RTDB.
Coach Odom wants to run the ball.
To do that in the B1G, you will need some beef. Beef is coming, mostly from his old squad, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels.
Immediate Starter:
Jalen St. John – Grad, 6-5, 330 Pounds, UNLV
An All-Conference Member in the Mountain West, Jalen St. John was one of the most sought after transfers from UNLV. The big man will hold down one of the two tackle positions this fall.
St. John started his career at Arkansas before heading to Vegas for a couple of seasons, like most transfer players these days, he is on his third school in five years. His veteran leadership and skill set should help Coach Odom establish the culture he is looking to set in West Lafayette.
Big Bodies on the inside:
Hank Purvis – Sophomore, 6-5, 335 Pounds, UNLV
Again, another massive human, Purvis played a lot in the UNLV extra lineman formations, getting them an additional blocker in the Go-Go Offense under Brennan Marion. He may not start, but has just as good of a chance as anyone with Purdue losing all five of the starters on the offensive line.
Mason Vicari – Sophomore, 6-5, 310 Pounds, UNLV
Vicari played mostly on Special Teams for UNLV last season but gained valuable experience as a true freshman. Vicari could play either guard or center, and again, he has as good of a chance to start as anyone with Purdue replacing all five offensive linemen.
Any interesting Canadian:
Giordano Vacarro – Grad, 6-3, 305, University of Manitoba
Vacarro arguably is one of the more interesting transfer products on the roster. How will the Canadian Offensive Lineman of the year’s skillset adjust to the Big Ten? He started all 18 games at the University of Manitoba, he is a versatile offensive lineman that can be moved all over to fill holes that Coach Odom will have on the line.