If there was an Achilles heel for Purdue football last year, it was its special teams.
The Boilermakers struggled in the kicking game as Ben Freehill and Julio Macias were 8-of-17 on field goal attempts. As a result, Purdue football has seen wholesale changes in the special teams room with senior special teams analyst Chris Petrilli saying the competition in fall camp has been good for the Boilermakers.
Freshman Spencer Porath has emerged as an early favorite in the kicking game, while UCLA transfer RJ Lopez is looking to cement his position, along with Freehill, who is back.
“All three of them are getting reps. Right now, rolling with Spencer with the ones, but obviously it’s a fluid situation. You know, we’re in a production business. By the end of camp, we’ll look at the numbers and whoever’s the best dude is going to get the job,” Petrilli said.
When asked what set Porath apart, Petrilli smiled and rattled off several attributes for the former Brownsburg High School (IN) star.
“The biggest thing is that he’s not a typical kicker, from what most people think of as a kicker and a specialist. He is a very competitive young man. He’s multi-sport athlete, super dialed into his craft. Does not get bored or bogged down with me wanting to watch more film with him. He’s definitely all about his craft. Young, hungry, tough, grimy, local kid that’s kicked in this weather that we have up here. I love that whole room, but he’s going to be special,” Petrilli said.
Lopez has experience, having gone 6-of-11 on field goals for UCLA with a long of 47 last year. In addition, he handled kickoff duties, nailing seven kicks inside the endzone for touchbacks on 20 kicks.
Freehill emerged as the starter last year before health issues set in. Despite returning for another year, Petrilli made it clear there are no positions being handed out this year.
“Every year is new. Everybody’s up. Competition brings excellence and so that’s what we’re going to have every single day in there,” Petrilli said.
Purdue football will have a new punter, new long snapper this fall
In addition to kicker, Purdue football will have a new punter this fall as sophomore Bennett Boehnlein and Mississippi State transfer Keelan Crimmins are currently in a battle for the starting position.
Furthermore, there will also be a new long snapper this season as transfers Nick Levy and Claude Strnad are part of the Purdue football team. Levy came to West Lafayette by way of William & Mary, where he was an All-American, and Strnad played at Illinois State last year.
Levy has already caught the eye of his position coach, who said his transfer player is an “enthusiastic, little dude.”
“Great set of skills, hyper attention to detail, violent loves the action, loves his teammates. Just an enthusiastic little dude and like if you’re playing snapper and you got that mentality, you’re gonna fit in just fine here with me,” Petrilli said of Levy.
With the competition in full stride, Petrilli believes Purdue football will be better because of it.
“This game is hard, and it should be. That’s what makes it so so beautiful and so awesome. But you better have a relationship with your guys, especially if you’re going to coach. I coach my guys super hard, so I better, through my actions off the field, get permission to coach them that way. It is just as important for me count the reps and coach them up in individual, to to have them over man, have some fellowship,” Petrilli said.
Purdue football opens the season Aug. 31 at home against Indiana State.
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