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his levels of speed and quickness fit better on the interior than out on the edge, where agility is paramount against athletic pass-rushers. Tretter, coaches believe, can be a physical presence at guard, particularly once he builds his body up — he enrolled at 310, dropped to 290, and now hopes to add those pounds back in muscle — and gets stronger. "When I came in, I wasn't weak but not nearly as strong as some of the linemen here," Tretter said. "I think I made a lot of progress with that by redshirting." DAVID YANCEY The running back's freshman season was met with transition, as he moved into a fullback's role for the Boilermakers during training camp. At 5-10 and on his way toward the 220s on the scale, Yancey's nature might fit the position well, Williams said. "Initially when he came here in the spring, he was extremely physical," Williams said of the then-early enrollee. "He did a great job with hand placement. It's a little bit different at fullback and having to fit a linebacker or an (isolation). "But you look at his stature and he's just built for it. He's a thicker guy. So we thought that would really be able to show off his attributes, playing at a fullback position. And even next year, a year down the road, I think he has a chance to help us." With Purdue losing No. 1 fullback Kurt Freytag, the role will be up for grabs come spring. "He needs to continue to improve, mainly with pass protection," Williams said. "I think it was a good opportunity for him, working with the scout team and continuing to get better at it. I think he's going to be a hell of a player for us in the future." DEANGELO YANCEY No one starred for a Purdue offense that finished out as one of the least productive in school history, but the star of the freshman class right away was quite clearly the rookie wide receiver. Obviously, the people who caught the passes for the Boilermakers were at the mercy of the entire operation to throw the passes, but when Yancey got opportunities to make plays, he produced more often than not. Listed at 6-2, 200 pounds to start the season, the physically advanced receiver caught 32 balls and led his team 38 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 3 — by a mile — with 546 receiving yards and an average of 17.1 yards per catch. He was Purdue's only consistently productive vertical threat, scoring a 55-yard TD in the final minute of a loss to Nebraska and accounting for four of Purdue's seven catches of 40 or more yards this season. "He's the one guy that's in that (wide receiver) room that can beat one-on-one coverage consistently," Hazell said during the season. "He's a young player but he's fast. I don't think you realize how fast he is. I watch him go by guys. He has a little wiggle, something to excite you. "Now, he's still a puppy. He doesn't know a lot of things, but you watch him get better and better each week. He will be that big-time player when it's all said and done." Yancey closed the season strong, totaling 11 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown at Indiana. Heading into his sophomore season, he is clearly in line to the Boilermakers' "No. 1" receiver and possibly a budding star. j Tom Campbell DeAngelo Yancey was Purdue's best and most consistent receiver as only a freshman. Coaches hope even better performances are to come. f