Deep Dive Practice No. 11

It’s informative, it’s analytical, it’s opinionated, it’s the Deep Dive, a look at today’s football practice.

• Players worked out in helmets and shells today during a breezy 19-period practice. Every day is starting to feel the same, and look the same. Is it Monday? Thursday? Tuesday? What’s my name? I need water and a Snickers.

• Special visitor at the start of practice today: Mung Chiang, who addressed the team. The always excitable Chiang is a big sports fan who seemed enthused to be here on a Wednesday morning. If he played football, he’d be a quarterback, right?

• A WR to watch: Corey Smith. Coming out of Brownsburg (Ind.) High in 2024, Smith was not offered by Purdue and ended up at Tulsa. Now, a year and one Purdue coaching change later, Smith is a Boilermaker.

“It was disappointment,” Smith said of not being offered by Purdue. “But I’m not never gonna be sad about it. I’m still blessed for all the offers that I did have. But being back here, it just shows me how much I love Purdue. I go out and I just see happiness everywhere I go. There’s nothing bad about (being) up here, and obviously I feel like I can vibe and be myself and play the best football that I can.”

The 6-2 Smith has turned heads in camp and looks poised to be part of what figures to be an eight wideout rotation on game days.

“Corey has really been a pleasant surprise, much better player than I thought when we got him,” said WR coach Cornell Ford. “Wasn’t really sure. And he’s come in, and he’s quickly gotten himself up the depth chart. He’ll be a guy that I think you’ll see a lot of this fall.”

• Watching TE George Burhenn run is a thing a beauty. Purdue needs to keep him in one piece in 2025.

• Looks like Auburn transfer TE Rico Walker has been getting more action in 11-on-11 time. He has an opportunity to make a move. Will he seize it?

• Does Purdue have a No. 1 WR right now?

“We’re working on it,” said Ford.

To me, it seems Michael Jackson–a transfer from Georgia who began his career at USC–is WR1 at the moment.

“His experience is big-time,” said Ford. “He brings a lot to the table. He’s very, very calm, very quiet, very to himself kind of kid. But he’s all about business, fundamentally sound. And I said, man, thank heavens we got him, because he’s gonna make a lot of plays for us this year. You’ll be hearing a lot about MJ out there.”

• Ford is a native of Gary, Ind., which is the home of pop sensation Michael Jackson. Now, Ford finds himself coaching a WR named Michael Jackson.

“What are the odds?” said Ford. “My dad went to school with the older Jacksons, with Tito and Jermaine, right? And I told my dad all the time: I got a kid on my team that I’m coaching, his name is Michael Jackson. And he looks at me like … unbelievable. I’m really, really happy with that, and excited about the opportunity, and we’re gonna see some special things this fall.”

• Nitro Tuggle check up:

“With a name like Nitro, you got to be a dude, right?” said Ford. “He’s still learning the system. I think he’s really, really explosive. He’s got some separation skills that a lot of our guys don’t have, and it’s just natural for him. And he’s really got good hands, as well. He just needs reps in our system and learning it, and as he continues to learn, he’s going to get better and better and add more to our group. But he’s a dude. The name fits him.”

• Scouts from the Packers and Saints were here.

• The depth in the secondary continues to impress with what looks like several solid options at CB. Gotta like Tony Grimes, Chalil Cummings, Ryan Turner and  Tre Wright. And I still like Hudauri Hines, who had his moments today.

• Nice to hear the practice DJ crank “Shoot To Thrill” by AC/DC. Now, THAT’S football music that makes you wanna hit something. It should be all AC/DC all the time at practice.

• Thanks for reading! The Boilermakers will be back at it tomorrow morning.