and a blowout loss at Minnesota in 2018. He has has thrown and completed one pass for three yards. That’s it.

Brohm has raved about the 6-5, 215-pound Plummer since he enrolled early this time last year. The Gilbert, Ariz., native has an arm that turns heads. Just watch him in practice. And his touch is improving, too.

“Mentally, I am a better quarterback than I was a year ago,” said Plummer. “Just being in the meeting room each day with Coach Brohm, seeing all of these college defenses on the screen for a whole year. Just knowing where to go with the football probably is my biggest improvement.”

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Sindelar is the man. In fact, he probably deserves a place alongside some of the other ballyhooed Big Ten signal-callers: Iowa’s Nathan Stanley, Michigan’s Shea Patterson, Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez and Ohio State’s Justin Fields. Sindelar will have ample weaponry with wideout Rondale Moore and tight end Brycen Hopkins, two of the Big Ten's best at their position, leading the way. And freshmen receivers like David Bell and Milton Wright should have just-add-water impact.

Don’t be shocked if Plummer ends up winning the No 2 job. He got a lot of reps last spring and traveled with the team last season when he was redshirting. And Sipes’ absence has allowed Plummer to get even more valuable reps this spring. Expect this backup battle to rage into fall camp. And it sure would be nice to get the No 2 man some game-action early in the season. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Sophomore Aidan O'Connell isn't your ordinary walk-on. He is pushing the backups. Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm is effusive with his praise for O'Connell. True freshman Paul Piferi enrolled early and is soaking it all in, but he has a ways to go.

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