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3.2 By the numbers Purdue's punt return average in 2012, the second-worst in the Big Ten to lllinois' 1.6 per return. The Boilers last averaged better than six per return in 2009 when it was 8.3 as a team, buoyed by Aaron Valentin's average of 12.1 in his 14 attempts. Junior Raheem Mostert's career kick return average, with 1,300 yards on 43 attempts, including a touchdown. Cody Webster punts that have landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line in his 162 attempts, a percentage of 32.1 percent. Only 14 of the 162 have gone into the end zone for a touchback. 30.2 52 Tom Campbell Sam McCartney is battling Griggs for Purdue's primary job. If they end up splitting the duties again, the walk-on will likely backs coach Jafar Williams instructs kickoff coverage handle kicks inside 40 yards. (Loco); and wide receivers coach Kevin Sherman heads up the kickoff return team (Bullet). It's a change, especially perhaps for the place-kickers who previously could rely on the expertise of Gibboney, a former collegiate kicker. "We have Coach Mason, and he maybe isn't the expert on kicking that Coach Gibboney was, but he knows what he's talking about," McCartney said. "We meet with him and watch film with him. "But it's a little bit different. It's a little bit more independent study, where you need to be able to diagnose what you're doing. … We still have plenty of resources to make sure we can still get better, so it's not an excuse. Just because we don't have a coordinator doesn't mean we can't get better at what we do." Purdue is counting on that. Whatever happens with the kicking competition, one thing is certain: The Boilermakers want a higher percentage of makes. If that means Griggs or McCartney winning the job outright or splitting duties with the former handling the longer ones and the latter the shorter, so be it. Hazell says he'd like to pick the most consistent and stick with him but has expressed a willingness to split duties, too. "That doesn't bother me," Hazell said. "We just have to see who can make them. That's the most important thing." Both kickers — sophomore Thomas Meadows handles Purdue's kickoff duties — thought the trials of a year ago will make them much better in 2013. GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com "They both had their ups and downs, which made their foundation tough," holder and punter Cody Webster said. "But that's good because I mean tougher as in more solid." For McCartney, it was the enormity of the situation, he thought, that got the best of him at times. A walk-on from nearby West Lafayette High School, McCartney worked hard during his redshirt season to gain the strength needed to kick for Purdue. And his progress won him the job, at least in short-range situations, for the start of last season. It went well early, as he knocked in a field goal and extra point in the second half at Notre Dame in Purdue's near-upset. But he missed two extra points the following week, lost his job, and was unprepared for the consequences. "It was so many crazy things, getting interviewed and people talking about how well you did or how bad you did, getting benched, winning back the job," said McCartney, who hit 5-of-7 field goal attempts last season. "All those things are mentally and physically taxing. So this year, with all those experiences, coming out a better kicker and stronger mentally, nothing but good things can come from those experiences. "It'll be exciting this season that the only thing I have to worry about is kicking, and there won't be these new things that I have to deal with." The bouncing in and out was equally as difficult for Griggs. After becoming the No. 1 kicker in Week 4, he made his first three attempts. But a bad day at Ohio State Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 55