WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The final media session before it is officially game week came and went on Thursday afternoon as the Boilermakers continue to ramp up their preseason efforts.
It was the big fellas on the mic to wrap up our position group rotations. Offensive line coach Marcus Johnson spoke to the media alongside veterans Gus Hartwig and Mahamane Moussa.
Johnson's unit comes into the year as one of the most battled tested for the Boilermakers, accounting for 136 combined starts at the Division I level. A pile up of injuries in 2023 meant a lot of guys played significant snaps, giving the group valuable experience that will pay dividends in 2024.
"Definitely got a lot more bodies than we did last year. Not only that, but experience as well," Johnson said. "I think that helps. Especially in this league knowing that it's a trench league, so having those experienced guys and adding those newcomers, I think it's going to be a pretty good deal for us."
The Boilermakers up front will once again be led by Hartwig. The three-time All-Big Ten honoree has the most starts of any active player at Purdue with 36, and he thinks his unit will be the strength of the Purdue offense this year, literally and figuratively.
"I think everyone has looked really good," Hartwig said of his group's performance in camp. "Have a lot of depth, a lot of competition throughout the room, a lot of guys pushing each other. It's a good opportunity to build and develop the rest of the room, it's been awesome. I think we've got a lot of really good pieces and we'll have a really good unit…competition really pushes everybody to bring the best out of themselves, and I think that's what we've seen for most of camp so far."
Another veteran stalwart along the offensive line is Moussa, who has 18 starts in 28 games played to his name as a Boilermaker. It will be the third straight season Moussa will be starting alongside Hartwig and Marcus Mbow. Continuity like that is rare in college football and will be sure to help this line in each game.
"That helps a lot because we know what gets each other going, what helps each other," Moussa said. "We know what one another looks at on the field, and it makes it a lot easier when we all have the same lens."
The Boilers have Friday off before two practices are on their schedule for the weekend. Come Monday, the game week routine begins. Don't let game week get here before you grab your tickets to the team's season opener against Indiana State.
It was the big fellas on the mic to wrap up our position group rotations. Offensive line coach Marcus Johnson spoke to the media alongside veterans Gus Hartwig and Mahamane Moussa.
Johnson's unit comes into the year as one of the most battled tested for the Boilermakers, accounting for 136 combined starts at the Division I level. A pile up of injuries in 2023 meant a lot of guys played significant snaps, giving the group valuable experience that will pay dividends in 2024.
"Definitely got a lot more bodies than we did last year. Not only that, but experience as well," Johnson said. "I think that helps. Especially in this league knowing that it's a trench league, so having those experienced guys and adding those newcomers, I think it's going to be a pretty good deal for us."
The Boilermakers up front will once again be led by Hartwig. The three-time All-Big Ten honoree has the most starts of any active player at Purdue with 36, and he thinks his unit will be the strength of the Purdue offense this year, literally and figuratively.
"I think everyone has looked really good," Hartwig said of his group's performance in camp. "Have a lot of depth, a lot of competition throughout the room, a lot of guys pushing each other. It's a good opportunity to build and develop the rest of the room, it's been awesome. I think we've got a lot of really good pieces and we'll have a really good unit…competition really pushes everybody to bring the best out of themselves, and I think that's what we've seen for most of camp so far."
Another veteran stalwart along the offensive line is Moussa, who has 18 starts in 28 games played to his name as a Boilermaker. It will be the third straight season Moussa will be starting alongside Hartwig and Marcus Mbow. Continuity like that is rare in college football and will be sure to help this line in each game.
"That helps a lot because we know what gets each other going, what helps each other," Moussa said. "We know what one another looks at on the field, and it makes it a lot easier when we all have the same lens."
The Boilers have Friday off before two practices are on their schedule for the weekend. Come Monday, the game week routine begins. Don't let game week get here before you grab your tickets to the team's season opener against Indiana State.