From the big plays to the turnovers: Scrimmage notables

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Purdue went though a two-hour scrimmage today in the Mollenkopf Center. Unofficially, the team ran over 100 plays with an emphasis on the passing game. The offense ran plays in various situations: two-minute drill, red-zone, goal-line. Some observations.

• After practice, Jeff Brohm said QB Elijah Sindelar “tweaked” the same knee he hurt in 2017 and is done for the spring. He didn't’ practice on Friday and no reason was given for his absence. Guessing Sindelar got hurt on Wednesday. Sophomore Nick Sipe also remained sidelined (back). That left Purdue with just three signal-callers.

• With Sindelar out, redshirt freshman Jack Plummer ran the first team. He had his moments. Unofficially, Plummer hit 10-of-19 passes with two TDs and a pick. He also ran eight times. Plummer’s pick came after Alfred Armour bobbled a pass into the air. Sophomore walk-on Aidan O’Connell was the No. 2 man. He completed 15-of-19 passes with two TDs and an interception. At one point, he threw passes on nine consecutive plays. True freshman Paul Piferi was 1-of-2 with a TD and ran two times.

• Sophomore C Viktor Beach took part in the scrimmage, working with the second team.That was a good sign.

• Plenty of receivers got in on the action. Junior Jared Sparks had a team-high eight catches with three TDs. Redshirt freshman Amad Anderson, Jr., had six grabs with a TD. No doubt, he was a star. Junior Jackson Anthrop and sophomore Noah Ellison each had five receptions and a run. Anthrop had a rare double-double, making a TD catch and tossing a pick on a trick play. Redshirt freshman Jordan Bonner had four catches, while sophomores Rondale Moore and Tyler Hamilton each had three. Moore made a vintage “run after the catch” play after catching a Plummer pass. Hamilton found the end zone. Redshirt freshman Kory Taylor made a catch.

• The star tight end was redshirt freshman Payne Durham. He made four catches with a TD. Junior Darius Pittman made two catches with a TD.

• Senior RB Tario Fuller caught a pass and ran nine times, as did redshirt freshman Alfred Armour, who also had two catches. Sophomore Zander Horvath carried eight times, while redshirt freshman Evan Anderson ran once and scored. Fuller also lost a fumble.

• Fuller was seen icing his left knee later in the scrimmage. Didn’t look serious.

• RB Zander Horvath has been bulling over foes this spring. But he got a taste of his own medicine when redshirt freshman LB Elijah Ball trucked the 6-3, 230-pound sophomore. It was the hit of the scrimmage. But Horvath dished out some punishment, too, barreling over CB Bryon Perkins on one play after he took a pitch from Amad Anderson who had caught a pass.

• The pass rush showed some push. Jeff Brohm seemed pleased when speaking afterwards. Sophomore DT Jeff Marks got some heat and notched a sack. Senior DE Kai Higgins got pressure. He is quick off the edge. Sophomore DT Giovanni Reviere is just 270 pounds, but he can push the pocket.

• WR Amad Anderson, Jr., made people take notice. The slight redshirt freshman (5-11, 175) made some nice grabs, none better than an offering from Jack Plummer that went for a TD. Anderson made another pretty catch from Plummer.

• WR Jared Spark made a nice 50-plus yard TD reception from Jack Plummer.

• TE Payne Durham is labeled as a “blocker.” But the 6-5, 255-pound redshirt freshman made some nice catches today. He made a beauty play on a TD catch from Paul Piferi. Fellow TD Darius Pittman looked good on a TD pass from Aidan O’Connell. Durham made another big-gainer on a pass from O’Connell, getting forced out inside the 5-yard-line. Durham is intriguing.

• CB Dedrick Mackey made a nice pick on Jackson Anthrop during a trick play early in the scrimmage. CB Byron Perkins picked off a pass from Aidan O’Connell in the end zone. S Jalen Graham came close to picking off a pass. He was all over the field.

• WR Tyler Hamilton made some noise by catching a 50-yard-plus TD pass from Aidan O’Connell.

J.D. Dellinger and Vincent Alerding took turns kicking field goals during a special teams segment. Dellinger--a junior--is banging the ball, hitting all three field goals he attempted—one from beyond 40 yards. Alerding had a rougher day, missing his two attempts.

Rondale Moore, Jackson Anthrop, Amad Anderson, Jr., and Dedrick Mackey worked as kickoff return men.

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