Senior receiver returns
after hamstring injury
By Greg Doddridge
Staff
Writer
Senior wide receiver A.T. Simpson had his roommate
opposite him on the field as he practiced for the first time this spring
on Monday.
Simpson had been recovering from a hamstring injury
while junior strong safety Ralph Turner had been practicing all spring.
"My roommate comes home and talks about practice
and I am just sitting there like 'Yeah, well … ,'" said Simpson.
"But Monday, we fed off of each other, just with me out there. It's
always good to see a roommate out there. We were out there talking to
each other and keeping each other going."
He was also keeping a tight bond with his other
teammates.
"I was just excited to get back with the fellas,"
said Simpson. "It is hard to just sit there and watch. I brought a little
bit of intensity to my receivers. I kind of saw a smile on the coaches'
faces."
Coach Joe Tiller wants Simpson to get back into
a normal routine.
"It will be nice to see him get going and get competing
again," said Tiller.
Simpson said he likes to be the player on the field
that acts like the coach in the huddle. He said it is sometimes better
for the younger guys on the offense to hear it from him than from the
coaches.
And with Brandon Hance as the first-string quarterback
this spring, whom Simpson called a "workaholic," Simpson said he wants
to see himself in a leadership role.
Outside of working on being a leader, Simpson is
still trying to get used to all that he has missed by sitting out the
first seven practices.
"I have watched some film with (receivers) coach
(Ted) Gilmore," said Simpson. "I am getting more familiar with the coverages
and working on my technique and visualizing things. I have been trying
to get in mental reps if at all possible. I am trying to run the routes
in my mind, so that when I get out on the field, I can critique myself
even more."
Even though he is just getting back into practicing,
he said he is still a little cautious with his leg. He said he hopes
his attempt to hurry to get back on the field for practice doesn't jeopardize
his leg later this year.
"I just try to take it slow and if I can't go I'll
let a coach know," said Simpson. "But I just want Coach Gilmore to know
that I am not trying to sit back there and take the spring off. I want
to get back in there because I miss it."
Good spring performances
With eight of 15 spring practices completed, Tiller
is happy with his team's progress.
He was particularly pleased with the play of redshirt
freshman quarterback Brandon Hance in the scrimmage on Saturday.
"I think Hance had a good scrimmage," said Tiller.
"Our inability to move the football Saturday was not due to his performance.
There were other factors involved — dropping the football. I think
we had 10 or 11 drops in the scrimmage and that is never good."
Impressive spring for a walk-on
Brandon Johnson, a second-string defensive tackle,
seems to be posing some problems for the Purdue blockers up on the offensive
line, according to Tiller.
"Johnson is a guy who is raising some havoc in
there," said Tiller. "We don't seem to be able to block him, particularly
in the run game. He plays a low center of gravity, but he is a good
football player."
A Kokomo, Ind., native, Johnson is trying to earn
playing time after not seeing much action his freshman and redshirt
freshman years.
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