ESPN College Football

2011 record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 4-4 (third place, Leaders Division) Returning starters: Offense: 9; Defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
DT Kawann Short, CB Ricardo Allen, QB Caleb TerBush, QB Robert Marve, QB Rob Henry, RB Akeem Shavers, RB Ralph Bolden, DE Ryan Russell, WR Antavian Edison, DT Bruce Gaston, OT Trevor Foy

Key losses
LB Joe Holland, S Albert Evans, LT Dennis Kelly, OG Nick Mondek, WR Justin Siller, K Carson Wiggs

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Ralph Bolden* (674 yards)
Passing: Caleb TerBush (1,905 yards)
Receiving: Antavian Edison* (584 yards) Tackles: Joe Holland (94) Sacks: Kawann Short* (6.5) Interceptions: Ricardo Allen* (3)

Spring answers

1. Healthy QBs: After two years of dealing with injuries and inexperienced signalcallers, Danny Hope finally had enviable depth at the position this spring. With Robert Marve healthy, last season's starter Caleb TerBush a year wiser, and Rob Henry on the mend from a torn ACL, Purdue has three former starters at quarterback. Hope said the depth made for much improved offensive execution this spring, which should carry over into the fall. Now he just has to figure out whom to play and when, as it's likely more than one will see the field in the same game.

2. Defensive front and back set: The Boilermakers have a chance to be very good up front defensively, and it all starts with defensive tackle Kawann Short. He passed up the NFL draft, and could work his way into first-round status with a big senior season. Bruce Gaston returns along side him in the middle, and sophomore defensive end Ryan Russell looks like a future star after coming on strong at the end of last season. The secondary is also in great shape, with returning cornerbacks Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson possibly forming the best tandem in the league, according to Hope. Nickel back Normondo Harris had a big spring game, and Max Charlot returns at safety. Purdue should have the ability to generate a pass-rush and defend the ball in the air.

3. More confidence: There's little doubt that there's more confidence in the air around West Lafayette. That comes from the team making -- and winning -- its first bowl game under Hope last season, and returning 18 offensive and defensive starters. This is Hope's deepest team, and it should be his best. Some are picking Purdue as a potential Big Ten sleeper, and the players believe that talk is justified.

Fall questions

1. Linebacker Who? While the defense looks stout up front and in the secondary, questions remain at linebacker. Joe Holland, the team's leading tackler a year ago, graduated. Dwayne Beckford missed the bowl game after a DUI arrest, and his status for the fall remains in flux. Will Lucas is the only returning starter guaranteed to suit up in September. There's talk of using some 3-4 looks under new defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar, who implemented his system in practices closed to the media this spring. Does Purdue have enough linebackers to make it work?

2. Offensive line chemistry: The Boilers' offensive line didn't get a lot of hype last season, but it produced two NFL draft picks in Dennis Kelly and Nick Mondek. Trevor Foy is moving from right to left tackle, and Kevin Pamphile and Rick Schmeig worked at multiple positions this spring. Purdue will mix in some new faces and some veterans in new places this fall, and how well that unit comes together will have a large say in how the offense flows.

3. X-factors on offense: Some things we simply don't yet know include the following: Can Ralph Bolden successfully return from knee surgery? If not, is Akeem Shavers a capable every-down back? What will happen to leading receiver Antavian Edison after his arrest on weapons charges this week? Will fellow wideout O.J. Ross make it back from academic suspension? Can kick returning dynamo Raheem Mostert make an impact at receiver? Purdue has a lot more options on offense than in the recent past, but there also remains a lot of question marks.

They're celebrating in the Commonwealth today. We're in spring football mode around here.

Don't forget to send in questions for today's mailblog.

