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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 5 26 Some, maybe, were wide-eyed, knowing the challenges ahead to earn the role. Others were steely-eyed with focus, knowing they'd already be- gun the work and just had to come through on the team's spring motto and "finish." Even if the "finish" in this group means pounding ahead for five yards when four is needed for a first down or running over a defender to get seven instead of four or slipping away for the occasional 20-yard run and lowering a shoulder instead of going out of bounds. Williams admittedly was spoiled by Hunt and Mostert. Last season, those two players accounted for 13 runs of at least 30 yards. The rest of the team: Three, including a 62- yard run by a quarterback. In the fall, maybe it'll be more re- alistic, and that kind of production will be just fine, too, Williams said. "In the NFL, there are more guys like Marshawn Lynch — you don't see these guys ripping off 80-yard runs every single second. You get the production in between the tack- les, and I think that's what we have in our room," Williams said. "You have some guys who can be very productive in between the tackles and just grind away through- out the course of the game and have a lot of production." Knox, Keyante Green and Markell Jones had their mo- ments this spring, showcasing differing skill sets throughout the 15 practices but especially emerging on the larger stages of the jersey scrimmage and spring game. Though the backs rotated in an open competition to start the spring, Knox moved into the No. 1 spot midway through, partially be- cause he may be the closest com- plete back of the group at this point. Though he must make consider- able strides in pass protection this summer and have a broader under- standing of the scheme instead of just his responsibilities in the of- fense, Knox offers quite a punch for his generously listed 5-foot-7 size. He has a touch of speed and shake, as well as having the best hands of the group and one of the lowest MA totals of the spring. Confidence exudes from him, built not only by some late se- nior-season success in high school but more so by hard work. And that has been clear in prac- tice over the last year-plus. It would have been so easy to relax on the scout team last season. The plays were scripted, not even ones run by Purdue's offense, and all the top depth chart offensive guys were working on the other side of the field — where the head coach and offensive coordinator were focus- ing. Wouldn't have been able to tell by watching Knox, though. He pressed against the first-team defense, finishing runs with physi- cality even if there wasn't supposed to be much of it in those periods or by spinning off a tackle and break- ing free. He never let up, kept fin- ishing runs. Then he was preparing for this. "When I was on the scout team, I saw it as a golden opportunity to get better because I knew (Hunt and Mostert) were going to be gone within six months. After this sea- son is do or die," Knox said. "So I was like, 'Why not get better and don't slack off?' Because if I slack off, I have to start all the way back from square one. So why not start halfway through and just finish it? I just went hard every day." He caught notice of coaches, and they opted not to redshirt him as a rookie. And even though he never stepped foot in the backfield during a game last season, Knox insisted playing special teams benefitted him. Of course, he never slacked off there either, showing up mul- tiple times in coverage when he'd race down the field and blow some- one up. Knox wants to keep delivering blows, now with the ball in his hands. He's "fearless," quarterback Aus- tin Appleby said. It's a quality Williams loves, one he views as only a positive. Even if it's already gotten Knox into some trouble. During a practice this spring,