Impact of Robbie Hummel
Purdue's senior forward, Robbie Hummel missed the entire 2010-11 season after re-tearing the same ACL that caused him to sit out the final eight games of '09-10. It was a serious blow for the Boilermakers who were a pre-season top five team in the country with national championship hopes. Purdue, led by JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, rallied in both seasons, surprising some to take the trip to the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual champion Duke and then still won 26 games last season without Hummel, their All-Big Ten forward.
Most have written him off after a pair of major knee surgeries in the same year and with all of their losses, Purdue is predicted to finish in the bottom parts of the Big Ten. Just under a year ago, Hummel was an unanimous pre-season All-America pick; for the first time in his career, Hummel will be the focal point of the Boilermakers'' offense, scoring both inside and outside where Johnson and Moore no longer dominate. Hummel exclaims that he is pain free and has been rehabbing at the renowned trainer Tim Grover's Attack Athletics facility lifting weights and strengthening his knee, but is also shooting and has just been cleared for contact drills this month.
While Hummel will lead the charge for Purdue, he has a veteran point guard in Lewis Jackson in his backcourt to help along with guards Terone Johnson and Ryne Smith.
ByPresident Corey Ruff - 7-26-11
