PDF:Springgamerosters

Therewasalectern,aclockcountingdown,tradeproposals,excitedutterancesandguaranteesofsuccess.

Prettymuchanormaldraftdayatmosphere.

ItmayhaveonlybeenforPurdue'sspringgame,butthemoodwaslivelyinsideateammeetingroomWednesdayafternooninMollenkopf.

"It'sfun,"saidseniorquarterbackRobHenry,assignedtotheblackteam."Butatthesametime,it'sserious.We'reallcompetitorsandweallwanttowin.WhenitcomestoSaturday,therewon'tbetoomuchlaughing."

CoachDarrellHazellwasmasteroftheshow,layingdownthegroundrulesfortheselectionsforthegameonSaturday.

Afterseniorsweredividedtotwoteams,goldandblack,theyhadtoselectaspokesmantomakethepicks.Henryheldthehonorfortheblackteam,RicardoAllenforthegold.

Eachteamhadonlyoneminutetomakeaselectionoritwouldforfeitthepick.Oncethepickwasmade,that'dopenupthepositiongroupandtherestofthepicksfromthat"round"hadtobefromthatposition.

Thedrafttookonafranticpace,andHazellwasinthemiddleofitall,callingouteachpickandcrossingnamesoffalistthatwasilluminatedfromanoverheadprojectorontothemainscreeninthefrontoftheroom.

TheblackteamwonthefirstoverallpickonacointossandselecteddefensiveendRyanRussell.

Theotherfirst-pickselectionsbypositiongroup:CenterRobertKugler(gold),quarterbackDannyEtling(black),defensivetackleRyanWatson(gold),cornerbackFrankieWilliams(black),tightendJustinSinz(gold),runningbackAkeemHunt(black),receiverDolapoMacarthy(gold),linebackerJoeGilliam(black),punterThomasMeadows(gold),safetyE.J.Johnson(black),longsnapperJesseSchmitt(gold),kickerSamMcCartney(black).

Afterthedraftconcluded,Hazellsettheclockatthreeminutestoconsidertrades.Oncethetimerbuzzed,Hazellaskedrepresentativesfromeachteamtoproposeanytrades.

Thegoldteam'sproposalofMeadowsandCharlesTorwudzoforRussellwasimmediatelyrejected,astheroomeruptedintolaughter.

HenrythenproposedDannyEtlingforthegoldteam'sKuglerandMeadows.Thatwasgreetedwithaquick"no"fromthegoldteam'scoaches.

WithCodyWebster,asenior,alreadyonthegoldteam,theblackteamhadnopunter,whichiswhyMeadows'namewasinthemix.

Whenaskedifhethoughthisteamanticipatesusingitstwopuntersmuch,Allenrespondedwith"nottoomuch,buttheywill.Andtheydon'thaveone."

Therewasstrategyinvolvedinchoosingteams.

Henrysaidhestudiedinadvanceandhadaphilosophygoingintothedraft.Hewashappywithhowtheblackteamturnedout.

"Wewantedtopickguysthatwereversatile,guysweknewknewtheirassignmentsandwouldbereliable,"hesaid."Especiallywithanewsystemandeverythingthat'sgoingin,it'sbeenhardoneveryone,sothepeoplewhoarethemostreliablewereatthetopofourlist.That'swhowewentwith."

Allensaidthegoldteamwentwiththemostimportantelementfirst,protectingthequarterback.ItalreadyhadCodyDavis,thebackupcenterandsometimesNo.1guard,onitsroster,soitsnaggedstartingcenterKuglerwithitsfirstchanceatpickingtheposition.

Thesurprisepickofthedraft?MaybeCollinLinkClickThegoldteamalsohasJordanRoos,JoeyWarburgandJustinKitchensupfront.HeretoviewthisLink.,whosepickasthegoldteam'sfirstlinebackerdrew"oooohs"fromthegathering.

Themostexcitedplayerselected?CharlesTorwudzoClickLink,awalk-on,wasselectedaheadofSeanRobinson,whoisnursinganinjury,ArmsteadWilliams,AndyGarciaandJimmyHerman.HeretoviewthisLink.,whoimmediatelyjumpedoffhisseattoyell"Let'sgo!"andgiveahighfivetoanearbyteammate.

WithHenryandEtlingonthesameteam,thatmakesAustinApplebyClickThemostrevealingpickofthedraft,knowingfullwellstrategyisinvolved?MaybeMcCartneyoverPaulGriggsClickTorwudzowasthegoldteam'ssecondpickafterMacarthyandaftertheblackteamchoseShaneMikesky.HeretoviewthisLink.withthefirstkickerselection.HeretoviewthisLink.thetopQBforthegoldteam.AustinParkerClickThemostrevealingpickofthedraft,knowingfullwellstrategyisinvolved?MaybeMcCartneyoverPaulGriggsClickTorwudzowasthegoldteam'ssecondpickafterMacarthyandaftertheblackteamchoseShaneMikesky.HeretoviewthisLink.withthefirstkickerselection.HeretoviewthisLink.istheonlyotherQBonthegoldteam,soit'llbeinterestingtoseeifHazelltweakstherostersatall.

Aftertheselectionsweremade,Hazellhadrepresentativesfrombothteamsstandupandtalkabouttheirteams.

Andthetrashtalkingbegan.

Henrystartedoffcivil,sayinghefeltcomfortablewiththepicksandthetalent.Thenheannouncedit'dbe"totaldomination"bytheblackteam.

TeammateKevinPamphilefollowedsuit,saying"IfIhadtolayoutapredictionrightnow…"andtookalongpausebeforedeclaringthattheblackteamwouldwin"42-0."

Butthegoldteamdishedback.

Afterreiteratingthepersonnel,Allensimplyendedwithtellingtheblackteam"Godbless,"implyingit'dneedsomehelp.

BruceGastonsaidtheblackteam'sO-linewassopoor,he'dhadnoproblemhandlingthemandhehasuseofonlyonehand.

"Obviously,wehavealotofconfidenceinourteam,"Henrysaid."We'llseewhathappens.Attheendoftheday,weallrealizewe'reallonthesameteam.We'reheretomakeeachotherbetter,andifit's42-0,thenhopefullywemadethegoldteambetter."

Withthat,thenoiselevelintheroomshotupagain,withHenry'sblackteammembersquicktosupporthisclaimandthegoldwantingarebuttal.

"We'llsee,"Allensaid.

But Boersma also reeled off the names of players who were "questionable," which he considers "50-50" for Saturday's game, and "probable," a 75 percent chance of playing.

On defense, Allen, Robinson ("cervical sprain"), Taylor Richards were questionable. When asked directly, Allen (ankle) said he is playing.

Perhaps the most interesting chatter during the draft was between each team's coaches, who were lined up largely on opposite sides of the room.

Jon Heacock is the head coach for the black team and has defensive coordinator Greg Hudson, running backs coach Jafar Williams and tight ends coach Gerad Parker on his staff, as well as GAs Ryan Crow, Brian Mason and Kenyon Blue.

The gold team is led by Rubin Carter, who also has linebackers coach Marcus Freeman, offensive coordinator John Shoop, receivers coach Kevin Sherman and offensive line coach Jim Bridge on staff. Logan Link is the GA.

After the gold team selected Meadows, the gold team's coaches erupted in cheers. Parker, though, wasn't impressed. "We're not trading (for him)!" he announced. Freeman immediately responded, "We don't wanna."

Parker had other choice words for the opposite side of the room, good-naturedly jawing with the gold staff.