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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 4

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70 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED level." To Malone, that means evaluating a quarterback's strengths and featuring them. "We're going to do everything we can to develop and nourish and put our quarterbacks in position to be suc- cessful," Malone said. "There's a big difference in having a veteran quarterback come back who is in his last year and how you can add things in on a weekly basis. I think with a young guy, confidence is as big as anything. When you know what to do and you have the ability to do it, that's when you build confidence. So it's our job as a coaching staff to put these guys in position to be able to do the things they can do and then get out there and practice it enough to where they feel like they can do it. "Really the magic potion on putting together a great offense is understanding how much your guys can han- dle, understanding how it fits on a weekly basis. You can't come up with a brand-new offense every week. You have to have a foundation you build from." That sounds good to QB David Blough, the sophomore who started eight games last season. Blough is looking forward to an offense that is based off what the defense gives, one that's more about pre-snap than post-snap reads and one that has a specific way to call a play instead of multiple ways to call the same one. Cutting down terminology would seem to help, too. Under Shoop, quarterbacks often had incredibly wordy play calls — it essentially was NFL complexity — where they'd need to say 10 words to communicate one play in a huddle. But then, when Purdue started working some tempo into the offense, it'd use maybe a color with a certain name to sig- nify the same play. It was difficult, especially when a first-year quarterback took the reins. Now, though, all the quarterbacks will be on the same learning curve. "It's exciting because it's an opportunity for me to lead. It's an opportunity for me to teach and learn it and help others to come along with it as well," Blough said. "I think that's what our quarterback room feels — we can be the catalyst for driving and buying into a new system as long as we learn it and know the ins and outs of it and can teach it to those guys, whether it's a 6 a.m. morning session that we've been doing or we can teach those guys exactly what we want and kind of make it our own. It's an opportunity for us to take that next step, especially as quarterbacks and leaders." Blough's hoping to take the next step in terms of pro- duction, too, which Purdue sorely needs from the position. He had an up-and-down season after replacing Austin Appleby as the starter in Week 4. Blough showcased po- tential as an athletic, mobile, make-plays-out-of-the-pocket player and even, at points, as a capable pocket passer, but he also struggled to consistently connect on deep throws and identify blitzes to get the offense in the best situation from the line. The latter is expected from a new starter, but it won't be in Year 2. Says Blough. He's got high expectations. "This spring, I'm focusing on leading and taking the steps to kind of be dominant here," said Blough, who missed the finale against Indiana with a concussion. "I was looking — I hate to make this comparison — but I think (Drew) Brees threw 39 touchdowns as a sophomore. I'm like, 'Why can't I come out and throw 39 touchdowns as a sophomore?' I just want to turn this thing around and will sacrifice 100 percent for that." Blough has the mindset entering camp he's "the guy." But Hazell wouldn't call Blough the unquestioned No. 1 heading into spring. He did say Blough would get the first reps "because he came out of the season playing," but red- shirt freshman Elijah Sindelar will get a close look. Sindelar's not the only one who will be evaluated, obvi- ously. With more new coaches than returning ones, essentially every player on Purdue's roster is fighting for snaps. That's what one player — a starter — told Hazell during an individual meeting in February, and Hazell was happy to hear it. Hazell wants a hunger surging within the roster, a will- ingness to prove worth. Players said they've seen such an attitude during winter conditioning workouts, and they know it'll need to contin- ue once practices start. "In the spring, you better show what you have and play up to your ability," said Replogle, one player who wouldn't seem to have to prove himself. "If your ability is good enough to play, you'll play, but you better be playing up to that ability every single time you step on the field. There's no room for bad days. There's no room for comfort. You definitely can't be comfortable. You're either getting better or you're getting worse. I think that's something that our whole team really embraces." j

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