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1 week ago | 
sports.yahoo.com | Drew Schneider
I’ll say one nice thing about the former coaching staff: they didn’t leave the cupboard empty at defensive end. When you combine the players that stayed with the arriving players, I think you can put together a respectable position group, if not...Dare I say...a good position group (I dare not, but someone else may be bolder)? That’s good news for Coach Odom. While linebacker is the premier position in his defensive scheme, defensive end is a close second.
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1 week ago | 
hammerandrails.com | Drew Schneider
Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images I’ll say one nice thing about the former coaching staff: they didn’t leave the cupboard empty at defensive end. When you combine the players that stayed with the arriving players, I think you can put together a respectable position group, if not...Dare I say...a good position group (I dare not, but someone else may be bolder)? That’s good news for Coach Odom. While linebacker is the premier position in his defensive scheme, defensive end is a close second.
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1 week ago | 
bringonthecats.com | Drew Schneider
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Consider this my opening statement on the 2025 season:The Window is Open. Coach Klieman and company can move Kansas State from the “good, not great” tier of teams to the “national contender” tier in 2025. This sort of opportunity doesn’t come around often for a program like Kansas State, and the Wildcats are in the perfect position to capitalize, but this isn’t a prediction of future success.
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2 weeks ago | 
sports.yahoo.com | Drew Schneider
As with every position group on the 2025 squad, the transfer portal has played a significant role in shaping the tight end position at Purdue. Last season, the Boilermakers leaned on Max Klare in the passing game, and he played well enough to get the call-up to the big leagues in Columbus. This season, I would be shocked if a tight end led Purdue in receiving. I expect the position to be more blocking-oriented in the new offense.
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2 weeks ago | 
hammerandrails.com | Drew Schneider
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images As with every position group on the 2025 squad, the transfer portal has played a significant role in shaping the tight end position at Purdue. Last season, the Boilermakers leaned on Max Klare in the passing game, and he played well enough to get the call-up to the big leagues in Columbus. This season, I would be shocked if a tight end led Purdue in receiving. I expect the position to be more blocking-oriented in the new offense.
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2 weeks ago | 
hammerandrails.com | Drew Schneider
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It was a quiet four days for former Purdue athletes hoping to hear their name called in the NFL draft. This was expected, with Marcus Mbow being the only Purdue player from the 2024-25 season with a solid draft grade. Again, not surprising considering the overall lack of talent on display in West Lafayette last season. Losing all but one Big 10 game is hard work, and that work starts with a lack of draftable talent.
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3 weeks ago | 
hammerandrails.com | Drew Schneider
Who is where and who is what? There are so many more questions than there are answers coming out of the 2025 Spring football showcase. Who knows if half the players who played in that game will be on the roster come the start of the 2025 football season. Here at Hammer and Rails we are going to do our best to give an outlook of who is in what group, who could stand out, and what these position groupings need with months to go before Barry Odom’s first Purdue football team takes the field.
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3 weeks ago | 
hammerandrails.com | Drew Schneider
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images If you’re of a certain age and suffered from insomnia, you might be familiar with a woman named Miss. Cleo (R.I.P.). She spoke with a thick Jamaican accent (despite being from Los Angeles) and tried to convince folks she had the powers of divination and would use them to your benefit for a nominal per-minute fee (I believe PT Barnum had some insight into their customer base). I could have used Miss Cleo’s insight while writing this article.
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4 weeks ago | 
sports.yahoo.com | Drew Schneider
The world of transaction-based college basketball is exhausting, and that’s where Coach Tang chooses to reside. Make no mistake, this isn’t a coach getting unlucky with transfers; it’s a coach recruiting the equivalent of college basketball mercenaries. I don’t blame the players; they chose Kansas State because Kansas State offered them the most money. These guys aren’t hiding their intentions. AdvertisementMercenaries are loyal to themselves and whoever puts the most money in their pocket.
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1 month ago | 
bringonthecats.com | Drew Schneider
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images The world of transaction-based college basketball is exhausting, and that’s where Coach Tang chooses to reside. Make no mistake, this isn’t a coach getting unlucky with transfers; it’s a coach recruiting the equivalent of college basketball mercenaries. I don’t blame the players; they chose Kansas State because Kansas State offered them the most money. These guys aren’t hiding their intentions.
