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56 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com P urdue looked to be in good shape on its offensive line recruiting front. At perhaps the biggest position of need for the 2016 class, Luke Campbell and Dylan Powell had given ver- bal commitments, and coaches liked the potential of each guy, felt like they'd nailed it in the recruiting process. But, as can be the case, more prominent schools started sniffing around. And, then, Jim Bridge bolted for Duke on Jan. 13, leav- ing the Boilermakers without an offensive line coach for the final three weeks before signing day. It was, seemingly, the last straw for Campbell and Powell, who each de-committed within days of Bridge's departure and ultimately signed with perennial power- houses Michigan State and Stanford. And that appeared to put Purdue in a seri- ous bind. It had to find prospects quickly. The time frame between offers and commitments from Arizona prep lineman Tanner Hawthorne and New Mexico's Grant Hermanns were as short as four days and no longer than a week. There wasn't time to build a real bond with either player, wasn't time to do much research. The recruitment essentially was a view of game film, a couple conversations and a visit after an offer that was figured to be snatched up. JUCO transfer Jalen Neal was signed to pro- vide immediate help, after a recruiting process of less than a week before signing at the mid- year date in December, only to later find that he hadn't completed the necessary academic work to enroll early. He'll arrive in the summer now, the same time as the freshmen. Why so important to add linemen to the class — and a desire to bring in at least one early? The Boilermakers have significant issues up front after losing starters Robert Kugler and David Hedelin to graduation, J.J. Prince and Jason Tretter to career-ending nagging injuries and Joey Warburg to attri- tion. This spring, Purdue will have only nine scholarship linemen on the roster — and one, Cameron Cermin, won't participate after offseason shoulder surgery — and may not even have enough players, including walk-ons, to field a two-deep. Coach Darrell Hazell said his preference is to have 17 linemen on a roster. So the need was considerable. And yet all that seeming craziness leading into signing day — the de-commitments, recruiting players without a position coach, the sped-up recruiting processes and late additions — didn't faze Hazell. O-line key in 2016 class Priority Dean Mortenson Purdue had a need at offensive line in this class and landed three players, including Tanner Hawthorne, after what some would consider an eventful month before signing day.