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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 63 verbal offer from Michigan. D-end Dontay Hunter claimed early, verbal offers from Georgia and Ten- nessee. But Purdue sat as of the summer as not just a contender, but an apparent leader, for several other national-level recruits, exemplifying not only Brohm and his staff's willingness to compete in such thin air, but their ability to. "We always want to be aggressive in our recruit- ing philosophy," Brohm said, speaking generally about recruiting. "… We're going to recruit the top guys. We understand where we are and that there's always the Ohio States of the world, the Floridas and the USCs, but we're going to recruit against all of them and try to get the same exact players and showcase what we're about, how you can come here and be a difference-maker and put yourself in a great position to have success in col- lege and beyond and get a great education. "You're going to win some of those battles, and you're going to lose some of them, but we'll do our best to throw our hat in the ring." Purdue seems like it may win its share. It's already won some, with more on the table. To name a few, it's known to be a leader for the No. 1 player in Indiana, wide receiver David Bell, as well as three of Kentucky's nu- merous blue-chip talents in wide receivers Milton Wright and Wan- dale Robinson and defensive end J.J. Weaver. Rivals.com four-star linebacker Zach Zimos officially visited in June, as well. Those targets are such that Pur- due will wait for them, continuing its pursuit. Otherwise, things have hap- pened quickly. Of Purdue's first 19 commit- ments, it's closed the book — at least for the time being — on nu- merous positions, having already scored multiple commitments at running back, tight end and cor- nerback and its one and probably only at quarter- back, California's Paul Piferi. This June's recruiting run — 15 commitments — wasn't all that unlike last June's, a clear reflection that such summer surges are Purdue's new normal under Brohm. But this summer, there was more direct causation, with the move to summer official visits. Of the 17 known official visits Purdue hosted, six of those players committed, as did a few high-value targets on unofficial visits. Of the 17, Weaver, Rob- inson, Zimos and defensive tackle Isaiah Gibson are among those who remain uncommitted, for which the pursuit will continue. The others have fallen off the board as their positions have filled up. Brohm said he believes Purdue has "positive en- ergy" in recruiting right now, and much goes into that, from the novelty of a new staff, to compelling style of play, to the success Purdue experienced from Day 1, validating its messages to those who might comprise the program's next generations of 1600 South Creasy Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 BUY A SUBARU AND KEEP INDIANA DRIVING LOVE IS OUT THERE, FIND IT IN A 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK REDESIGNED 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK www.BobRohrmanSubaru.com Bob Rohrman Subaru 1-866-906-6223