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"Obviously, he won't be perfect. But he really works hard and strives on being excellent. He's very important to our football team." because Maci always has a pen and paper in defensive meetings, taking notes. He has shown an ability to learn helps him out is the fact that he's a smart football player, said. "I think (it helps) anything from understanding the game play, grasping the game plan quickly and not only understanding the game plan but understanding what offens- es are trying to do. Too many guys just know, 'OK, here's my assign- ment, I'm an A gap, B gap player. " Landholm and adapt quickly. "One of the things that really he must produce. The linebacker spot obviously But he also knows to stay in it requires different assignments than end, though Maci insists that he had to make a lot of the same coverage drops that he does at linebacker as a defensive end. It's just he is dropping from a stance now. But making sure he's lined up Coach Danny Hope on new linebacker Robert Maci And there will correctly and identifies his assign- ments quickly will be crucial to suc- But why is the offense doing this? And being able to adjust his game based on that." Hope is quick to point out it's not only Maci's intelligence that could help him succeed on the outside. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds with ' some athleticism, Hope thinks Maci has built up his body over the last several years to be able to take on tight ends at the Sam spot. be some impressive ones on the oppo- site side this season: Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert, Wisconsin's Jacob Pederson, Iowa's massive 6-7, 265-pound C.J. Fie- dorowicz and Ohio State's Jake Stone- burner, to name a few. "(Maci) is a big, mature guy and matches up well against tight end prospects from a physicality stand- point, and he's certainly athletic enough to play defensive pass cov- erage against tight ends, getting his drops and play man or whatever we may ask him to do, viously, he won't be perfect. But he really works hard and strives on be- " Hope said. "Ob- cess at linebacker, he said. Short said Maci has been "amaz- ing" handling the double duty. Ultimately, Maci's hope is to be mistake-free at either position. "(The goal is to) play both posi- tions at the top level, not just be a really good linebacker and an OK D-end, best position for my team when they need me at the right time. " he said. "I want to be in the " j KRANNERT LEADERSHIP SPEAKERS SERIES presents Maci doesn't have much game experience, but coaches have been impressed with his ability to learn quickly and attention to detail. Tom Campbell ing excellent. He's very important to our football team." Maci said he appreciates the coaches' willingness to allow him the dual role, viewing it as a sign of trust. FOR INFORMATION/TICKET PURCHASES: MELISSA EVENS, 765-494-4392 OR MEVENS@PURDUE.EDU WWW.KRANNERT.PURDUE.EDU/EVENTS/LSS J.R. MARTINEZ 10.11.12 THURSDAY 6:30 PM PMU BALLROOMS THE GADOMSKI FOUNDATION BURTON D. MORGAN CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • volume 23, express 1 • 15 EA/EOU