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GoldanDBlack express • volume 25, express 4 • 29 robatic catch in the back of the end zone. "I was actually expecting the ball a little bit earlier, but I knew it was coming to me be- cause I had won my route," said Yancey, who had an angle route on the play. "Once the ball got in the air, I was just thinking, 'Make a play.' " Etling said both of those plays were just what the of- fense needed to see from Yancey and generally the kind of performance the unit needs going forward: An ability to make big plays. Yancey agreed, saying he didn't play up to his or the coaches' standard the first cou- ple weeks of the season. "It was real simple — I just wasn't playing fast enough from the line of scrimmage into my routes, the running game and the passing game," Yancey said. "I think I did a better job of that this past weekend blocking and running my routes. "Hopefully I can build off the Notre Dame game." New wriNkle Purdue may have to find a bal- ance on defense now. After playing almost exclu- sively with five defensive backs against Notre Dame's spread of- fense — in part because safety Taylor Richards returned after a two-game suspension — the Boilermakers may play more base defense this week after another player's return to the field. Starting strongside line- backer Jimmy Herman has been cleared after missing two weeks with a broken thumb that re- quired surgery. The Boilermakers played with only two linebackers on the field for all but a handful of plays against the Irish. "It gives us a big boost," Hazell said. "Being able to get Jimmy back, a big play- er, to be able to play some base defense when we have to, that can only help us." Purdue still likely will use its extra DB package often, considering SIU plays a spread offense and coaches like the athleticism it provides. When the Boilermakers are in their base, which Ha- zell says is a 4-3 look, they could use different combi- nations of safeties between Richards, Landon Feichter and Frankie Williams. relaxiNg One week after appar- ently mulling a change at quar- terback, Hazell had no hesitation naming Etling the starter, and not only for SIU. "It's not a weekly thing at all," Hazell said Monday when asked if he was going to re-examine the starting job often. On Tuesday, Hazell said Etling is making "definite steps in the right direction." "We have to remember he's only been out there so many games. We want him to be a fourth- year or fifth-year guy," Hazell said. Tom Campbell Strongside linebacker Jimmy Herman will be back on the field against Southern Illinois after missing the last two games with a broken thumb. That could mean more base defense looks for the Boilermakers. iN the opposite CorNer Comments from last week's and next week's opposing coaches: Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly "We missed some plays. We overthrow a launch play. We miss a block here or there. We were just a little off in areas. I think a lot of that is attrib- uted to some areas that we're still learning. We're still trying to get there. But, again, Purdue I thought played very well, as well. We had some op- portunities that we just left out there. The way they played, I think they should get some of the credit, too. " Southern Illinois coach Mike Lennon "(Purdue is) a team that's getting better, from Week 1 to Week 2 to Week 3, the team that you're watching this past week is a dif- ferent team than the first week or the second week. They played with a lot of passion. They played with a lot of heart. This was a huge game for them with the rivalry feel to it, plus playing in Indianapolis was a big deal, so I know this game was important to them. "Their running backs have a lot of catch- es. Their top receiver is their tight end, and then the next two are the two running backs, so they do a lot with the backs out of the backfield. They have a nice pack- age, they're very diverse in the formations that they give you, so they're not going to sit in any one formation and just let you play against them. "They have a 50-50 approach. They have a nice scheme as far as how they're doing it. They'll do a lot of high-percentage type passes where it's really not that different than doing an extended pitch or something along those lines. It's just trying to get their skill players out in open space and let them make plays. It's a good mix. "They're not going to let you just tee off and get after them. They're going to constantly be changing it up and having a lot of variety with their offense." Southern Illinois