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16 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED Allowing Appleby the freedom to make decisions at the line to dictate the play calls — and believing he'd make the right ones. Having "no inhibition," as Appleby calls it, and deliv- ering a ball to a first-year receiver fighting to make the two-deep — and believing he'd come down with the ball. It's what Purdue is banking on in 2015: An unwavering trust and belief in teammates, bonds forged by shared failure and the fierce fight to attain success. Now, more than ever in Darrell Hazell's era, the Boil- ermakers say they truly are unified. Not just in the "buy- ing in" process that occurs with a new staff, but with a belief in each other that is, they say, unbreakable. So each offensive lineman is trusting in the guy next to him to do his job right, every time. Every running back is trusting in the guy in front of him to do his job right, every time. Every receiver is trusting in the quarterback … It's not just on offense, of course, where the camara- derie has been emboldened. But it was maybe best showcased on that final drive of camp. With a group that has had so much uncertainty under Hazell and Shoop. Two years ago, the line struggled so much hat Hazell said it was hard to evaluate any skill player. Last season, the receivers had a single reliable playmaker. And there hasn't been a single quarterback that started Game 1 and Game 12. Perhaps now, though, finally, there is reason to believe full steam is ahead. The experienced talent on the line, the emergence of legitimate receiving options, the hard-hat mentality of the backs, and, maybe, even a consistent quarterback. Though Hazell didn't announce the starter for Marshall by the end of camp, Appleby exhibited the leadership, the accuracy and the grasp of the offense to very likely keep the job. And Appleby, a junior, eager to see how this offense responds with its newfound confidence, mentality and trust. "If we miss one, we can't go in the tank," Appleby said of the evolving of the offense and its willingness to take shots in the passing game. "That's part of that mindset that we're building as a team. If something doesn't hap- pen the way you want it to, reload, we're good. We'll get the corrections and we're going to come right back out firing. We're not going to get tentative. We're not going to go into a shell. We're going to keep firing and going and going and going. "Because we're good enough to do it. We're working on it each and every day." LOCKING DOWN "What is that?" That was a common refrain from Purdue's offensive players this camp — as it related to what the Boilermak- Stacy Clardie Senior Ryan Watson was the defense's most improved player in the spring, a springboard he used to get first-team repeti- tions in camp. At nose tackle, he and Ra'Zahn Howard, who has had a standout August, could be a formitable pair.