• It's not a belated April Fool's joke: Nebraska will wear alternate uniforms for a game this season. The Huskers' offense is more confident in Year 2 of Tim Beck's system.
• Ohio State's tight ends are loving life under new coach Urban Meyer. The Buckeyes pick up a recruit who had committed to Toledo.
• An interesting look at how Minnesota monitors athletes and its official on social media.
• Some title talk from Iowa linebacker James Morris after a winter of introspection. Iowa actually broke even for its 2011 Insight Bowl trip, and sold more tickets than it had the previous year.
• Penn State quarterback Paul Jones has overcome academic hurdles to compete for the starting job. A quarterback upgrade isn't the only way the Nittany Lions' offense can improve in 2012.
• Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter is mic'd up for spring practice. The Wildcats have an open competition at the cornerback spots.
• After overcoming personal tragedy, Michigan offensive lineman Elliott Mealer is in the mix for a starting job. Michigan coach Brady Hoke recaps the first half of spring ball.
• Purdue's bowl practices paid dividends for linemen like Kevin Pamphile. A report from the Boilers' latest spring session.
• New Illinois coach Tim Beckman has made a favorable impression on local high school coaches and players.
• Indiana might be adding a Friend in next year's recruiting class. Check out some highlights from the Hoosiers' latest scrimmage.
• Michigan State has a void in the secondary following safety Trenton Robinson's departure. The Spartans' Tyler Hoover isn't worried about being very tall for the defensive tackle spot.
• After quitting the team last fall, Wisconsin's Casey Dehn has fallen back in line.

Purdue is getting a little bit of a buzz as a sleeper team for 2012 after breaking through with a bowl game (and win) in 2011. The Boilermakers opened spring practice last week and went for a couple of days straight before taking off for spring break. I had a chance to catch up with Purdue head coach Danny Hope to talk about how things are going in his program and the areas of concentration this spring.

Did you sense any different attitude this offseason after getting to that bowl game last year?

Danny Hope: I think we ended the season on a high note and with some momentum, and I think it carried over into the offseason. I think we're really hitting on all cylinders with our new director of sports performance, whom we hired last year about this time. It's the first time since I've been the head coach at Purdue that we're going into spring with a quarterback that's healthy that's played any football. Caleb TerBush wasn't penciled in as the No. 1 [quarterback], but he became No. 1 about a week before the opener. He had to get his feet wet and learn throughout the course of the season, but by the end of the season he was playing pretty good. That momentum carried right over into the bowl preparation and the win carried right into the weight training offseason and that carried into spring practices. And having experienced quarterbacks is important. It's the first time since I've been here we've been able to do something as simple as getting signals in early in spring. It's a little different tempo out there right now as a result. We've got some good players back and we've got some confidence as a football team.

You have quite a few experienced quarterbacks now, in fact. How are you splitting up the reps for them this spring?

DH: Well, Sean Robinson is playing on defense right now. It's hard to get four quarterbacks ready in spring ball, and he wasn't going to get as many reps as he needed to. So we're going to try him some at the linebacker position. That leaves TerBush and Robert Marve, who's finally healthy. I think Robert did some good things last year, but I think he's in position to take some big steps in his development because this is the first time since he's been here that he's been able to get a lot of reps without concern about an injury or an eligibility situation. Then Rob Henry is back. He's a little bit limited right now because he's coming off knee surgery, but I'm really pleased with where his recovery is, and most of the time when he's out there right now you can't tell much of a difference. But you have to limit his reps a little just because you don't want to overdo it and create a swelling issue. So the numbers are kind of taking care of themselves in some ways. We went into the spring with TerBush as No. 1 and all those other guys are competing.

Your leading rusher, Ralph Bolden, tore his ACL again, but you have two pretty good running backs in Akeem Shavers and Akeem Hunt. How do you feel about the depth at running back this spring?

DH: We had a real strong running attack last year. We were fifth in the Big Ten in rushing. The past couple of years, we've been able to establish a strong running game. I like the progress that we've made and having good running backs is a big part of that, and any more, having a couple of running backs you can play is a big part of it. We had a lot of different guys rush for us last year, probably 10 different guys who were utilized as ball carriers. We really like Akeem Shavers. He's a fast, physical back who finishes runs. Akeem Hunt is an excellent sprinter who's a member of our track team and was a state champion track performer in Georgia. So he's a class sprinter in a lot of ways for a football player.

