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VOLUME 26, ISSUE 1 39 slot, too, he said, but also in the backfield. The Iowa native has run in the 4.5 range in the 40- yard dash, making him another potentially important addition to an offense that has almost entirely changed at the running back position from a speed perspective and will lose its one proven big-play threat at wide re- ceiver after this season. "I think they're going to work me into the slot to see what I can do there, see if I have natural hands, natural route-running ability," said Wegher, who's from South Dakota originally. "I think I'll be fine there from a speed perspective and I know I can run downhill. So I think that's what we're looking at." Purdue's need for speed is even more pronounced this recruiting cycle as it shifts toward playing with a different type of speed. The Boilermaker offense is expected to operate at an increased tempo this season, snapping the ball quicker in hopes of catching defenses unprepared, fa- tigued or in less-than-ideal personnel groupings. Such attacks typically need speed to be as effective as they can be, not that that can't be said about most any offense. "It's extremely important be- cause of the pace we now play at and also because of what we're trying to do as an offense," Parker said, speaking generally. "Scheme and pace force you to be fast and the depth of that speed is what's most important in recruiting. How fast can we make our entire roster? That's nothing different. Everybody in the country tries to do that, but with the pace we're trying to play on offense, obviously creating depth is very important." Purdue is hoping to be able to throw the ball vertically more effec- tively than it has in past seasons, but when you look at the success it has had making big plays in the passing game — at least among its wide receivers — it's been the short-passing attack that has made it happen. Of the biggest plays Anthrop made last season as he averaged more than 16-and-a-half yards per catch, most came off short horizontal throws or simple drop- off passes. It's that after-the-catch ability that Purdue stands to miss more than anything when Anthrop is gone. "Obviously, in the perfect world, you'd like to have (downfield threats), but if you said I had to choose, I'd love to have the guy who can house it from a short distance," Parker said, "because there are easier ways to get him the ball. With the run-by-him guy, that's a really long pass and naturally the completion percentages are going to drop. But it's nice to have them both, but if we can get a Danny Anthrop sort of guy (to get) the ball quickly and let him try to score, that's certainly the higher-percentage play." In 2014, the offensive success Purdue did have was mostly linked to its speed. With Akeem Hunt and Raheem Mostert gone from its backfield, though, it will have to reinvent itself, Buy a Subaru and Keep Indiana Driving. BRAND NEW 2015 SUBARU FORESTER Bob Rohrman Subaru 1600 South Creasy Lane, Lafayette, IN 47905 1-866-906-6223 www.BobRohrmanSubaru.com