Purdue's Bentley, Replogle, Roos and Yancey reflect on being named captains

When DeAngelo Yancey first came to Purdue, he didn’t feel like he had to earn much.

That attitude and approach caught up with him by his sophomore year, when he got benched for lack of production, among other things.

But Yancey isn’t that kid anymore.

Everyone inside the program watched his transformation over the last two-plus years, and now he’s respected as a man, as someone who leads by his work more than his voice.

The reward: Yancey is a captain.

“Little bit of shock,” Yancey said of his reaction to the news, when Coach Darrell Hazell revealed the list during the kickoff luncheon Friday. “It’s a humbling experience, when your teammates vote you to be captain, (to) lead you through the season.

“It was a huge transformation, coming from my freshman year to now. It just shows the growth and how mature I’ve become. It’s crazy, looking back where I’ve came from to now.”

After that disappointing sophomore season that included only 12 catches, Yancey had a heart-to-heart with then-new receivers coach Gerad Parker, latched on to roommate and workout warrior Gregory Phillips in offseason workouts and buried his ego. He worked when he thought no one was watching, he worked when everyone was watching, and he worked quietly and efficiently.

It all produced a junior season of 700 yards, five touchdowns and a time in which Yancey clearly established himself as the team’s go-to receiver on the field. And a reliable teammate off it.

“You’re learning something new, you’re more focused on yourself (when you first arrive). Now that I’m more acclimated, I’ve got time to do other things,” he said. “People hold me accountable to do the right thing. Before I fix them, I’ve got to make sure I’m all right.”

When Darrell Hazell asked the newly announced captains to come on stage and speak at the kickoff luncheon, Jordan Roos took the mic and immediately said he had to fight getting choked up.

The 300-pound offensive guard may have worked hard to cultivate a tough look — he hasn't had a haircut in three years and his grizzly-man beard is four month's worth of growth — but it doesn’t quite match his off-the-field presence. The fifth-year senior, called a “softie” by good friend and fellow lineman Jason King, understood the magnitude of the moment and let himself feel it.

“It means the world in terms of just how hard I’ve worked,” Roos said later, when asked to reflect on the morning. “I feel like I’ve done everything from the heart. I’ve tried to use my experience and lead and motivate people. I’ve even sat and thought about, ‘Is this motivating? Am I reaching as many people as I reach whenever I’m speaking?’ The 30 games I’ve played here, I believe to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower. I felt like I’ve followed and this is my time to take the next step in terms of leading this team.”

Ja'Whaun Bentley has been in this role before, expected to be the face of the team, the voice of the team, as a captain.

He's a two-time pick now, the first defensive player to have such a distinction since Kawann Short was selected in 2011 and 2012.

"Ja’Whaun’s a special leader," Jake Replogle said. "A lot of people understood that from the get-go."

Defensive tackle Jake Replogle often is called a "beast" or a "freak" by his coaches and teammates.

Now, he has another label: Captain.

"It’s an unbelievable honor," he said. "To get voted by your teammates, it’s humbling. I’m going to do everything I can to live up to the expectations of a Purdue football captain."

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