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As of mid-day Monday, Darrell Hazell didn’t know who Purdue’s starting left tackle will be Saturday against Illinois.

JUCO transfer Jalen Neal started the last two games there in place of Martesse Patterson but has struggled, ultimately getting benched against Maryland. Senior Cameron Cermin shifted to the left side to finish the game Saturday but also got beat a couple times that led to sacks. Either Neal or Cermin could still get the nod against the Illini, but there’s also another possibility: Patterson.

Hazell said, as of Monday, he hadn’t made a decision yet on whether Patterson would travel to Illinois. Patterson was arrested last week and charged with battery for punching a former teammate.

“I have not determined what Martesse’s status will be yet,” Hazell said. “I just want to get all the facts. I want to get everything before I make any decisions on that.”

Neal and Cermin started at left and right tackle against Nevada, a game in which David Blough was sacked only once. But that may have been more about Nevada’s inability to get to the QB. The Terps blitzed on nearly every third down but also got pressure with just its front four (and sometimes three when it went with an odd-man front). In all, Blough was sacked six times by Maryland.

“Obviously, we didn’t play very well up front. We’ve got to play better. There’s guys we can help technique-wise and just balance-wise,” Hazell said. “Even the guys who have played well didn’t play as well as they typically play. But they’re be fine — I’m not concerned about those inside guys. We have to obviously fix the tackle situation. Had some issues there, which was a little (bit of a) concern.”

Hazell said he thinks it will help that Matt McCann will be healthier this week. McCann, who’d missed the Nevada game, was nursing an ankle injury but was a late decision to bring to Maryland. Hazell said the plan for McCann against Maryland was to see how the game unfolded and maybe get him a couple series. That changed when “we were getting hurt outside,” Hazell said. McCann wound up playing a significant amount of snaps, despite clearly not having great lateral movement. McCann was the team’s starting right tackle the first two games of the season.

He could slide back into the right side Saturday, but that’ll still leave decisions on the left.

“We’ll evaluate all of our tackle bodies and see who’s the best guy who can give us a chance to win,” he said of the open left spot.

• Guard Jordan Roos (back) and running back Markell Jones (shoulder) finished the game on the sidelines with ice instead of shoulder pads. But Hazell didn’t sound concerned about Saturday’s availability of either player, though it’s possible both will not be a full participant in practice this week, like last week.

Roos was dealing with back spasms last week, but Hazell said Saturday’s back injury to Roos was different. Roos had ice taped around his waist/side for the last quarter against Maryland.

Jones left the game in the second half after taking a hard hit on the left shoulder, which has a sprained AC joint.

Ja’Whaun Bentley left Saturday’s game for a couple series while getting a “mild ankle sprain” treated but returned, and center Kirk Barron continues to play through various issues.

“I think it tells you how much they care about our program. Their toughness. It means so much to them. They want to battle with their teammates,” Hazell said.

• Eddy Wilson missed the first two series against Maryland because of a violation of team rules, Hazell said Monday. Wilson played the rest of the game, though. Freshman Lorenzo Neal started in Wilson’s place.

• Hazell attributed Purdue’s defensive struggles stopping the run — Maryland rushed for 400 yards and averaged 8.7 yards per carry — to players not making the right run fits. He said they’re still learning those details in Ross Els’ system, which initially was implemented last spring.

“They’re all freshmen to the defense, right?” Hazell said Monday. “They’re getting there. Obviously, they weren’t perfect the other day, and that’s what cost us on a lot of those big runs. But it’s about trusting where that extra guy is coming from.”

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