GBI Magazine

q & A w i t h : d a r r e l l h a z e l l Strides Taken; Room To Grow Hazell directs a successful first spring BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com D arrell Hazell did not watch any film of Purdue's 2012 season, preferring to enter his first spring as head coach fresh and allowing players to prove themselves under a new coaching staff. So there was much evaluating to be done during the 15 practices this spring, and Hazell exited after the spring game on April 13 with a better picture of his program. Hazell knew strides had to be made to break the .500-mediocre-bowl-trip mold of recent seasons past. He thinks some were, specifically in Tom Campbell identifying some talent and building Darrell Hazell entered his first spring as Purdue's head coach with four goals: Bethe persona of a tough but unified pro- coming a tougher team, a smarter team, limiting turnovers and enhancing special teams. Hazell thinks his team mostly accomplished those goals. gram. But there are still plenty of areas to jected starters Ricardo Allen, Landon Feichter and Taylor improve. Richards all missed portions of the spring with injuries.)" Hazell caught up with Gold and Black to talk about it all Gold and Black: Was your team able to develop an a couple days after the completion of spring practice. identity this spring? Gold and Black: When we sat down with you beHazell: "I think we started beginning developing an fore spring practices, you said, 'When we come out of identity. I don't know if we clearly defined it. One of the spring practice, we'll find out what kind of team we things we talked about going in was being a tougher football have.' What do you think of the personnel and talent team and for the amount of things we did going downhill, level after being able to evaluate this spring? which I thought we needed to do, (we) started to develop Hazell: "I think at most spots, we're pretty good. I think that." we've got some depth at some spots. I was very pleased Gold and Black: What was the message you left to see the defensive line get a little deeper as we went with the team for the offseason? throughout the spring. We have a couple guys at the quarHazell: "That we've got to have the best summer that terback position that I feel really good about. Running back, Purdue football's ever had going into the fall. All the things we'll be fine. I think we need to create some more depth we need to get accomplished in the fall will be predicated there once some of these younger guys come in. Offensive by what we do this summer." line is very promising, extremely promising. I'm still trying Gold and Black: How much of playbook was into get a gauge on our linebacker situation. I don't know stalled this spring? how deep we are, but I think we do have some guys who Hazell: "I'd say we probably got about 80 percent of can play. I think our secondary has a really good chance of it in. We wanted to get really eight to 10 pass concepts in, being pretty good when we get all those bodies back. (Pro- with about four or five run concepts, (and) to be able do it Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 5com

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