GBI Express

Gold & Black Express: Vol 24, EX 27

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GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 27 • 1 BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com T he game may have been the most- hyped event of the spring for Purdue's football team, with alumni flooding back to campus and pre-game activities in abun- dance and a few thousand fans smattering in the Ross-Ade Stadium stands. But the product presented by the Boil- ermakers' in the Gold team's 12-7 victory on Saturday wasn't exactly the best show. And it certainly wasn't indicative of the strides Purdue made over its 15 prac- tices in Darrell Hazell's second spring ses- sion following a 1-11 season. Overall, the Boilermakers had fewer mental mistakes, missed assignments and turnovers throughout spring ball than they did in 2013. And they, gener- ally, showed signs of better grasping the offensive and defensive systems and ex- ecuting better. Even if not much of that was on dis- play in the game because of the format Hazell opted for, even if it wasn't best-suit- ed to showcase much from his program. "I'm really pleased at the effort of our football team over this spring," Hazell said. "Our guys concentration, their willingness to listen and get better each and every practice. I can't be more proud than I am of this football team right now." The spring had its accomplishments, namely generating confidence for both units, an area that Hazell deemed crucial since last season ended. It's a bit easier to gain when there aren't opposing teams beating bringing mismatches, but Purdue players think they achieved it based on successes against each other during prac- tices and scrimmages. Offensive players adapted to a shift in scheme, moving from a previously em- phasized multiple-tight end and multiple- back offense that stresses the run game to one that's more spread out. Quarterbacks Danny Etling and Austin Appleby mostly were in shotgun and rarely used fewer than three receivers during the spring — typi- cally counting a tight end being detached volume 24, eX 27 • april 14, 2014 Inside | Spring football review 6-13 | Russell feature 9-10 Men's basketball notes 16-17 | Recruiting news 20-21 Tom Campbell Darrell Hazell didn't see a particularly productive spring game from an offensive perspective, but that one performance with mix-and-match teams wasn't indicative of the strides his team made over the entire 15 practices this spring. 74 The game-time temperature for Saturday's annual spring game, helping make for a festive day in Ross-Ade Stadium in front of an an- nounced crowd of 7,125. 11-3.5-1 Ryan Russell's tackles- sacks-fumble caused numbers in the spring game, a dominant performance by the senior-to-be. 30-53 The combined passing numbers of Purdue's quar- terbacks on Saturday, which totaled 264 yards with one touchdown and two inter- ceptions. $415K The amount of money raised for cancer research at Purdue in seven years of the Purdue Challenge. Boilermaker athletics has played a lead role in participating in the event since its inception in 2008. THE NumbErs 'proud' of progress

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