Last November, I got tired of everything and finally said I was on board with a change -- it was time for old Joe Tiller to go. Sure, maybe it was partly due to the sting of losing to IU, but really, I was ready. I'd been convincing myself for years that Joe could recapture some of the magic he once had early on... but winning 7-8 games no longer felt/feels magical.And the athletic department seemed to be on the same page with us here at BS, and announced Danny Hope would be taking over next season and that 2008 would be Joe's last. So, yeah, I decided to hop onto the train with Joe at the controls one more time and be supportive... be a good fan... I figure we owe Joe a nice send-off after what he's given us.
But yesterday's embarrassing debacle against Notre Dame has enraged me once again. As I said earlier in the week, losing to a lousy team like the Irish is far harder to stomach than losing to a talented OSU team (as we often do) or even to a team like Oregon earlier this season. Make no mistake -- Notre Dame is not good. Pickles tosses up jump balls and gets rattled easily. Our boys had two leads in the first half and clearly should have had even more. The offense wound up putting up a measly effort, but at least they moved the ball and, at times, made us feel like we had a chance no matter how poorly the defense was playing. After all, if we got into a shootout, one might expect our defense to eventually accidentally catch an errant Pickles pass and maybe that would be the break we needed.
Instead, the defense did absolutely nothing. Not one significant stop, especially in the second half. Twenty-one points allowed in the third quarter?? Inexcusable, especially against that offense. I don't care that the linebackers are inexperienced or the line isn't as big as we'd like them to be. You need to have some urgency out there and you need to make stops. ANY stops. And our defense made absolutely none. Even when Curtis and the offense brought us back a couple times, the defense immediately folded each time and allowed easy drives and nearly uncontentested touchdowns. Once again, I say, inexcusable.
I don't know what Danny Hope's plan is with regard to the coaching staff in 2009 and beyond, but I'd be 100% on board with a cleaning of the house. We don't need Tiller loyalists, for lots of reasons. We need a coaching staff that believes the way the die-hards believe. A coaching staff who will coach the personnel they get and make them believe they can accomplish big things. I don't see this defense believing that. And I'm tired of Brock Spack's mediocre defenses.
15 comments:
PREACH!
As I said in my long winded gripe last night, Brock should be gone as well. I laughed out loud when one of the NBC commentators said he did a good job. This was during the 3rd quarter, mind you.
"Pickles" is funny... What's the origin?
I prefer referring to him as "Jesus Clausen" myself... Kind of fits his whole passing mentality of "throw it to the athletic receiver and pray".
Spack? What can be said? With our "experienced" secondary this year, I thought it meant that he could return to his attacking, blitzing defense. Oh, how I would have *LOVED* to see a blitz or two yesterday. After all, blitzing Jesus C has been shown to be the way to make him throw it to the wrong team. Instead, we sit back rushing only the front four and wait for him to find his groove.
Give Brock a break. He's trying out his new undersized but slow defensive strategy.
I've been a Purdue fan since before Tiller took over. Spack was a nice guy when he recruited me to play before my injury...
The game has passed Spack. Either that, or he has gotten into the mind set that it would appear Tiller has grown into... contentment. We have MUCH better athletes that we had during the Coletto years... the very same athletes that Purdue won with in 1997, 98... Brock, I'd love to have a beer with you, and Tiller... but please get that
-world beater- mindset back. Or else the rest of this season, and a final-season bowl for Tiller is... like many have pointed out... gone.
The key is the fact that we have one serviceable healthy linebacker right now, and he is a converted fullback. You cannot have success in the Big Ten, or most anywhere else in college football, without solid linebackers. I think the secondary is fine and I think the line is fine, but we have neglected the linebacker position since Niko, Landon, and Gilbert left.
I think it is no coincidence that we had a great defense with them and they are all in the NFL, anow we have an awful defense.
I watched the second half of the game (was at work the first half). What I saw was two bad teams fighting to see who could care less - Purdue won. Yeah for us!
Well said J Money; our team under-achieved in the first half and didn't even bother to phone it in in the second half... exasperating and infuriating.
