Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/816762
GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 5 48 someone I can play for and get better." It's conceivable all three players immediately establish themselves as three of Purdue's best at the position, if not the best, though nothing will be taken for granted. It's not a simple transition moving from junior college to the Big Ten. But wide receiver isn't the only position where Purdue will count on these incoming transfers. T.J. Jallow figures to start at safety and Okonye could join him in the No. 1 secondary. McCollum didn't move over from WKU to be a backup and if Steinmetz materi- alizes, he'll have every chance to figure heavily on an of- fensive line where help is needed urgently. Higgins and Ellis both could be in Purdue's two-deep, at worst, at the start of camp. Brohm and his staff have experience with these situ- ations. They recruited the junior college and grad-trans- fer markets heavily at Western Kentucky, so they have background introducing older players into prominent role in new surroundings quickly. "We have dealt with quite a few of those guys the last couple years and they're all different so you have to understand what they can and can't handle," Brohm said. "Do we want to be creative and try to do some different things to win? Yes. Because of that, you've got to find ways to help them learn faster, to put them under pressure in practice, to find ways to maybe have somebody during the game assigned to make sure they know what to do. "There's a lot of small, intricate things you can do and a lot of times they've worked. What you don't want is to go into games with guys not knowing what to do on plays. … There's a lot of areas where you just have to make sure you know what they know, what they don't know, how they can figure it out and how you can not miss a game rep because they didn't know what to do. That's what you can't have, and that's on both sides of the ball. The commu- nication has to be precise, as simple as it can be, but (enough) for you to be able to do what you have to do." Purdue's veteran newcomers won't be around long, nine of the 10 coming to West Lafayette with two sea- sons of eligibility or fewer, including three one-and-do- nes. But with the ends of their college careers looming, they hope this is an opportunity to be part of a begin- ning. "I've been part of a rebuilding process," said Okonye, who was just part of Wake Forest's first winning season since 2008. "At Wake, it took three years, but at Purdue, I don't think it will take that long. "I hope we can turn it around real quick, starting this season. I have that experience with what it takes to turn something around, the minor details that could be the difference between having a winning record and being a bowl team (and not). j www.BobRohrmanSubaru.com Bob Rohrman Subaru Buy a Subaru and Keep Indiana Driving. BRAND NEW 2017 SUBARU FORESTER 1600 South Creasy Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 1-866-906-6223 2.0XT Touring