WEST LAFAYETTE − Purdue football fans scouring bios of transfer portal additions may be skimming right past maybe the Boilermakers' biggest offseason acquisition.
Offensive coordinator Josh Henson pinpointed a need for Purdue's offensive line to become more technique based.
Visit playerbros.org for more information.
That led to Henson reuniting with Zach Crabtree, brought from Fresno State to coach Purdue's offensive line. Henson previously worked with Crabtree at USC and coached the former Oklahoma State standout when he played for the Cowboys.
"He’s a great technician and a great teacher. Every small detail matters to coach Crabtree and he is coaching it constantly all the time," Henson said after Purdue's spring showcase event on April 11. "And when you bring that type of attention to detail and competency to the room, it just elevates everybody in the room. And that’s what his effect has been since he’s been here."
Purdue did not upgrade its quarterback room through the transfer portal, but in this unconventional route may have upgraded at quarterback.
The Boilermakers graded out at 17th by Pro Football Focus in both pass blocking and run blocking last season, ahead of only Michigan State and Maryland, respectively. Purdue was last in red zone scoring percentage and 16th in scoring offense among Big Ten teams in Barry Odom's first year as head coach. Offensive line coach Vance Vice was fired after the season.
Crabtree's hiring brought a new approach, and an understanding of Henson's coaching.
"Him and coach Henson have the exact same mind," said tackle Jude McCoskey, one of 11 returning offensive linemen. "One will say one thing in the O-line room and we’ll go into the unit meeting and coach Henson will have the exact same expressions. It’s awesome to have an O-line coach and a coordinator that’s on the exact same page, same vocabulary, same terminology, and it’s really easy to be able to just hone in on the details whenever you have that."
Crabtree wasn't just coming with technique training.
Purdue recognized to upgrade what perhaps was its biggest weakness last season, it needed to make offensive line a high priority in the transfer portal.
The Boilermakers added five — two from USC, two from South Carolina and one from Oklahoma State — and signed four in their freshman class, three of whom Odom identified following the spring camp as having potential roles immediately when the season starts.
"We’re developing depth and guys that give us the ability to compete for positions," Crabtree said. "It gives you the ability to push one another from within the room."
Three transfers — Micah Banuelos at right guard, Nuku Mafi at right tackle and Boaz Stanley at center — were working with Purdue's first offense during the spring showcase. McCoskey, who spent last spring at Tulane after being a starter at Indiana State, hosted get togethers with the offensive line during the winter and spring in an attempt to build cohesion.
They've developed the same like-mindedness their offensive coordinator and position coach now share. Meanwhile, Crabtree's approach at fine tuning technique was prevalent from the first meeting.
Crabtree is a self-described "intense" coach, but his approach is already resonating.
"He talks real to all of us. There's no shortcuts," Mafi said. "No one is a favorite. Everyone is on the same level. We all get treated the same."
Since his NFL career with the Chargers ended prematurely due to an injury, Crabtree quickly developed a reputation in college football as an offensive line developer.
In his one season at Fresno State, the Bulldogs graded out by PFF as the 14th best pass blocking team nationally. If Crabtree can replicate that magic for Purdue, the Boilermakers may have upgraded starting quarterback Ryan Browne already.
That's before taking into account perceived upgrades among all offensive skill positions along with coaches applauding the returning starting signal caller's improved decision making.
"There’s a lot of excitement going on right now and I’m excited every day I come in this building because, it’s like, we can be very very good," quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw said. "We’ve got to go to work. We’ve got to put that work in and go build that chemistry between with us."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football's new offensive line coach impact