We've also got a kid we redshirted last year in Doug Gentry, and he's a skilled player. We have Gavin Roberts, who has good size but was injured last year. He's a big back we can utilize in the backfield. Then we've got a couple fullbacks in Derek Jackson, who weighs about 240 pounds, and Kurt Freytag. So we've got some guys still in the stable even though Ralph is out. And we've utilized Antavian Edison and Raheem Mostert some as ball carriers out of their slot position, and both those guys are really skilled players. So we've got some athletes who can tote the mail, and we spread the wealth out around here.

Were you upset about the new kickoff rules because you have such a weapon at kick returner in Raheem Mostert?

DH: Well, we all play by the same rules. You'll have to make decisions about bringing some out, so the return man is going to have to be a good decision-maker. From a kickoff standpoint it might change some things. You can kick them all deep and try to force the touchback if you want to, but you're going to be giving the opponent the ball at the 25. Or you can kick the ball high and deep and try to pin them down and do a great job covering. So there's going to be some game planning and schemes involved. I think it will all even out. ... I don't think it's going to shut down all kick returns, but I think there will be about 25 percent less, is my guess.

(Read full post)

Schedule: Purdue will hit the field for its first practice at 4:25 p.m. ET Saturday.

What's new: The Robert Marve era is under way, as the Miami transfer enters camp as Purdue's clear-cut starting quarterback. Marve has done everything right off the field, and after admittedly being concerned about his surgically repaired knee this spring, he should be able to push himself in camp. Purdue made an important staff change during the offseason, as former assistant Gary Emanuel returns as co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach. Emanuel will play a big role in trying to boost the Big Ten's worst rushing defense. The Boilers also have a completely new-look secondary as all four starters depart.

Sidelined: Starting running back Ralph Bolden is out indefinitely following ACL surgery in early May. Head coach Danny Hope hasn't ruled out Bolden's return this season, but this is Bolden's second ACL injury in the past five years. Also, defensive tackle Kevin Pamphile, a projected starter after the spring, will be out until October after surgery to help a stress fracture in his foot.

Key battle: The secondary and the offensive line are the two position groups to watch this month. Safety Albert Evans is Purdue's lone returning defensive back with legit game experience, so there will be major competition at both cornerback spots and one safety spot. Purdue has two returning starters along the offensive line in left tackle Dennis Kelly and right guard Ken Plue, but the other three spots are wide open. Keep an eye on junior Nick Mondek, who tops the preseason depth chart at right tackle despite only switching from defensive tackle this spring.

New on the scene: Defensive tackle Bruce Gaston has impressed the coaches with his speed and will compete to fill Pamphile's starting spot during his recovery. Also keep an eye on two high school teammates from Florida -- wide receiver O.J. Ross and defensive back Ricardo Allen -- who could see the field early.

Back in the fold: After a year-long suspension from school, Justin Siller is back with the team and poised to make a big difference this fall. Michigan fans certainly will remember Siller, who started three games at quarterback in 2008 and also played some running back. He's listed as a wide receiver and could be a dangerous No. 2 option behind All-Big Ten selection Keith Smith. Purdue will find a way to get the ball in Siller's hands.

Breaking out: Al-Terek McBurse was a heralded recruit who took a little longer to make an impact last fall because of some initial eligibility issues. McBurse will get the first shot at running back after showing impressive burst on kickoff returns in 2009, averaging 24.6 yards per runback with a touchdown. Everyone knows about defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, but keep an eye on Purdue's other D-linemen, namely Gerald Gooden and Kawann Short.

Quotable: "When he came to Purdue, it was as a transfer from Miami, and a lot of things [were] written about him, a lot of controversy. He's done a great job fitting in. The team has embraced him. His teammates love him. Exceptional player and exceptional athlete and great teammate. We like everything about Robert Marve, and we certainly think he has the potential and talent for us to win on Saturday." -- Purdue head coach Danny Hope

Since there are so many links, I've broken this up into two categories for you.

