Purdue Assistant Coach Terry Johnson Wants Boilers to Get Back to 'Nasty' Defense

Beneath one of The Paint Crew sections inside Mackey Arena sits a sign that reads, "Defense Lives Here." That sign, which counts the number of turnovers by Purdue's opponent, was getting a pretty good workout in January. But over the last four games, that sign has turned into somewhat of a couch potato. Assistant coach Terry Johnson wants to see that sign get a little more movement moving forward.

Johnson, who is one of Purdue's "defensive coordinators" on staff — along with Paul Lusk — hasn't been pleased with what he's seen on that end of the court during this four-game losing streak.

"We make a lot of silly mistakes. Coach (Matt) Painter calls them concentration mistakes," Johnson said during this week's Purdue Basketball Live radio program. "You can't have that over and over again, especially when you're playing really good teams in late February."

Purdue has had to adjust its defensive identity from last season and even during this campaign. Obviously, the Boilermakers don't have a rim protector like they had the previous two seasons in Zach Edey, who averaged 2.2 blocks per game.

The Boilermakers had that to start the year in 7-foot-4 freshman Daniel Jacobsen. But an injury in the second game of the season sidelined the rookie for the remainder of the year, forcing Purdue to change some things without a shot-blocker in the paint.

Johnson said that Purdue's defensive philosophy hasn't really changed much, but it does require guys to be locked in at all times.

"The philosophy is still the same, you just can't have that many small breakdowns. You have to be in your position, and then when you're in position to make a play, we have to make the play," Johnson said. "You've got to be nasty. We're smaller in certain areas, but there's nothing stopping us from being nasty in a legal way."

When Purdue had won 11 times in a 12-game stretch, it had forced teams into an average of 15.2 turnovers per game. The Boilermakers were able to get the ball out into transition and score without opponents on their heels.

In the last four games, opponents are averaging just 7.3 turnovers per game. Only one time has Purdue forced more than eight turnovers in this stretch, turning Michigan over 11 times.

For Johnson, that's where Purdue's intensity and "nastiness" has to resurface. Without that rim protector, the Boilermakers have to be able to get into the basketball and create more opportunities.

"I'm a firm believer that the game honors toughness. You better be consistent in your toughness, especially on the defensive side," Johnson said. That's just doing your job — doing your job every single time to the best of your ability."

Purdue has already proven it's capable of winning games on the defensive end. It did so multiple times during that stretch from late December through early February.

If the Boilermakers can channel that toughness that Johnson talked about, perhaps that "Defense Lives Here" sign in Mackey Arena will start sweating from overuse again.

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