GBI Magazine

But Etling's rise up the depth chart was notable, too, as Hazell raved about his "tremendous poise" for a player who still should be in high school. Appleby has maybe the biggest arm of the bunch, and, like both of the other options, he spends extra time watching film and studying defenses. "I think we have three capable guys right now," Hazell said. "We're going to keep that position open probably two weeks before we play Cincinnati in the fall. So the competition continues." Finding fits Purdue's linebackers have heard all about how they're the defense's weakest link. Even their position coach Marcus Freeman has talked with them about it, using it to press his new group to compete hard daily and "working harder than you've ever worked before." There's no experienced depth beyond starters Sean Robinson, Will Lucas and Joe Gilliam, and those players had their share of struggles last season, too, in largely their first years of extended playing time. Perhaps a change in philosophy will help the backers break free. No longer are the linebackers playing straight-up gap football, staying in their assigned holes regardless of if a play develops there. Now, Freeman is preaching to read keys first, always, but then directs his players to find the ball. "You can just play football and not be a robot," Lucas said. "You have an assignment but don't be afraid to make a play if you see it." Freeman admits that the approach could hurt the team On the mend The Boilermakers started the spring with six players on the injured list, but they added quite a few key contributors as practices progressed. Here's a list of the notables who missed multiple practices with injuries suffered during the spring. Pos. CB S S LB DE FB FB Name Ricardo Allen Landon Feichter Taylor Richards Sean Robinson Greg Latta Kurt Freytag Brandon Cottom Injury Ankle Hand Shoulder Neck Foot Hamstring Knee Tom Campbell Akeem Hunt has worked hard to turn himself into a featured running back, adding 15 pounds since last season. But he'll have competition for the No. 1 job in the fall, with three more freshmen joining the Boilers. at points, but he'd much rather have aggressive players who work like crazy to disengage from blocks and attack. Players like it, too, and maybe it'll help them quiet the whispers. "You get sick and tired of people saying stuff about you. You're the only one who can fix it, so it's up to you to make a change," Robinson said. "So that's what we've got to do as a group. It's up to us. "We have to be just tough. Freeman always talks tough, dirty, ugly, mean. That's really what it takes. That doesn't mean you have to be jerks about it. But when the ball is snapped, there's got to be something different about you." Learning the language With Shoop's offense came many changes for the players, learning new terminology, and for the quarterbacks especially, trying to grasp the new, wordier play calls. Etling said learning the offense felt like a "six-credit Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 5

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