Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/438308
ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 3 75 f play.' That's kind of an easy way out. But, no, when we say, 'Make a play,' that means you're one-on-one, you've got to win those individual battles. "We talk to our line about it, too, Dave Hedelin, Cam- eron Cermin, you guys have got to make a play. If you finish off that 5-technique (defensive end), I think our quarterback buys enough time to launch that ball down- field. The first play of the Minnesota game, for instance, Dan Anthrop is running uncovered. If we just finish our protection on the interior … we showed that to the team. "Everybody is connected. That's kind of a theme with us." Gold and Black: You had to play some young re- ceivers. What's more important for this group going into the offseason: To get physically stronger and work on skill set or to better learn their respon- sibilities and gain knowledge of their roles in the offense? Shoop: "Of course, my first inclination is to say ev- erything. (laughs) But we don't have many mental er- rors. We don't. Our guys know what to do. I think our wideouts need to work as much as anything just on technique. Where Greg Phillips and DeAngelo (Yanc- ey), where we got beat up a little bit was at the line of scrimmage, we've got to become better route runners the first three yards of our route. That's something we worked hard on throughout the season. And, boy, I think Greg Phillips really got good at it the last quarter of the season, he's got a ways to go. I think Trae Hart is a guy who gives you a little bit of quickness. If you're a defen- sive back, he's hard to put hands on. "We sure need an awful lot of production — a lot more production — from our receivers. We need that. Like I said, there's a lot of things that go into that. It's not any one thing. But one of those things is we've got to get open and complete a lot more passes on first and second down. We've got to be better on third down. We were not anywhere near where we need to be on third down, but sometimes that's an element of where you are on first and second down as well. You can't just look at that statistic in and of itself without looking at the big picture. We're not going to be what we want to be unless we just have some given passes that are just automatic. Every game plan, if your X receiver doesn't have four or five catches just because he's the X receiver, you're not the type of team you want to be yet." Gold and Black: Because you lose the two speed backs and you have an offensive line that is a bet- ter run-blocking group, at least right now, do you anticipate the offense looking different next sea- son? Shoop: "Every year is a little bit different. But I think we worked hard to forge an identity as an offense. We're sure not where we want to be, we're headed in that right direction. So I don't think our identity will change, and we have a great deal of confidence in Keyante (Green) to step in and we've recruited really, really well at that position. Of course, I can't talk (specifically) about it. And that's the type of position young guys can play. You have to learn protections and you've got to learn some of those things, but instincts trump everything. Run to daylight is an instinct you can have at age 18. You don't necessarily have to wait until they're 20." Gold and Black: As quarterbacks coach, did you see as much development and growth out of Danny Etling and Austin Appleby this season as you'd like? Shoop: "You never see as much as you'd like. You always want more, but I did see some. There's another spot, I've never been a guy who's been afraid of com- petition or anything like that. Those guys are going to compete their tails off, and I'd throw David (Blough) into the mix as well, those guys are going to compete their tails off this offseason. I'll tell you this, I think they're all very knowledgeable guys. I think they all have a tremendous work ethic. But I think we need to com- plete more passes. "Production trumps everything, whether you do it ugly, whether you do it pretty, whether your arm is stronger or not stronger. Production trumps everything, and we need more production from our quarterback po- sition. We had a period where we were getting some pretty good ones early in the season and then in the middle of the season, but we need more production. "I think these guys are certainly up for the challenge. Any quarterback, the better you get around them, the better that quarterback is, too. There's some teams in this country that they keep going with their second quarterback, well, their quarterback is driving a Cadil- lac, they'll be fine. I could go in and complete a few pass- es. So as we get better — I looked at the depth chart and I think maybe 19 of the 22 guys that were listed in