BIG TEN NEWS

• Check out ESPN.com's coverage of Day 1 at Big Ten media days. A league title game should be here in 2011, and Nebraska AD Tom Osborne weighs in on his first visit to a Big Ten event.
• The Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein recaps Day 1.
• Commissioner Jim Delany showed Monday why he's the man in charge, Curt McKeever writes in the Lincoln Journal Star.
• A look at how Big Ten teams and Nebraska have fared since 1993, the starting point for determining competitive balance in the divisions, Rich Exner writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• More Day 1 highlights from AOL FanHouse's John Walters.
• Change is in the air for the Big Ten, but its brand name remains rock solid, Scott Dochterman writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• Indianapolis will know soon if it lands the first Big Ten football championship game, Jeff Rabjohns writes in The Indianapolis Star.
• A nine-game conference schedule is coming, but Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema doesn't like it, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.

TEAM NEWS

• Joe Paterno is getting older, so let's relish the time he's still here, CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd writes. Paterno hasn't lost his charm, Dave Curtis writes in The Sporting News.
• Who can dethrone Ohio State in the Big Ten? Curtis looks at the challengers. Ohio State remains the team to beat in this league, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
• Indiana's athletic director gives Bill Lynch a vote of confidence, LaMond Pope writes in The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
• Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz sounds off on upcoming suspensions, the health of defensive coordinator Norm Parker and more, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• The academic status of Michigan running back Michael Shaw remains unsettled as camp gets closer, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press. The Wolverines' quarterback race is wide open, annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein writes.
• Good news for Michigan State, as promising young offensive lineman Henry Conway is good to go, Joe Rexrode writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Not-so good news for Purdue, as defensive tackle Kevin Pamphile is out until at least early October, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
• Illinois' grand experiment might just work out in the end, Mark Tupper writes in The (Decatur) Herald & Review.
• Northwestern knows the run game must improve in 2010, ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers writes.
• Wisconsin's already-stacked offensive line will have Peter Konz at its disposal when practice begins, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More good news, as backup quarterback Curt Phillips (torn ACL) could be on the field by October, Mulhern writes.

The depth chart means a lot everywhere, but especially at Purdue.

Head coach Danny Hope has been known to post a different depth chart at the entrance to Purdue's practice field every day of spring ball or preseason camp. Boilermakers players constantly know where they stand with the coaches, and that they can't let up, even for one practice.

Given the ever-changing nature of Purdue's depth chart, the pre-camp version revealed Tuesday (page 16) should be studied accordingly. Still, it provides some clues about what the coaches are thinking entering preseason practice, which kicks off next month.

We already knew that Robert Marve will enter camp as Purdue's No. 1 quarterback, but here are a few more notes:

• Ralph Bolden is still listed at Purdue's starting running back despite undergoing ACL surgery in May. From the moment Bolden went down, Hope has remained very optimistic about the junior's status for the season despite the severity of the injury. Al-Terek McBurse is listed as the backup but likely will start the opener Sept. 4 against Notre Dame. Former wide receiver Keith Carlos is the third-string running back.
• Former quarterback Justin Siller, who rejoined the team this summer after a year-long dismissal from the university, is listed as a starting wide receiver alongside Keith Smith and Cortez Smith.
• The offensive line figures to feature some competition this summer, and here's how the starting five looks entering camp: left tackle Dennis Kelly, left guard Justin Pierce, center Peters Drey, right guard Ken Plue and right tackle Nick Mondek, who switched to offensive from defensive tackle this spring.
• The secondary is another group with some question marks. Charlton Williams and Josh Johnson are listed as the starting cornerbacks, while Albert Evans and Logan Link are tabbed as the starting safeties. Evans looks like the guy at strong safety, but the other three spots are fluid.
• Redshirt freshman Kevin Pamphile is listed as a starting defensive tackle next to Kawann Short. It'll be interesting to see if Pamphile maintains the top spot throughout camp, as there should be some good competition.
• Carson Wiggs could once again be a busy man this fall. He's listed as Purdue's starting kicker and a co-starter at punter with freshman Cody Webster. Wiggs or freshman Jonathan Linkenheimer will handle kickoffs.