- Knox rushed for 408 yards and two touchdowns while making six starts as a sophom*ore.
- Knox tore the ACL in his left knee during Purdue's spring game in April.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— On a sweltering afternoon at Purdue football's Beimel Practice Complex, D.J. Knox is attacking the stationary bike.
Knox, the junior running back who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the spring game, is in The Pit. That's the area off the field where injured Boilermakers who can't perform football activities work out. Knox, however, isn't taking it easy, even though he'd rather be just about anywhere else.
"That'sprobably one of the hardestthings about thewhole situation is watching guysdo what you love to do and you're not able to do it," Knox said."Especially when it's your brothers out there having fun. There's a lot of things you miss out on.
"Butit'spart of the process and I know I'll get back in the motionof things."
He can't quite bring himself to commit to it yet, but Knox knows the prudent decision is to take a medical hardship for the 2016 season. He can come back healthy next season with two full years of eligibility remaining.
A healthy Knox would again form the second half of Purdue's running back combo with Markell Jones. Instead, Knox is putting his veteran status to use as a sideline leader and mentor to the team's young running backs.
"I didn't really know him when I came in the spring, but when I got here in the summer he's been helping me with learning the plays, learning my footsteps, a lot of footwork stuff," freshman running back Brian Lankford-Johnson said. "He's an assistant coach in a way, just becausehe can't play. But he's really been a nice friend as an older guy helping the younger guys."
While Jones' breakout freshman season stole the spotlight, the 5-foot-7, 206-pound Knox also showed promise in his first season as a regular. He rushed for 409 yards and two touchdowns and added another 189 yards on 26 receptions.
He showed his speed with a breakaway run late in the first half of Purdue's spring game in April. But during the jaunt he planted the left foot, the knee gave out and he crumbled to the Ross-Ade Stadium turf untouched.
Knox's most serious previous injury was a separated shoulder in high school. They popped that one back in and he kept playing. This was different.
"I didn't know, but I knew," Knox said of the torn ACL diagnosis that soon followed."It was excruciating pain."
Knox was in street clothes the past couple of days at practice. Purdue coach Darrell Hazell said Knox experienced some soreness, so they decided not to push him.
Otherwise, Knox has been very active in his sideline workouts. He's always under the supervision of a member of Purdue's sports performance staff. He keeps an eye on any swelling that occurs in the surgically repaired knee.
Lankford-Johnson said Knox's advice has included running with a lower pad level, learning his reads, and adjusting to the faster speed of the game.
"I always try to talk to the younger guys and be a helping hand for coach," Knox said."Guys understand it more if you can relate to them a little more than the coach can, because you're outthere and you're doing this together. I canreach other players in the room from a differentperspective.
"Ithink that helpsget our teambetter, especially when it comes to new guys like Lank, and Malik (Kimbrough). I'm justtrying to help the team any way I can."
Trying to get Knox to admit he definitely won't play this season isn't easy. The competitive side won't completely shut down. Yet the logical side knows that's the best decision for both himself and the team.
Knox will receive a medical hardship waiver to restore the season of eligibility he's currently missing.
"Honestly, I look at it as anopportunity to get better," Knox said."I don't look at it as I have to sit and I can't play this year. It also gives me another year to grow as a student, as an athlete,getme stronger —probably stronger than I could have gottenin fouryears.
"This hasgiven me timetosit back and re-evaluate my life and see what I want to do as far as academics and training to be a better athlete. It's given me more time to turn this thing around and be the player I want to be."
Contact Journal & Courier Purdue sports reporter Nathan Baird at nbaird@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @nbairdjc.
Purdue football fall camp
Practices are held at either Bimel Practice Field or Mollenkopf Athletic Center and open to the public. Times and location subject to change.
•Friday —2 p.m.
•Saturday —11:15 a.m. (jersey scrimmage)
Note:Purdue requests that fans and the general public do not photograph orvideo any parts of practice.
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