5 Things Purdue Will Miss Out On With Limited Spring Football Workouts
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the world, sports have been ceased momentarily, and that included the NCAA halting all sporting activities for the remainder of the school year.
Purdue football was able to practice eight times before the pandemic inevitably put things on hold. Fewer spring workouts means there is a long list of unfinished business.
For Purdue specifically, here are five things that they will miss out on this spring and what that impact might be like:
1. New Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco Installing His Scheme
After Purdue moved on from Nick Holt, they hired Bob Diaco to take over defensive coordinator duties. Without a full complement of spring football activities, Diaco unfortunately won't be able to see his defensive scheme take full form or see players fit into the system without the practice reps. It puts them behind.
Spring is very important for new coaches implementing their own schemes. And doing it in virtual meetings isn't the same as being on the field with teammates, all learning the ropes together. Missing out on those reps is hard, because you never get those back.
2. Newcomers Getting Acclimated
Another key thing that Purdue will miss out on is having newcomers, whether it be freshmen or transfers, added to the camaraderie in the locker room. They also suffer from not getting the reps with the team that were expected.
The early arrivals got a taste of spring ball but weren't really able to show much in that limited window. It's a big things for players who didn't see much action last year who wanted to impress coaches this spring. That didn't happen.
That's one of the biggest benefits of spring, to see that growth from future big-time contributors. Now they'll have to fast-forward to the fall, but we also don't yet know what practice time is going to be like before the season starts. There are still a lot of unknowns.
3. Establishing a Starting Quarterback
There is certainly an open quarterback competition in West Lafayette. Purdue returns Jack Plummer and Aidan O'Connell, both of whom saw their first bit of college action a year ago. Add Austin Burton, a graduate transfer from UCLA, to the mix as well. He has two years of immediate eligibility remaining.
Without spring ball, the mystery of who will take the duties of starting quarterback grows larger and the uncertainty likely will remain until the coaching staff can see live game-like reps from the quarterbacks in the fall.
4. Rondale Moore Shaking Off Rust From Injury
Moore injured his left hamstring last September, causing him to miss the final eight games of the 2019 campaign. During the offseason, he also dealt with a finger injury, and Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said that Moore would be “limited” in practice this spring.
“I feel good. I’m at 100 percent,” Moore said back in early March. However, without spring ball, Moore won't have the ability to dust the cobwebs off while coming back from injury. With the lack of full-speed reps, the verdict is still out if Moore will return to the elite production seen in his freshman season, where he was named the first true freshman consensus All-American in Big Ten history.
5. Offensive Line Development
Purdue doesn't have much experience in the offensive line room. Before Greg Long, a graduate transfer from UTEP, decided to continue his football career at Purdue, there were only two seniors on the Purdue offensive line.
The offensive line is a work in progress and the only certain starter is fifth-year senior co-captain Grant Hermanns. After Hermanns, it is anyone's guess on who will start on the line for the 2020 season and without spring ball, it is challenging to see development and progress.
Purdue ranked last in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (83.3), rushing yards per carry (2.9) and rushing touchdowns (9) last season.
