More on Sindelar: QB ready for next step ($)
More on Blough: Targeting return next week | Competitive spirit fuels Blough ($) | Blough wows with luncheon speech | Blough encouraged at Manning Passing Academy
Elijah Sindelar may be getting more snaps with the first-team offense of late because of starting quarterback David Blough's shoulder injury, but Sindelar isn't approaching this recent uptick as a rare chance before returning to backup duties.
He's intent on seizing the opportunity to impress Purdue's coaches and show them he should be the team's starter.
"It’s never (been) my tendency or thought process to just be a bench player," Sindelar said after Thursday's practice. "I want to be the starter. With that being said, it’s a bittersweet situation. I love David. I hope he gets back as quick as he can because you don’t want to see your good friend go down. But, at the end of the day, this is a great opportunity for me as well. I’m really excited about the opportunity, really upset that David is hurt. I would have liked it to be a different way, if I actually won the job without him getting hurt, that would have been the best thing. But I’m still going to try to win the starting job. If not, I’ll be extremely thankful that I had this opportunity and I’ll be ready for the next one.
"But I’m trying to win the job. That’s always been my thought process. It’s always been my motivation. I’m going to try to win the job."
Jeff Brohm and quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm said they like what they’ve seen from Sindelar all camp but especially in the last week since he’s gotten more chances with the first-team offense.
Before Blough injured his right shoulder during Purdue’s scrimmage Saturday, he’d been getting more snaps with the 1s than Sindelar, but Sindelar had been getting some. Now, Sindelar is getting the majority of them, which is a big deal, considering it not only gives him an opportunity to stand behind the starting offensive line — a considerable upgrade from the second-team unit — but also work with the frontline skill position players, too.
Sindelar said he’s noticed an increased level of play with the first-team group than with the 2s, and he thinks the experience is preparing him even more to play on Saturdays.
He already entered camp with confidence, coming off a summer in which his body “filled out” to a well-packed 230 pounds and his knowledge of the offense and opposing defenses increased. That’s carried over into this week with a chance on a bigger stage.
“It’s been great for Elijah to get all these reps. He’s doing a good job,” Brian Brohm said. “He’s really picked up the offense. He feels really comfortable in the pocket, doing a good job moving within the pocket. I’m really happy with his progress. The more reps he gets, the better he is going to get and the more comfortable he’s going to feel.”
Though Purdue’s quarterbacks aren’t allowed to be hit in practices, defensive play-caller Nick Holt still dials up blitzes consistently, forcing the O-line and the QB to adjust to the pressure. It’s a good exercise for Sindelar, who has shown good pocket presence, coaches said, but also needs to keep getting “live” work against pressure.
Jeff Brohm said Sindelar is “getting better” at making good decisions, but it’s a continuing learning process.
“If we call a play and it’s open, he’s going to execute it. I feel very confident of that. If some things happen and some teams want to come after us a bit or we’re not wide open or if things aren’t as great as it looks on the chalkboard, he’s got to find a way to go through the progression or step up in the pocket or move around a little bit but still make a good decision and not turn the ball over,” Jeff Brohm said. “I think sometimes when things are covered or things break down, the No. 1 tendency is to turn the ball over because you’re forcing some things. So we’ve worked hard at it. We’ll continue to do that. So the broken plays, the things that don’t happen in rhythm, how effective can he be?”
Sindelar said he’s learning when and when not to force balls. He’s thrown interceptions in camp, and he said he’s rather make those mistakes now, before the season starts. And with each snap, he’s getting better.
Teammates have seen it, too.
“Elijah has been making some good reads out there on the field,” new receiver Terry Wright said. “He’s been selling the play-action harder, delivering the deep ball actually better, putting it accurately on the receiver, so I feel like Elijah has been doing his job so far while DB has been out. It’s an opportunity where he can get better each day.
“… Elijah has taken control of the offense because he has to take that role.”
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