There are many areas of improvement for Purdue as it’s coming off a 4-8 season. And perhaps no area needs to perform better than the running game. And that means the offensive line must step up.

“We are gonna work hard at (running better),” said Jeff Brohm this spring. “We are spending more time being physical up front.”

How much did the Boilermakers struggle to run the ball in 2019? Purdue averaged only 2.9 yards per carry and notched just nine rushing TDs. Both totals ranked last in the Big Ten. And then there is this: Purdue rushed for only 999 yards in 2019, failing to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time since 2013 (805) and just the second time since 1990 (612). Offensive line coach Dale Williams thinks the unit will be improved as run blockers. Why?

"They have experience, they’ve seen stuff," said Williams. "They know the speed of the game. They know what’s gonna happen to them."

Fifth-year senior left tackle Grant Hermanns needs to lead the charge for a line that has potential … and plenty to prove. Hermann’s 38 career starts are the most of any player on the team.

"We have to keep him healthy," said Brohm. "He’s our best guy. He’s gotta be a dominant player for us or at least work hard to get that done.”

Offensive line coach Dale Williams arrived at Purdue in 2017 with Jeff Brohm and has worked hard to develop the line. The unit has been a work-in-progress under Williams, who has had to deal with a lack of depth, youth and injuries. He’ll get help this season from the arrival of senior analyst Neil Callaway, hired in the offseason.

“As we look back on everything,” said Brohm. “We evaluate everything after the season, whether it’s a great season or not, and you try to find ways to get better. I think early on, due to a lot of reasons, we struggled up front. I do think we improved as the year went on. I do think guys gained experience. But we want to make sure that they young bodies that we still have there are continuing to excel and get better.”

The 64-year-old Callaway has extensive experience coaching the offensive line. He most recently was the line coach at USC (2016-18). And Callaway is familiar with Jeff Brohm, having worked as his offensive line coach for two seasons at Western Kentucky (2014-15). Callaway initially came to WKU in 2013 under Bobby Petrino.

"He is very involved," said tackle Grant Hermanns. "He's in our room. ... We have a big group, a lot of young guys who need attention. Having Callaway there is big-time for us. He's an extra ear to listen to. ... Overall, he's very experienced and a very thoughtful coach."

Callaway was head coach at UAB for five years (2007-11) and also has had stops as an assistant at Georgia (2001-06), Alabama (1997-2000), Houston (1993-96) and Auburn (1981-92).

“We feel very confident in my relationship with Neil and his experience coaching the offensive line especially … Coach Williams, Coach Callaway, Max Halpin, Justin Sinz—four guys really working with the offensive line,” said Brohm. “Two with great experience and two young guys that have played offensive line and tight end and understand it. I’m hopeful that will continue to press forward. We just wanna make sure we have all hands on deck and all eyes on board and that we spend a lot of time doing our part to make sure each player on our team gets the all attention they need.”

No spot on the line appears to be in more flux than center. But Sam Garvin wants to change that.

Junior Viktor Beach started the first five games of 2019 before a back injury sidelined him. Offensive line coach Dale Williams affirmed once again today that Beach won't see action this spring as his back mends.

With Beach out in 2019, Purdue turned to Garvin, who made the final seven starts in 2019—and held his own. The 6-3, 295-pound junior—who began his career at Indiana—has been the No. 1 center this spring. Redshirt freshman Spencer Holstege is the mix, as well as early enrollee Gus Hartwig.

“The center position is one Sam Garvin stepped into last year,” said Jeff Brohm. “Gave us great effort and played as hard as he could and gave us everything he possibly could out of his body. … He's kind of running with the ‘ones’ right now.

“We have to find some depth at that position. Right now, Spencer Holstege is behind him. He has improved. He has to be able to go in there and play. Gus Hartwig is in the mix, as well, at that position.”

Garvin--who still isn't on scholarship--is confident in his ability.

"All along I thought I could play at this level," said Garvin. "If I didn't have the mentality to do it, I never would have done it in the first place."

There is some promising young talent up front. And perhaps no youngster is more promising than redshirt freshman Cam Craig.

He was the only true freshman o-lineman to play in 2019, taking part in 72 snaps vs. Indiana in the finale. Craig looks the part. He’s ready. He has spent much of the spring working the No. 1 line at left guard.

Another redshirt freshman to watch at guard is Dave Jornigan, who is in the mix at right guard with junior Mark Stickford, who started the final seven games of 2019 left guard. But Jornigan has been out.

“He has a lot of strength," said Jeff Brohm. "We have to get him out here.”

And keep an eye on sophomore Eric Miller. He checks all of the boxes to be a prototype right tackle. Miller is being sophomore Will Bramel, who made 10 starts last season.

"Guys have played. … they understand the speed of the game," said o-line coach Dale Williams. "They understand what we are trying to get done. So, there is an improvement from last year to this year."

Purdue has been shopping for a grad transfer offensive lineman for months. It’s believed the program would take as many as two—if they could be found. It’s a competitive market.

The Boilermakers landed Colorado State offensive tackle T.J. Storment for a brief period of time this winter before he backed out of his commitment and opted for TCU.

Jeff Brohm has had success with grad transfer offensive linemen since coming to Purdue in 2017. He landed tackle Dave Steinmetz (Rhode Island) and guard Shane Evans (Northern Illinois) his first season, and added guard Dennis Edwards (Western Kentucky) the next.

Stay tuned.

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