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VOLUME 25, ISSUE 6 45 DEFENSIVE LINE Purdue feels confident about its interior. It has questions, many of them, about its exterior. Let's start with the former. The in- terior of the defensive line might be the Boilermakers' deepest, maybe the most talented, with Replogle set to start at the three-technique tack- le — the position lines up shaded outside an offensive guard — and Watson at the nose. But the backups, Rouse and Howard, have plenty of ex- perience, are potential starters and figure to get significant snaps. "We have another year under our belt, more games, and we've hit the weight room hard," Replogle said. "So we definitely have confidence in our ability and know we can be a big part of this defense and we know we can make plays in the Big Ten." Replogle might be on the verge of a breakout season. Since arriving on campus in 2013, and playing a bit in the second half of his first season, the junior has changed his body. He is up to about 280 now, 30-plus more than when he was a rookie, with sights to get to as high as 290 by the start of the season. That, he thinks, could help him better fight with interior offensive linemen, disrupting the run game or even pressuring quarterbacks. Last season, his first playing as an interior lineman and first as a starter, Replo- gle had 10.5 tackles for loss, with three sacks, output that could double. At least that's Purdue's hope. "Jake is the poster child for what we want," Hudson said. "Keep bring- ing Jakes in here." But Replogle might only be at his best if the others around him can gar- ner attention as well. And that means getting good, consistent play from Purdue's nose guards. That didn't al- ways happen a year ago. But Watson grabbed hold of the starting spot following a solid spring — afterward, he was named the Most Improved Player for defense — in which he played like he did at the be- ginning of last season. Then, he had four sacks during the non-conference slate, but none the Big Ten. "I think he has a sense of urgency," Replogle said. "It's his senior year. Home of Boilermaker Hospitality 1241 Cumberland Ave, Suite B West Lafayette, IN 47906 Phone: 765-497-0197 www.bankerinvestmentgroup.com A Fee-Based Investment Advisor located in the Purdue Research Park 25+ Years of Investment Management Experience Bill Banker, President Purdue University Alumni 85' Purdue Baseball Alumni 81'-85'