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through 4 while having a big center or even a power-forward-type guy in Jay Simpson playing that position. I think we can be really good on the defensive end again." Gold and Black: You said the players are more focused on winning. Did that happen organically or did they have to be made to be that way? Painter: "I think for each individual guy, it's different. We also had some good trades, with people leaving our program and people coming in, with (senior transfers) Sterling Carter and Errick Peck, guys who just want to win. When you get to that age and already have a degree, you want to be part of a winner to finish your college career. I know both of those guys want that and they have shown that since being on campus. "I think (freshmen) Basil Smotherman, Kendall Stephens and Bryson Scott bring an energy to our program that will really help us and they also have different strengths. I think part of it was also that some of our other guys getting older in Travis (Carroll) and Terone (Johnson), they want to leave our program as a winner, want to leave a legacy." Gold and Black: With those trades you mentioned, four players transferred with remaining eligibility. Perception sometimes is that a coach just gets rid of guys after disappointing seasons. Did those things happen on their own? Painter: "Each case is different, kind of depending how long you have been in the program. One guy was here four years, one three and (two) two, so each story is kind of different. I always talk about how the parameters of the program are set up, and 24 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 Tom Campbell Painter thinks Purdue has had more efficient practices this fall, due to a NCAA rule that allowed he and his staff more time with players in the summer. it's really no different for guys like them than it's been for the ones that have been successful. The guys that are selfless, work hard, put in time, they're always successful here. It's not a tough equation. With that, you have guys who want to be here but also want to help you as a team. "As time goes on, if you are not able to show that or help us win games, then your playing time isn't going to be great. It's just not a good match. I always think that I'm at least a bit responsible, because maybe I wasn't able to get them to work hard or I wasn't able to get my point across in what they needed to do to help us. "It's not a school district — we recruited them, did our homework — so obviously there needs to be some blame put on the coaches' shoulders, especially the head coach. So I don't look at it as just being the kid's fault. But it is something where this is a blue-collar place. If you come in here, you have the talent, but you have to come here and outwork people. If you don't do that, you're going to put yourself in a tough spot." Gold and Black: Did you learn anything from last year that kind of changes things from here on out? Painter: "We need to keep the program staying old. When we have been old, we have been pretty good, outside of a few years when JaJuan (Johnson), Rob, and E'Twaun (Moore) were younger. When they got older, we got much better. We have to do a better job keeping guys at Purdue, which means doing a better job getting guys who are the right fit, guys with a work ethic and tough-minded guys. Guys who have a tough mindset — like Lewis Jackson, Ryne Smith, Keaton Grant — have been successful. We need more of those guys. Obviously you look at that and say, 'Yeah, we need more people who are all-conference.' There's no doubt that we do. We can get those guys, those guys were great players and they helped us win. f