Scrimmage: Analysis ($)

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Complete camp coverage: 2017 football primer

Purdue held a scrimmage at the Bimel complex Saturday. It was closed to the media and the public.

• Jeff Brohm said the scrimmage, which ran over 150 plays, was "steady." He liked the performance of the first-team defense, as he has much of camp, especially how it got lined up, getting pressure on the quarterback and eliminating big plays. Against that unit, Brohm said the first-team offense moved the ball "just (did) not get in the end zone as much as we'd like early on."

• Without any statistics, it's hard to get a gauge on production. Brohm said the offense "threw for a lot of yards and a lot of touchdowns" but still wasn't as crisp as he would like it to be.

"It was 1s on 1s, and the defense is probably farther ahead," he said.

• Asked which receivers stood out, Brohm mentioned Isaac Zico, KeyRon Catlett and Benaiah Franklin as making plays in the scrimmage. He said the "other guys" were "steady, nothing spectacular."

"Some of the guys who were not here last year stood out today as being playmakers and loving the game of football," Brohm said. "That was good to see."

Newcomers Corey Holmes and Terry Wright didn't play because of injuries. Wright's may be serious, but Brohm said they're waiting to hear more. Jarrett Burgess and Malcolm Dotson still are out.

• Safety still is a four-man rotation, but T.J. Jallow and Jacob Thieneman are front-runners, Brohm said.

"One (Thieneman) of them is extremely smart, knows exactly what to do and is solid, and the other one (Jallow) is getting better at knowing what to do and can hit and run, and that's a good combination," Brohm said.

• Brohm had said earlier in camp, the first-team offensive line has been using different pieces, but he'd like to set a top five and focus on that group next week, the final week of training camp. He gave no indication what that group would look like, but center Kirk Barron mentioned Rhode Island transfer Dave Steinmetz as playing opposite starting left tackle Grant Hermanns. And Brohm has said he likes what NIU transfer Shane Evans brings, so it's possibly Evans has locked down one of the guard spots.

Regardless of the top unit, Brohm said he thinks the line is “average” in pass protection and run blocking right now.

“We’re facing a lot of different looks and a lot of different blitzes. Our guys are communicating and doing a pretty good job with it when we know what to do and who to block,” he said Saturday. “I thought we were adequate at times. I like the effort. We’re throwing a lot at them. Things are going fast. Other than vs. the blitz, we did a pretty good job.”

• In a position group that has players trying to find separation, perhaps injuries will be the determining factor. Brohm said running backs Markell Jones and D.J. Knox did not participate in the scrimmage. Tario Fuller played but is "dealing with some issues," leaving Richie Worship and Brian Lankford-Johnson as the healthy top-five backs available. Brohm wouldn't give specific injuries but said he hopes all three of those players are able to return to practice next week.

"While I think it's a good position for us, it's good if they're all healthy," Brohm said. "If they're not, then we've got our work cut out for us, I believe."

• Brohm said David Blough starts with the 1s and got more first-team reps than backup Elijah Sindelar, but it's not a much greater split than 50-50.

"David does some good things, struggles a little bit when he gets pressure, when things aren't happening in rhythm," Brohm said. "Elijah is a bigger, sturdy quarterback and he does have a little more pocket poise right now as far as standing in there and moving and finding the lane and making the throw with people in his face. He definitely has the advantage there, and he's made some throws up the field. He did a very good job today at times, so it's a very good competition.

"I want them both to push each other. It's good to have two guys who can play, but both guys are fighting for playing time. I like the competitive aspect of it. You'd always like one to stand out, but it's not bad if they're both very similar. I just want them both to be productive and for us to figure out what they do well."

• Asked about turnovers, Brohm answered from an offensive point of view — makes sense, he's the play-caller — and he said it wasn't "too bad," saying a "fumble here, an interception there."

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