As far as ND droppng us from their schedule for a few years: fine; I hope and pray our AD has the good sense to be sure we host ND at Ross-Ade for the LAST GAME and then that is it... in any sport.
Purdue AD (on the phone w/ ND AD): "Oh, you want to resume playing us in football? On what date do you want to come to Ross-Ade Stadium? You don't want to come to Ross-Ade Stadium? I guess the only way you will be playing Purdue in any sport is if you join the Big Ten... what, you will never join the Big Ten? Yeah, that's what we thought. Good bye and good riddance."
This is too funny. Why would ND want to join the big 11. They suck, OSU their 2 time NC contenders finally got bitch slapped in the beginning of the season on national television instead of the end.
YAY. Now we can all look to a team full of kids with priors and suspensions , coached by a guy who $hits his pants every time they get a first down and pisses himself every time they score. ND should really be a part of that.....
As for getting rid of Joe, what was Purdue football before Joe Tiller? Hmm a lot of words come to mind: doormat, punching bag, red headed step child. Without Joe Tiller Purdue Football is nothing, have a little respect for how far he's taken you ungrateful wieners.
Guys, I'd be careful with the ND is a bad team talk. They are very young and VERY talented. You can tell them are going to be EXTREMELY good next year and maybe even by the time the end of the season rolls around.
I saw Jimmy Clausen making tough throws with pin point accuracy and lots of velocity. He only made 5-6 bad throws all day that I found in the replay. They have two wide receivers who are going to be high draft picks barring injury, Floyd and Tate. If they get their line to play consistent, they are going to be a force sooner rather than later.
The defense on the other hand for ND has some work to do but again, lots of young talent.
Now I look at our sideline and the athletes we are recruiting and I just don't see how we are going to be relevant in 2-3 years. The talent is just not there and neither is the coaching (hopefully it changes when Hope comes in).
Say I'm jumping off the bandwagon if you want, but if ND loses to Purdue anytime in the next 3 years, I would be shocked. Both programs are headed in opposite directions.
By the way, I met the family of a Purdue linebacker after the game at a South Bend fast food restaurant and was pretty embarrassed that they were wearing Boiler jerseys. I won't mention the players name but needless to say his family's actions were embarrassing to the Boiler family. Show a little more class, including to fans of opposite schools, especially if you are a family member of a player.
Lastly, love going to ND Stadium. I have been treated extremely well by the ND fans every time I've been there. Kudos to them.
Where to start? Tiller must go and thankfully that has already been announced. Spack must go (can it be now?) and that has not been announced. Seriously, how did he ever get a job as a D-coordinator? Contrary to some opinions posted here Purdue under Tiller/Spack have NEVER had a good defense, just some years that are less poor than others. We had some years when the D put up some nice numbers early against the cupcakes but come Big Ten mid to upper ranks and our defense folded.
A hallmark of Spack defenses is a pass defense that starts 8 yards off the ball, turns and runs 20 yards downfield, and lets wide receivers run free across the middle 15-20 yards downfield, or running backs to catch it 2 yards downfield and run for 10 before seeing a defender.
The same secondary also consistently gets beat deep. Can't remember a d-back running deep a step in FRONT of a receiver and making a play on the ball, let alone intercepting one.
ND just added to the growing pile of career days enjoyed by our opponents. Season best or career best days for running backs, QBs and receivers is standard fare.
Everybody we play can guard our receivers. We can guard nobody's. We can't stop the run or the pass. We can't stop anyone late when we have to. Our D is a joke and Brock Spack is the biggest joke. Announcers must have a contractual obligation to say something nice because I've never heard one yet call him out.
Whew, so much for the defense. On offense, while things are better they still stink. Painter and the offense is not nearly as good as the numbers they put up and even the numbers are not that good. Painter's reputation is based mainly on volume. His completion percentage is mediocre considering the number of short passes he throws. I laughed at early season delusions of Heisman. They give that award to exceptional players on good teams, or maybe to the best or highest profile player on great teams. Painter and Purdue had no chance on either count.
