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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 27, Digital 6

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 6 31 itary College. "All I know is the cornerbacks better be ready," Zico said in May. "The Big Ten cornerbacks better be ready. Michigan, we've got them on the schedule this year, so they better be ready. Louisville better be ready. Everybody better be ready because I'm bringing the energy. When I tell you I'm bringing the energy, I'm bringing the energy. "My speed, I'm going to get away from people, no doubt. And I'm going to get faster. I'm going to get stronger. I'm going to get away from people and make guys miss all the time. I plan on doing a lot of special stuff." Wright is a slot receiver who totaled 50 catches, 805 yards and eight touchdowns despite playing all season at Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) with a torn labrum in his shoulder. Offseason surgery and rehab set him back a bit this summer, but it didn't affect his expecta- tions for the type of impact he can have in 2017. "I really thought that it would really be hard coming off the shoulder just to be thrown in right away, but with my confidence and my level of play and the way I'm training every day here, I really feel that I can actually come and do what Coach Brohm asks me to do," Wright said in May. Holmes is projected as a slot re- ceiver, as well, and though he has the pedigree of coming from Notre Dame, he does not have the statistics like the JUCO transfers. Holmes played two games as a freshman and none as a sophomore before catching 11 passes for 96 yards as a junior. But he could bring a much-needed speed element to the offense, so he certainly will be in the mix as well. How does Phillips, the veteran, feel about the influx of bodies? He couldn't be happier, actually. "I think right now with me being (the oldest) and the coaches bringing in three guys, they're trying to breed culture. They're not trying to just have one good season with one good receiver. They're trying to have multiple seasons of good receivers," Phillips said. "It's all about building culture. I wouldn't say I feel like, 'Greg, forget you, we don't need you, blah, blah.' No. I would just say, 'Yeah, we've got Greg but we need someone else, too. We need more help.' Just building that culture so Purdue can form itself back to the Drew Brees days." TE Cole Herdman and Brycen Hopkins showed flashes last season. Now, it's time to break out. And the tight ends likely will have every opportunity to do so. They can't wait. "In the past, we've had some more experience at re- ceiver and this year, we have some talented guys but not as much experience, so I think it can be very important that Brycen and I at tight end have big years and, also, we've got to step up our game," Herdman said. "We played all right last year, but we've got to go to that next level and become really good players and be some of the best tight ends in the Big Ten, which is our goal." There's not a bit of hyperbole in that statement. A consensus among players and on the coaching staff From Our Family to Yours... We Love the Boilermakers! WindowWorld.com Five Indiana Locations Lafayette Indianapolis Terre Haute Muncie Columbus NEW STORE 523 S. Earl Ave.

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