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q & A : j o h n s h o o p Great Expectations 'Genius' Shoop has big plans for new offense BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com B y Purdue's season opener against Cincinnati, its offense will be fully installed and expected to be understood by those who will have roles in executing it. That's especially true of the quarterbacks, who will have quite the control over first-year coordinator John Shoop's West Coast-style system. Not that Shoop would share just which quarterback would be under center for Week 1 when he sat down with Gold and Black for an extensive interview. But that's about the only thing he didn't talk about. Here's part of our interview. Gold and Black: What kind of an offense do you hope to have this fall? Shoop: "We hope to have a physical offense that plays a tough, hardnosed brand of football and we can really run the ball and have some conflict of assignment play-action passes off of it. We really believe in conflict of assignment and making the same things look different, different things look the same. That's how we can become an explosive passing team as well. So if we can run the ball and have good play-action passes, that'll be a big part of it. "Second, when we do drop back and pass, we have to be high percentage. We talk about our quarterbacks having to be completion-driven. If we can do that and just remain efficient, we'll be OK. I hope the peoGBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com Tom Campbell John Shoop's offense could be described as West Coast, but he'd prefer it not to be "put in a box." He thinks using a variety of shifts, formations and personnel groupings can help Purdue have an edge. ple will look at us and think we're a tough team. We're not a team that will beat ourselves. "One of the things, too, we like to do is use as many different personnel groupings and motions and shifts as we can. If you're going to dress for the game, you're going to be a part of the game plan. I think that stimulates morale as well, knowing that people have that lure of, 'Hey, I'm going to be part of this thing.' " Gold and Black: What tempo do you want to play? Do you like to be able to change the tempo in the course of a game or is it de- pendent on the opponent? Shoop: "I think of it like a pitcher that can change speeds, can change locations. We're not going to be put in a box. We'll use a lot of personnel groupings, a lot of formations and a lot of different tempos. If we're ahead, we'll try to speed the game up and finish the sucker, and if we're behind, we'll try to slow the sucker down and catch up. There's different ways to do it. We're not going to be put in a box." Gold and Black: How much control do you want the quarterbacks to have in the offense? Is that something that will come in Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 27