Quick Count: Practice 11
After Saturday’s scrimmage, Jeff Brohm had a lukewarm assessment of his offensive line.
Asked whether Purdue was better as pass protecting unit or run blocking, Brohm thought it was “average” at both.
Dale Williams thinks that’s on point.
“For this group, he is 110-percent correct,” the offensive line coach said following Purdue’s practice Wednesday, the 11th of camp. “For me personally, no (it’s not good enough). I tell (the linemen), ‘When you get beat, a little piece of me dies. Luckily, there is so much of me, I’m never going to die. I’m never going to die. Never. OK.’ So do I take it personally when they get beat? Sure.
“I’ve told them, ‘Hey, when you get beat, I’m on your ass because I’m your harshest critic. When you go it right, I’m your biggest fan.’ So for me personally, I’ve got to get them better and I don’t like where we stand, so I refuse to let this rest.
“Purdue hasn’t won and we were brought in here to win, and I’m going to do everything I can to push this group along. They signed up for this. And when they signed up, they got me. They didn’t get one-percent of me, they got all 110-percent of me. They got all of me. They got all of me.”
And Williams’ charge now is to get Purdue off the “average” line and up to good, and perhaps beyond. Maybe the Boilermakers are making strides.
Step 1 was adding depth after the spring, and Purdue did that by bringing in a couple graduate transfers in Dave Steinmetz and Shane Evans.
Step 2 was finding the best five in camp to form the starting group. After Saturday, the first major scrimmage of the late summer, Purdue is closer, having shifted a few of its 2s to the first unit. Steinmetz and Evans have moved up, at left guard and right tackle, respectively. And Matt McCann, who was out with an injury in the spring, has also jumped from 2 to 1 at right guard. The trio joins Grant Hermanns, left tackle, and center Kirk Barron as the starting five, as of now, per Jeff Brohm.
But it could change. Eric Swingler started camp as the No. 1 right tackle, but his versatility could be a boon as a reserve; he can play on the left side, as well. And Mike Mendez and Bearooz Yacoobi, starters in the spring and at the start of camp, are now adding depth on the interior, working with the second unit as guards.
“We’re starting to get certain guys a few more reps with the 1s,” Brohm said. “I still want competition. I still think we have more than five guys who can play and I want to make sure they’re ready, because whether someone gets tired or gets an injury, we can’t have a drop-off. We’ve adjusted it and feel like we have an idea what (the line) could be, but there’s still competition.”
With two-and-a-half weeks left ‘til the opener, Purdue is now working on Step 3, developing its starting five into a cohesive unit, one that can keep its quarterback clean and open up running lanes. And one that can do so better than "average."
“I think the biggest thing for us as an offensive line is getting to know each other and really communicating with one another,” Evans said. “That was our biggest problem (Saturday). I think we picked up the normal stuff, then when we brought a blitz, we weren’t on the same page on a couple things. As long as we keep getting the communication down, we’ll be just fine. I’m excited about it.”
Certainly, Williams isn’t going to rest until the Boilermakers get it right. During practices early in camp — and presumably after they’ve been closed to the public — the veteran O-line coach was a stickler for details. Technical mistakes draw ire. The worst draw a hat throw.
But he says the Boilermakers have the want to improve.
“That’s stood out,” he said. “They’re into it, into playing. Their knowledgeable, they study at it and do want to work at it. That’s different than some other places that I have been.”
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