Mitch Leidner
- Purdue's physical and has played a lot of teams close.
- Emphasizing in practice to start fast and stay fast.
- This team is close and has good leadership. We won't let each other not go all out in practice.
- We talk about lowering our target zone. Sherels points things out with targeting in the film room. If the coaches see it, they'll mention it but it's not something we're specifically working on.
- Rallis was the ring leader of giving Scott Ekpe a hard time for trying to pick up the fumble against Illinois. "He looked a little old."
- Not too much of an adjustment to play a team that passes as much as Purdue
- "We know we have to win out to win (the Big Ten West)." But the focus is one day and one practice at a time. It's a big deal if we have a couple bad practices in a row in practice. "We can't afford one bad practice."
- "Merrick's a hard dude to block."
- Seth Green is doing a great job at scout team quarterback. Johannesson, Femi-Cole have done well. Matt Morse is challenging us.
- First thing he did after getting back from the game was turn on the Wisconsin game. Rooted for Wisconsin with some guilt but a Wisconsin win helped them in the Big Ten West hunt. Watched the game as a player rather than a fan and took notes.
- We're getting more contribution from each class and each position group this year on defense more than last year.
- The players have fun at practice; there's been great energy.
- Kids have found the sports psychologists very helpful.
- Purdue is skilled at wide receiver. They like to throw screens and get the ball out in space. We'll have to do a great job of tackling.
- Against Purdue, they'll have to get pressure without blitzing a lot of people because that reduces the likelihood
- "I feel like I'm on vacation with injuries compared to a year ago."
- Pirsig and Craighton have been cleared to practice, and Richardson's good to go as well.
- KiAnte Hardin can run, he can get out of breaks efficiently and that allows him to close on the ball when it's in the air. Great DBs like him have a mentality to take the ball away and get after people. While a lot of places are playing 7v7 in the spring, Webb City's probably running middle drill.
- All of our great DBs have wanted to play DB. Not a believer in moving receivers to DB; they need a certain mentality.
- The NFL knows how to practice without pads and not get people hurt. If you can do that in college, that's a big advantage.
- Wants safeties that can both cover and tackle in the box because otherwise you show your cards when they line up. Winfield and Travis are pretty compatible that way.
- Jalen Myrick has graded out pretty well. He gave up the post route against Rutgers and we tell our corners that if you give up the post, you can't play here. Other than that, he's done awfully well. "The side of the field he's in has been awfully productive this year."
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