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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 6 57 Kicker J.D. Dellinger 6-2, 190, So. Punter Joe Schopper 31 6-0, 199, Jr. Kick Return D.J. Knox 1 5-7, 206, Jr. Tario Fuller 25 6-0, 192, So. Punt Return Jackson Anthrop 33 5-11, 191, R-Fr. End 1. Antoine Miles 11 6-3, 266, Sr. (5) None* 2. Danny Ezechukwu 36 6-2, 242, Sr. (5) Danny Ezechukwu is an effective player — and maybe more than that — when he can get up on the line of scrimmage and rush into the backfield. It's when he's forced to play in space that his performance can get a bit messy. So Nick Holt, the co-defensive coordinator, is going to use Ezechukwu in the former as much as possible; the only question is from where. Ezechukwu practiced at strongside linebacker in the spring, the position he's made 22 starts the last couple seasons, but there he has to occasionally drop into zones in pass coverage or defend the flats. Maybe Ezechukwu shifts to more of an end, whether it's called that officially or not, allowing him to become more of a pass rusher. Either way, it's up to Purdue to find ways to accentuate Ezechukwu's strengths. Quarterback 1. David Blough 11 6-1, 200, Jr. 295-of-517 passing for 3,352 yards, 25 TDs / 21 int. 4 rushing TDs* 2. Elijah Sindelar 2 6-4, 226, So. OR Jared Sparks 12 6-1, 200, R-Fr. Wide Receiver 1. Gregory Phillips 10 6-0, 200, Sr. 17 rec., 172 yards* 2. Isaac Zico — 6-0, 187, Jr. Tight End 1. Cole Herdman 88 6-4, 245, Jr. 35 rec., 344 yards, 3 TDs* 2. Brycen Hopkins 89 6-5, 245, So. Left Tackle 1. Grant Hermanns 78 6-7, 293, R-Fr. 2. David Steinmetz — 6-6, 300, Sr. (5) Left Guard 1. Mike Mendez 55 6-4, 294, So. 2. Shane Evans — 6-4, 300, Jr. Center 1. Kirk Barron 53 6-2, 305, Jr. 2. Shane Evans — 6-4, 300, Jr. Had Gregory Phillips not finished the spring with a flourish, including one of the best catches of the spring game — a deep snag in coverage up the right sideline — then Purdue would very possibly be looking at an entirely new group of starting receivers on the first day of training camp. But Phillips should get the nod to hold on to an outside job, given that he's the most experienced returnee and has the ability to be a reliable pass-catcher. His problem over the years, last year in particular, has been his unusual tendency for cases of the yips. For a player who catches nearly everything in practice, his game- day drops have been odd, to say the least. To keep his job, he'll need to keep up the play that brought him to the front at the end of the spring. Defense Cornerback 1. Da'Wan Hunte 2 5-9, 185, Sr. (5) 47 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 6 PBU* 2. Antonio Blackmon 25 6-0, 198, Jr. Strongside Linebacker 1. T.J. McCollum 6 6-3, 234, Sr. 2. Danny Ezechukwu 36 6-2, 242, Sr. (5) Offense Tom Campbell GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 6 57