8/30/2016 football Edit

Purdue is experienced ... or not?

Kyle Charters • BoilerUpload

Staff Writer

More from Tuesday: Injury update ($) | Depth chart movers ($)

Purdue has 11 players, half of its first team, who have made double-digit starts in their careers, nine of whom have started at least 16 games.

An argument can be made that the Boilermakers are an experienced team.

Conversely, however, one could build a case for the opposite, particularly in that eight of Purdue’s expected 22 opening-day starters will be making their first career starts at their current positions.

“It feels mature, it feels experienced to me at the right places,” Coach Darrell Hazell said at his Tuesday teleconference, when asked whether he thought Purdue was an experienced team. “(Quarterback) David (Blough) hasn't had a whole lot of starts, but he feels old to me, which is good, having your quarterback feeling old. He's in a very good place.

“We have such a blend of old guys with young guys, so it’s hard to characterize what we are, if we’re old, if we’re young, but we feel old, so that's a good thing."

But the numbers suggest it’s a mix, especially on defense. There, Purdue has veterans like tackle Jake Replogle (24 starts), linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (17), safety Leroy Clark (16) and end Evan Panfil (13). And also players like Danny Ezechukwu and Jimmy Herman, who have started 18 and 16 games, respectively, but aren’t expected to add to that total on Saturday.

Neither will Andy Garcia (nine), Robert Gregory (nine) and Gelen Robinson (seven).

Instead, Purdue will go with youth — or at least inexperience — at six of their defensive positions: J.C. transfer Austin Larkin, a junior, starts at end; former wide receiver Myles Norwood, a junior, is slotted at corner; freshman Navon Mosley is likely to go at safety; sophomore Brandon Roberts has three previous starts at safety, but he’s playing nickel now; and sophomore Eddy Wilson, a nose tackle, and redshirt freshman Markus Bailey, a linebacker, will start after playing only sparingly as rookies.

“Those guys have been out there, it’s not like this is the first time they’ve been out on the field, so I don’t worry about those guys,” Hazell said of Wilson and Mosley, singling out those two. “They’re good players who have played in the past. That doesn’t worry me at all.”

Purdue has more experience on offense, although the inexperience comes at a couple critical positions: At center and right tackle. At the former, sophomore Kirk Barron gets the call on Saturday, although he started the finale last season but at left guard. Redshirt freshman Matt McCann will make his first career appearance, starting at right tackle.

The rest of the interior line is experienced, with seniors Jordan Roos (30 starts) and Jason King (28) at the two guard spots. They join senior wide receivers DeAngelo Yancey (25) and Cameron Posey (12). Fifth-year senior Cameron Cermin has 20 starts in his career, yet Hazell didn’t mention him in one of Purdue’s top-seven offensive linemen for Week 1.

So Purdue is old, and new, and maybe that's good.

“There’s been a lot of guys on the field who have played for us and we’re looking forward to these guys really taking the next step from an experience point of view and execution point of view,” Hazell said.

Following is a brief look at a few of the inexperienced eight:

Markus Bailey

Bailey came right up to the brink last season, playing in the third game of the season before being hurt and missing the rest.

The timing of the ACL injury gave him an opportunity to medically redshirt. Now, he is the rare player who has at least some experience but hasn’t lost eligibility.

He’s beat out — at least for Game 1 — veteran Ezechukwu for the right to start vs. EKU. And he’s doing it on a surgically repaired knee.

“I know it’s going to take a year for it to completely feel 100 percent, not feeling it at all,” Bailey said last week. “But when I’m out there playing, I don’t think about it at all. I’m thinking about doing my job. In the spring, it hindered my performance a little bit, but that was expected only six months out or so. But now I’m ready to go.”

Austin Larkin

Although Larkin has not played defensive end much, only a season at City College of San Francisco, he carries himself like a veteran.

Perhaps it’s his Notre Dame background, plus his upbringing — son of Mike Larkin, a former Irish captain, and nephew of Barry — that has helped him make a quick transition.

“He’s got a big motor, he’s strong,” Hazell said. “What Coach (Randy) Melvin has done with him, when he’s engaged with the offensive lineman, it’s allowed him to get his hips through and to be able to continue to close on the quarterback. He’ll put a lot of pressure on some people.”

Navon Mosley

Purdue liked Mosley in the offseason, when he took a no-nonsense approach to summer workouts.

It likes him better now. And that's why the true freshman is likely to start on Saturday vs. Eastern.

“I think about it all the time, as a freshman contributing," he said midway through camp. "I put little goals in my head. I’m just trying to help the team out any way possible, whether it’s on special teams, on defense, anywhere.”

Myles Norwood

Hazell likes that the junior – a former wide receiver – has special teams experience, noting that he was one of Purdue better coverage players on returns.

“He’s got experienced because he’s played at a fast pace, so I don’t worry about him,” Hazell said. “Is he going to give up one down the field potentially? That’s going to happen to anybody playing press coverage as much as we’re playing. But I don’t worry about him getting out there and competing and feeling comfortable.”

Brandon Roberts

The sophomore started the last three games at safety last season, replacing Gregory. And he is a former cornerback, too, having practiced there during his redshirt season. So nickel might be a perfect fit.

“He’s fast, he’s fast playing the nickel spot for us,” Hazell said. “But he’s also a guy who is playing with a lot of confidence right now, which he should. He’s another one of those guys who has been out there a lot. He understands the defense and he’s able to make the plays we need him to make.”

Eddy Wilson

Wilson was a little banged up at the end of last week, having to be carted off with a right foot injury.

But Hazell says he’s fine and will start Saturday.

He’s a big, athletic player, at 6-4, 300 pounds.

And Hazell likes Wilson, calling him a potential “Sunday guy” before the season started.

Kirk Barron

Barron has started, but not at center.

And that will be a difference Saturday.

But Hazell likes the sophomore’s ability to take over there, without missing much of a step from former starter Robert Kugler.

“Flexibility. His strength. His quickness,” Hazell said, describing what he likes about Barron. “He has the whole package. The only thing he doesn’t have is the length. He’s a 6-foot-1, maybe, kind of guy, but he’s a really good player.”

Matt McCann

McCann rose in the spring, when Purdue was having trouble finding a right tackle.

Then, Cermin was out, coming back from shoulder surgery. And Eric Swingler, who got a shot, tore his ACL. A couple others didn’t work out.

And now McCann is the man. He has the size, being 6-6, 314 pounds, but no experience, particularly in pass protection. His high school, Chatard, has a strong run-based offense.

“Obviously, at times, we’ll have to give him some help, but I’m very comfortable with his ability to stay on his feet and redirect his hips, it’s uncommon for a young guy,” Hazell said. “And that’s what makes him special. I think he still has to learn to punch a little bit better and take away the edge a little bit better, but so many of the other things he’s doing right now it’s good to see.”

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