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While Lucas could pencil in on the weakside, it might be a tenuous hold on the spot. Although Lucas is a veteran of 20 starts, his play over the years can be easily described as inconsistent; he was a backup the second half of last season, losing the starting gig to Robinson. This fall, he'll likely be pushed by Garcia, who might be undersized at 6-foot, 220 pounds but seems to have an ability to move quickly around the field. He showed so in the spring. "I think he will flourish in the deTom Campbell fense," Gilliam said. "You have to Ricardo Allen is Purdue's career leader for interceptions returned for touchbe instinctive and Andy is a very in- downs. He had one last season, giving him four for his career. stinctive player, very fast, very quick. Allen, a former All-Big Ten performer who experiEverybody did well, but I'd have to say Andy had a really enced a down year by his standards in 2012, was out good spring." with an ankle injury, while safeties Landon Feichter Redshirt freshman Jimmy Herman seemed to enjoy and Taylor Richards also missed the spring game. a good spring, too, making plays from sideline-to-sideIt left only cornerback Frankie Williams, who is exline, but at only 215 pounds he could certainly stand to pected to slide into the graduated Johnson's spot, as a gain strength, if not weight. When Purdue went to four healthy body, with others filling in to round out a first linebackers, in a 3-4 front, during the spring, sopho- team. more Armstead Williams was often on the field. But when healthy — and as of mid-June, all were on The Boilermakers would like to have that kind of ver- track to be fine in the fall — the group could be solid. satility, but how many multiple looks they can employ "I think the camaraderie we have with each other is might depend on their Jack. Jules Williams took to the great," said Feichter, Purdue's leading tackler in 2012 hybrid role in the spring, seeming to embrace having with 80. "We know what each other is thinking witha spot, but that's a position that's far from solidified. out even saying it. Any time you have players coming Perhaps a freshman, maybe defensive end Antoine back that you basically played the whole year with and Miles, could find an avenue to the field there. don't have to worry about having somebody step in and "I've gone through seasons and played five guys fill the starting position, I guess, it always helps. The there," Hudson said. "The one thing about our Jack DB core is potentially going to be the strength of our position that helps them is if they have some football team." savvy and they can go out there every single call that It could be so largely because of experience. In its they do, the call tells them what to do. I have a hand top five, including veteran nickel back Normondo Harsignal for it. So I'm speaking sign language to that per- ris, the group has 73 starts over the last three years. son. I'm like telling them what to do. Oh yeah, it's wide Allen's the leader, perhaps not only of the secondopen. We need a good Jack." ary but of the defense, having started 36 games in his career; that's every game but the two he missed last Secondary season with an ankle injury. Although Purdue feels good about its secondary, "I always feel like I'm one of the most experienced maybe more than others' preseason predictions indi- guys on the field, so I'm going to take control," Allen cate, it left the spring with only one of its projected said. "When I try to take control of the defense, I have starters healthy. to take control of the secondary first. We have playmakGBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 43