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Defensive Line Coach Rubin Carter As far as coaches go, it'd be difficult to find one as experienced, both as a player and an assistant, as Purdue's Rubin Carter. The first-year Boilermaker defensive line coach has spent 26 years as an assistant, the latest a one-year stint at Towson. But he might be best known for his playing days, as an All-America nose tackle at Miami (Fla.) in 1974 and a 12-year veteran of the NFL. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the Boilermaker defensive tackles and ends. "Sometimes when coaches explain something to you, it sounds great and sounds like it will work, but the actual application, they haven't been through it, so they don't know how to do that," junior Ryan Russell said. "But Coach Carter, he knows all of that. At first, it can be a little much, but if you focus in and really listen, he's going to get you right and make you the best player you can be." Carter was a beast in his day. After his time at Miami, he spent a dozen years in Denver, playing for the Broncos' famed "Orange Crush" defense and helping to lead them to two Super Bowls. During his coaching career, he's held jobs both in the NFL, with the Broncos, Redskins and Jets, and in college, including a three-year stay as the head coach at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. At Towson in 2012, Carter, 60, helped the Tigers to a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title, with a defense that ranked No. 13 nationally in total yardage and 20th in sacks per game. "He understands a lot about the game and cares a lot about us, as individuals and men, so that's a big thing," Russell said. "I feel like our connection is more than just football, which is great. I'll always have a role model, someone I can look to in my life. And he's a great coach." — Kyle Charters 36 • Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 there's some more talented players than others, but none of us have really solidified ourselves like a guy like (Ryan) Kerrigan. But if we can look right and left and count on those players to do their jobs, like he says, then good things can happen." This summer's been critical, not only from Tom Campbell a development Purdue's best linebacker has been at point of view but the position only a little more than a from a health year, but Sean Robinson has shaped standpoint. In himself into a more physical player. the spring, eight probable regulars missed at least a week of practices — two were absent all 15 sessions — although none of the injuries was thought to be serious enough to affect the fall. It did, though, keep Hudson from getting a complete view of his defense. "I don't know what we return based on spring practice based on the number of guys that didn't participate in at least 50 percent (of workouts)," he said. "… (But) we have numbers and a bunch of guys that want to do well and are willing to do well and we've got to put it in the right position. "First of all, it's on me. As the coordinator, if we put them in the right position, and do the right things, then we'll have a chance to have a pretty solid group." Even with the injuries, Hudson feels like the spring was productive in the installation of his defense. Purdue will play mostly a 4-3 front, often with zone principles in the secondary, with a mix of what Hudson calls "sneaky man." But the scheme will be versatile as Hudson wants to use a hybrid linebacker/defensive end — he calls the position a "Jack" (of all trades) — to allow for a variety of fronts, such as shifting into a 3-4. GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com