There have been 4 Heismans given to players on unranked teams:
Paul Hornung, ND in '56
Steve Owens, Oklahoma, '69
George Rogers, South Carolina, '80
Bo Jackson, Auburn '85
Painter does not fit the profile for those players and Purdue could not have been a serious preseason contender for a national ranking.
In addition, just from watching other teams this year and last, almost every game on TV has at least one quarterback who is obviously better than Painter. Can hit receivers in stride, can hit the open deep ball, can scramble and avoid pressure, can see the field, can get the team into the end zone when needed.
The receivers have done a decent job, given that most of them cannot get open based on their natural ability. The line is OK at best, too much pressure is allowed on a QB who cannot see the field even when he has time. Painter not only cannot avoid pressure he often steps into it. Brees was the master of buying a little time by moving into a little pocket of space under pressure while still seeing the field and then delivering the ball on target. Painter trips over hash marks and steps into blockers and pass rushers instead of away from them. And his tunnel vision turns to blindness under pressure.
That leaves Sheets who I have nothing but praise and admiration for. With a limited running playbook, unimaginative play calling (with a few exceptions), and not that great a line he has really done well. Here's hoping he stays healthy the rest of the year.
As for the "Purdue was nothing before Tiller" comments, all true in the recent past. We do have a history of excellence in the sport and should strive to be better than we are. Tiller was good in the early years when his deal was novel and unprepared for and also due to Brees. Since then he's pretty much a .500 coach who can't win a big game or a big bowl.
So I filled my family room with curses on Saturday and told my wife I cannot watch another Purdue game this year. A planned trip to the IU game with my Purdue grad son and current IU student daughter is canceled. I can't see how this team can get to bowl eligible so that game will be the end for Tiller (and Spack, PLEASE). I reserve my hopes for now for the future. My patience and goodwill for the program have been sucked from my body. I can stand losing some games. I can stand being beaten by better teams but I cannot stand to see stupid coaching and playing, lack of effort, whatever it is they put on the field this year. So long Joe!
Great takes, Row!!! I especially like your depth of knowledge- Like you, I don't believe Joe to be a savior. Purdue enjoyed success multiple times before Tiller and will again after him; the fan base needs to realize this. It may not be Hope that gets the program to the elusive next level, but someone will.
Thanks again for posting.
anon II-
you don't sound like a closet domer, you sound like a domer.
Your guarantee of eventual success sounds like what UND fans have been saying for years; frankly I don't give a damn. That UND team we saw Saturday was not a good college football team. They might be later, but they're not now.
UND has been dumping, if not hemorrhaging money for the football program for three season and they have nothing to show for it but some mediocre seasons and a HORRIBLE season. You throw enough money at a problem it eventually gets fixed, right? Maybe not. I have faith that they are still Notre Dame and will get exactly what they deserve in the event that they're invited to a major bowl game. Much like Purdue, Notre Dame doesn't beat highly-ranked teams under Weis. Even with the extray cream puffs built in for recoop time, they haven't been able to do it.
Last thing, if you're hedging your bet by threatening to back UND if the tides change, do us all a favor and leave now. You were never a Purdue fan. Purdue fans don't revel in Notre Dame's success.
Just a reminder- UND has ZERO bowl wins since 1994.
boilerdowd-
Michigan fan here, hate the Irish, but I hate it when fans make excuses that their team was better but they just didn't play up to their potential (BS) or they didn't show up. From what I saw, you guys were outplayed after that pick 6.
Just a reminder: (under Weis)
2008 - 38-21 (could have run up the score too)
2007 - 33-19 (THE worst team in CF was within a TD of you guys in the 4th)
2006 - 35-21 (had to look that score up)
2005 - this is the year I remember. I remember hearing some smack talking from the Boilermakers, and ND curbstomped you guys...
Sorry, but Purdue will forever be a mediocre team and Michigan's whipping boy
Go Blue!
After reading your post about the remaining games and thinking about their chances it looks like Purdue ends this season somewhere between 2-10 (every team left on the schedule can beat us) and 6-6. My prediction is 4-8 which means Tiller leaves the program in pretty much the condition it was in when he came here. For his many accomplishments here that is a sad legacy.
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