GBI Magazine

Gold and Black Illustrated, May/June 2014

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IllustrateD volume 24, issue 5 17 f I was a little bit concerned about our wide receiver play coming out, that we didn't play as well this spring as we should have played. And I should categorize that: I think (Danny) Anthrop had a good spring, but we needed more pro- ductivity out of that position. "It will be nice to keep pushing DeAngelo (Yancey) and (Dan) Monteroso but also nice to get B.J. (Knauf) and Cameron (Posey) back. "I was very pleased with our de- fensive line play. That was one of the groups we challenged going into the spring. If they can play at that level and beyond, that will take so much stress off the back end with the linebackers. "I was very pleased with Sean Robinson's play and I thought Joe (Gilliam) got better the last two weeks of spring and still has to improve. And Jimmy Herman was solid. "On the back end, Frankie (Wil- liams) had a good spring and I think that Leroy (Clark) is coming. And I thought Antoine Lewis, when he was there, was productive. And at the safety spot, obviously you saw flashes of a young Robert Gregory back there. He still has a ways to go, a lot of mental mistakes, but he has a physical presence. Landon (Feichter) did a solid job and Tay- lor (Richards) did a solid job." Q. The area of concern, per- haps more than anything, is left tackle. Hazell: "Yeah, left tackle is the biggest concern right now going into the fall, and we feel like we have some answers coming in that can push those other guys. But if you can get that shored up, then you like what you can potentially do." Q. You've talked highly of J.J. Prince, so he's at least improved the situation at right tackle? Hazell: "He's a guy that does not look good doing his job, but does his job. There's a lot to be said about that. I'm very pleased with his maturation the last 15 practic- es, it's very important for him." Q. Although there are some signs that one quarterback is ahead of the other, you seem hesitant to name that quarter- back the starter. Why is that at this point? Why don't you just go ahead and name Danny Etling the starter? Hazell: "Because I want there to be an honest competition going through the summer and early in camp. Maybe not as long as last year's in camp (Purdue named its starter two weeks before the sea- son opener). You know how long it took last year; it won't go that long, but I want to make sure that those three are still competing. You saw the young guy (David Blough) make some plays and he's got that in him. We'll keep watching that position." Q. Has Raheem Mostert emerged as the No. 1 guy at run- ning back? Hazell: "I think he's certain- ly had a good campaign and if we were to line up today probably he would be the No. 1 back for us. Akeem (Hunt) had a great camp and one mental mistake in 15 prac- tices as a running back — as a re- ceiver he had a couple more — but being able to put those two on the field can really create some issues for people." Q. What do you like about what you saw from your de- fense? It looked like it was im- proved. Now, some of that could been the issues on the offensive line, at least at one end. Did you feel like you made significant strides? Hazell: "Here's the biggest stride we made: Guys getting lined up. I think we could count only a handful of times (we didn't) and guys running to the ball. You do those two things, you give yourself

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