Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/558473
16 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED Now, entering Year 3, there final- ly are no doubts that every player on the roster has bought in to Hazell's methods, his maybe-quirky empha- sis on quiet time and a 600-plus- page manual that doesn't talk about football and his unwavering plan. "We have a better understand- ing," senior cornerback Anthony Brown said. "When Coach Hazell first got here, we were trying to figure out how he operates. But it's going on his third year here, so we know what's going on, what to expect. We know what the coaches want from us. We're coming togeth- er more as a team. "This is the year. We have to do something. Even though we have one of the toughest schedules, that should make us more hungry to win games. Nobody wants to go 3-9 and 1-11. That 1-11 was the worst season of my life. I don't want to remember anything from that sea- son. It was just terrible. We've got to win." Hope comes in that there has been some clear on-field progress, too. After largely being unable to protect the quarterback in Year 1, allowing a whopping 38 sacks, Pur- due cut that number significantly in 2014, allowing 24 in 12 games. After largely being unable to run the ball in Year 1, rushing for a nearly 25-year-low 805 yards, Pur- due more than doubled that total in 2014, rushing for 1,886 yards. After largely struggling to pro- duce points in Year 1, managing a Big Ten-worst 14.9 per game, Purdue boosted that by nearly two scores per game in 2014, averaging 23.8. After largely being unable to stop the run in Year 1, allowing a whop- ping 235.4 yards per game on the ground, Purdue locked in more in 2014, holding opponents to under 200 yards per game. After being unable to keep op- ponents out of the end zone from inside 20 yards in Year 1, seeing scores 93 percent of the time in the red zone, Purdue emerged as one of the Big Ten's stingiest defenses there in 2014, allowing scores only 79 percent of the time to rank third in the league. "Not to say there's anything in moral victories, but the improve- ment was there," fifth-year senior Top returning statistical leaders Rushing Att Yds Avg TDs Green 27 199 7.4 0 Appleby 61 198 3.2 5 Passing Comp Att Pct Yds TDs INT Appleby 144 272 52.9 1,449 10 11 Receiving No Yds Avg TDs Anthrop 38 616 16.2 4 Posey 19 188 9.9 1 De. Yancey 12 147 12.2 3 Tackles Solo Ast Tot Sacks Bentley 43 33 76 0 Williams 51 23 74 1 Herman 28 28 56 0 Brown 41 13 54 1.5 Interested in a print subscription? Visit the Purdue Shop at GoldAndBlackDigital.com to order on the iPad? Visit the iTunes store And Don't Forget... Gold and Black Pregame Show Listen any time to get the latest news before kickoff! Monday Show Download podcasts by searching "Gold and Black Radio" on smart phones or in iTunes Tom Campbell Junior Jason King is part of a veteran offensive line, a reason why Purdue thinks it can build off last season.