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46 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 f ing the Boilermakers an undaunted player and one of their better leaders. Richards, who had 64 tackles last season, the third-most for Purdue, is looking to become a more consistent pres- ence in his third season as a starter. The two might be experienced, but they're not the big- gest, most physical safeties in the Big Ten, with Feichter listed at 6-foot, 190, and Richards at 5-10, 192. "We've got guys that are eating everything in sight," Hudson said, "(but) we just are getting pushed around. But we've been trying to get bigger at DB as much as at nose guard, and we're starting to see a little more size, and now it's going to equate to technique and jamming guys and tackling and playing 14 games." In an effort to bring some physicality to the secondary, Purdue moved Robert Gregory to safety; it's the third po- sition for the former quarterback and running back, but probably his last. At 6-2, 211 pounds, Gregory brings pop to the secondary — in the spring, he laid the hit on Dolapo Macarthy that resulted in the tight end's dislocated shoul- der — but is still learning the nuances of Stop No. 3. In the spring, Gregory was frequently Purdue's fifth defensive back, coming in as part of the Boilermakers' nickel pack- age. "I like a lot of stuff about him," Richards said. "No. 1, he's aggressive and will probably be even more aggressive when he really knows what he's doing. But he definitely likes the defensive side of football, I can say that. He's fast and bigger than all of us. … He brings that size and depth to help us out." Sophomore Austin Lo- gan, who played as a true freshman in 2013, could help as a backup, too, but he might start Game 1. Because Feichter was ejected from the second half of Purdue's loss at In- diana in the season fina- le, the NCAA might force him to serve a first-half suspension for Western Michigan on Aug. 30. And Richards could see in- house punishment after his offseason DUI arrest. It could push Gregory and Logan into starting roles, and push Evan Feichter up the depth chart, too. After those top five, however, Purdue has questions about its safety depth. And its only recruited true safety, Juan Jenkins, was in danger of not qualifying academically. He hadn't arrived at Purdue as of mid-June, unlike most of the rest of his fresh- men classmates. Depth, particularly experienced depth, is a concern at cornerback, as well. Williams returns as a starter, stepping into the No. 1 corner spot vacated by Allen, who is now with the NFL's Falcons. And Williams has the chance to be a good one, with solid coverage skills after breaking up five passes and picking off two last year. "I'm more than prepared," Williams said. "I can't wait for Aug. 30, can't wait for the season." The other cornerback spot won't be decided until camp. In the spring, Brown, who had played some cornerback as a freshman two seasons ago, took a majority of the first-team snaps. And he had an acrobatic interception that sealed his team's victory in the spring game. But Antoine Lewis, a senior who took significant snaps a year ago, will challenge; he couldn't as much in the spring because of a class schedule that kept him away from prac- tice at times. And sophomore Leroy Clark, who started a couple games midseason last year, could factor in also. Or, maybe a freshman. As part of the 2014 class, Purdue brought in three corner- backs, knowing that it needed to bolster its defensive back- field. Perhaps Tim Cason or Cedric Dale could play in Year 1. "If there's a spot you can really come in and play early as a freshman, it is corner," Hudson said. "So those guys could help us." Williams thinks the secondary, and the de- fense as a whole, can be improved. "By any means, we have to get the job done," he said. "I personally have bought into that and my teammates have bought into that. We'll let you see it this fall." j 1241 Cumberland Ave, Suite B West Lafayette, IN 47906 Phone: 765-497-0197 www.bankerinvestmentgroup.com Bill Banker, President Purdue University Alumni 85' Purdue Baseball Alumni 81'-85' A Fee-Based Investment Advisor located in the Purdue Research Park 25+ Years of Investment Management Experience