Springing Into Action

With basketball season officially over, we enter a long drought for me. Sure, I like watching Indy Car, but it's nothing like college basketball and football for me...and while the Yankees and Red Sox are set to play this weekend to kick off the MLB season, the length of both the season and the baseball game itself doesn't jive with my self-diagnosed ADD.

So, my attention, at least for a few weeks shifts to Purdue football practice. Sure, you can't really tell much about the team through the screens in the fence and while watching videos of drills, but it's a solid diversion.

Hope's squad had its first scrimmage with the kooky scoring system yesterday and the defense won. And if you're not into it enough to comb GBI and Journal & Courier for info, here's the skinnny so far:

-Lots of guys are injured. Specifically, linebackers. As of now, there are only 4 guys who have played significant snaps at any of the three positions available for spring. That could be good as it might help someone get seen early...Perhaps true Frosh, Will Lucas will show? But, in the Black/Gold game it'll create problems.

Keith Smith is out for the remainder of spring as is Ken Plue. The good thing about both of these guys is that they're pretty solid at their knowledge of the offense. The offensive line is banged up and depleted due to graduation and injuries. So, guys like Foy and Melton will get more reps...which is good.

Albert Evans and Nick Mondek are both out...I hope Evans is acting as a coach for the young DBs in his time off...because that unit will need it. There's plenty of reason for concern for this amazingly-underexperienced unit come the fall.

-Defenses always seem to come along a bit quicker...so it's OK to see the defense edging out the offense, especially early. But, I'm hoping the offense passes the eyeball test, for me, on April 17.

-Gary Bush seems to be the new apple of the coach's eye at this point. Bush put on some weight in the offseason and Hope likes what he sees from him. He's also talked a few times about how the battle between McBurse and Bolden will be fun to watch.

-Marve has been held out of practice from time-to-time due to soreness of his surgically-repaired knee. Not a concern, but it's helped give TerBush some more reps with the ones. The guy pushing Marve seems to be Henry. I think much of the Purdue fanbase is excited to watch him this spring.

-In a nifty team-unity move, Robert Marve brought his O-linemen with him to talk to the media last weekend to help him answer questions. So far, Marve's saying and doing all the right things as a team guy.