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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED OLUME 26, ISSUE 5 29 And that starts with the guy under center — or, in this offense's case, in the shotgun. "We're trying to make it easy on the quarterbacks, (but) that's not an easy job. No matter how easy we make it, it's still a tough job. They have a lot of responsi- bility on their shoulders, and I was really happy with the way they reacted to everything we gave them and the way they competed," Malone said. "With that you have a chance. If you don't have a quarterback, you don't have much of a chance. Every place that I've ever been that was without a (productive) quarterback, we struggled. That's Job (No.) 1." Though Hazell didn't name a starter after the spring — he hasn't yet since he's been at Purdue — returning starter David Blough is considered ahead in the race. But redshirt freshman Elijah Sindelar, the only other scholarship QB on campus this spring, surged toward the end of the spring, Hazell said. Hazell will announce the Week 1 starter in fall camp, he said. Blough seems like the best bet not just because he has the game experience but because he improved, too, this spring. "The way I've developed the most is in my deci- sion-making and because of that, I can control myself a little bit better," Blough said this spring. "I can control my footwork, my accuracy just a little bit better because when I come up to the line, I can make good decisions and everything else is kind of subconscious. It's flowing a little bit better than it has in the past." COVERAGE-FIRST DEFENSE Too many times in the past, Hazell thought, Pur- due was caught with the wrong personnel on the field against certain offensive looks — most often, having three linebackers on the field when there were three receivers, meaning one of those linebackers had the difficult proposition of covering a speedy receiver in the slot. Els' defense is looking to take that away. Purdue will run a substitution package defense, which will change its look based on the offense's group- ing. If an offense has three receivers, the Boilermakers will trot out five defensive backs. If an offense has four receivers, the Boilermakers will add a sixth DB to the mix. If an offense lines up with bigger personnel, go- ing with two tight ends or two backs, the Boilermakers will match that with more linebackers, using either a traditional 4-3 look or maybe even adding a fourth line- backer. But it's not a change in philosophy, it's a change in scheme, too. Els' defense is coverage first — and that includes the linebackers' assignments — instead of run-first, and though Purdue will be able to play a variety of coverag- es, it could tend toward being primarily a man coverage team instead of a zone coverage team. This spring, Els focused on teaching concepts more than schemes, and he said he installed maybe 70 per- cent of the defense. The rest will be implemented over the summer through playbook drawings and in the short meetings the coaches are allowed with players. 2016 Football Schedule Sept. 3 Eastern Kentucky Sept. 10 Cincinnati Sept. 24 Nevada Oct. 1 at Maryland Oct. 8 at Illinois Oct. 15 Iowa Oct. 22 at Nebraska Oct. 29 Penn State Nov. 5 at Minnesota Nov. 12 Northwestern Nov. 19 Wisconsin Nov. 26 at Indiana