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WEST LAFAYETTE — Kydran Jenkins is now the quarterback on defense.
Purdue’s fifth-year linebacker moves from outside linebacker/rush end to the inside.
Jenkins also will wear an earpiece in his helmet this season, receiving communication from the sideline and relaying it to his teammates on the field.
“We’re getting better with it every day,” Jenkins said of the in-helmet communication.
Purdue lacks experience at inside linebacker, but in Jenkins and redshirt junior Yanni Karlaftis, the Boilermakers do bring back two defensive starters.
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Purdue’s inside linebackers
Who is back: Kydran Jenkins, senior (57 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 TD at outside linebacker); Yanni Karlaftis, redshirt junior (55 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery); Hudson Miller, redshirt sophomore (6 tackles); Winston Berglund, redshirt freshman; Owen Davis, redshirt freshman; Joey Sumlin, redshirt freshman
New faces: Landon Drennan, freshman; Cooper Kitchel, freshman
Kydran Jenkins and Yanni Karlaftis combo
Karlaftis spent more than two seasons trying to find his way onto the field. Once he played his way into the rotation, he showed why he was a coveted prospect coming out of nearby West Lafayette High School.
Karlaftis totaled 47 tackles in the final eight games last season.
“A lot of questions that are in your head prior to playing are really not there anymore,” Karlaftis said. “Just being able to have that experience and seeing myself and saying I have to improve these specific things, pretty much guesstimating sometimes, was really helpful for me.”
Jenkins has seen a “more explosive” Karlaftis. Meanwhile, Jenkins returns to a position he played in high…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/purdue-football-inside-linebacker-breakdown-200307322.html
Author : Journal & Courier
Publish date : 2024-08-06 20:03:07
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