GoldandBlack.com Saturday Simulcast: Purdue football predictions, hoops recruiting updates

In our Aug. 23 edition, Purdue football talk and predictions with GoldandBlack.com football experts Tom Dienhart and Dub Jellison. Brian Neubert joins host Alan Karpick to talk about the strange world of hoops recruiting.

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Purdue Football in Game Week Mode

(article by Dub Jellison)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – As fall camp draws to a close for Barry Odom and Purdue football, the Boilermakers are becoming well-versed with their season opening opponent, Ball State, getting a head start on week one preparation. That cut fall camp by two days, as Purdue conducted a typical in-season Monday practice on Thursday, followed by a traditional in-season Tuesday practice on Friday.

Thursday was a lighter day, while Friday looked much more like a grueling Barry Odom practice, which leads into a mock game, set for Saturday. Differing from the two scrimmages Purdue has conducted this fall, Saturday is to be more about the logistical component of game day, along with a scripted practice.

“(Mock game) will be a little bit lighter from a physicality standpoint,” said Odom. “We’ll do mock game situations, substitution review. We’ll get a 28- to 35-play script as real life as we can get it. Sideline management, all the things that go into that will be extended in the meeting rooms tomorrow. And then Sunday, our players will then lock into the actual game week of what we do on our Sunday routine, and then obviously how fast it happens from that day until we kick it off.”

Practice plans for the last several days have been calculated for Barry Odom and staff, who he deemed were “stars” of fall camp, executing the plan and getting the Boilermakers ready for the first year of the Odom era.

“We wanted to start the bonus work on Ball State,” said Odom. “And then, number two, (we wanted) for players to understand what each day looks like.”

Purdue is putting the finishing touches on its months-long preparation for the season over the next 24 hours, heading into its debut matchup against Ball State in Ross-Ade Stadium. The program will go into that game with a new on-field leader, after Odom named Ryan Browne the starting quarterback on Thursday.

“Ryan has the edge going in here and we’re comfortable with that and excited for him,” said Odom. “He has earned that, and we also understand that the other four guys in the room, they’re a play away from being in that role.”

Browne was also one of eight captains voted on by the team this week. A group that also includes Devin Mockobee, Tony Grimes, CJ Madden, Mani Powell, Jalen St. John, An’Darius Coffey and Michael Jackson III. Browne’s leadership was evident from the time he re-emerged on campus this summer and helped earn him the starting quarterback title after a lengthy camp battle.

“I think he’s mature. He has experience. There’s some familiarity with some of the roster, but I think all of our quarterbacks (had that). I think you could trade Ryan Browne’s name for Malachi Singleton, or Bennett Meredith or Evans Chuba or Garyt Odom. We force a lot on the quarterbacks, and Coach Hinshaw has done a really good job, and Coach Henson on developing a player-friendly offense for that position, and how important it is for everybody around him to play really well, too.”

As Purdue gears up for game one of 12, the team is on track to where Odom expected them to be to this point. There are still areas for growth ahead, but the Purdue head coach is pleased with the progress of the program over the last month.

“In my opinion, I think we’re about where I expected us to be,” said Odom. “So, we’re not there yet, but we’re getting close to game ready.”