Purdue Football: Small-Time?

A question has been rattling around in my head since the Bucket Game on Saturday...and perhaps earlier than that. Is Purdue football small-time?  Whether it is or not, it's acting and being treated by alums and administration as a small-time program. So I guess that means it is.

I love the school. I love the program. I want nothing more than to see these guys succeed. And it's these guys I want to see succeed, because I think they're talented enough to do so. I'm not longing for five-star, entitled punks who don't go to class. I like the guys who are there because they want to go to Purdue. That's one of the things that made the 2000 season so special and made the '03 and '04 seasons so almost-special.

Then I read quotes from Danny Hope at last night's football banquet and one of them is this:

"Everything about the program is going in the right direction. It’s unfortunate that we had some struggles."

Really? Really? Everything??


No, Coach, just....no. Everything is most assuredly not going in the right direction. And do you know how I know? I can simply look at the W-L record this season. And beyond that I can look at the way Purdue had no shot in several games. Simply no chance... primarily because they couldn't move the ball, or stop turning it over, or stop other teams from moving the ball... it all depended on the week, but no matter what, there were serious problems all over the field. Suggesting everything is going in the right direction is, quite frankly, absurd.

There is no accountability in this program, and that quote underscores it. Guys are fumbling. Guys don't know plays. Guys aren't in the right positions. Guys don't close the deal when they clearly should be able to. And the team is losing to good competition, mediocre competition, and inferior competition. The team is losing at home... on senior day... in the Bucket Game.... to a horrible IU team. And at home to a MAC team....two years in a row. That's simply inexcusable. 


And no matter how many times we raise these issues, there are readers who -- inexplicably -- attack us for being so demanding and it's always the same excuse -- the injuries. Injuries, I'll say surely not for the last time, do not cause guys to not know plays. Or to not block properly. Or to not tackle properly. Or to drop passes. Or any number of other things that come down to 1) Coaching and 2) Accountability. If you make fundamental errors or repeated mental mistakes... you should be benched. Not permanently, but temporarily. I don't care if a walk-on has to take your place for a half. How much worse would things be? And it would make a point to the unprepared or unfocused player. 


Or hey, how about working on fundamentals in practice instead of being everybody's best pal, Coach Hope? How about not making f-cking jokes to the sideline reporter going into halftime? Take this shit seriously. You're paid -- handsomely -- to make this program respectable. Nobody expects Purdue to be competing for national titles. Nobody really even expects Purdue to challenge for the conference. All people want is exciting football and average bowl seasons. Seriously, isn't that what the majority of fans and alums seemingly are okay with? 


And there, my friends, is the problem. When you expect or hope for mediocrity and fall short, it's dreadful. If you shoot for the moon and fall short, perhaps you at least begin to plant the seeds for success. Say what you want about Joe Tiller -- and we have -- but when he came in to Purdue, he rejected out of hand the losing culture. He simply said they were going to compete and build a winner. And he did that. Understand something here: while Joe mailed it in his last few seasons, his first 6 or 7 years were inarguably impressive. Tiller won 9 games his first season. He beat Notre Dame. He won the Alamo Bowl. Purdue beat good teams. They scared teams. They changed the way the conference played offensively. People want to talk about Rich Rodriguez bringing his offense to the Big Ten. No, sir. Joe Tiller made that high-flying spread offense accepted in the Big Ten 13 years ago. 


My point? That is can be done, but this coaching staff and this athletic department doesn't want it bad enough. Danny Hope should be sickened and disgusted by a 4-8 record and 9-15 over two years. Okay, so it was injuries this year -- what was it last year? Because, despite some excitement, last year was a lousy year, too. 5-7 is not good. It's not promising, it's not acceptable...it's not funny. 


More than half the teams in the country go to bowl games. You only have to go .500 to qualify. Not going to a bowl these days is a referendum on your program. Not going three years in a row? Unacceptable. Simply unacceptable. 


How come there is all this media talk about Rodriguez potentially being fired at Michigan? Two lousy years and now a pretty soft team that clawed to 7-5. Unmitigated beatdowns at the hands of their rival. And, rightfully, the natives are restless. Randy Shannon at Miami gets bagged after four years, 7-5 this year, 9 wins last year and a ranked team..... but it wasn't enough. Now, maybe Miami and Michigan fans are sometimes delusional....but the point is, they're simply not accepting average/mediocre teams. And let's be clear: those programs/teams are in far better shape than our Boilers. 


So why are we at BS the only ones saying the Purdue football program's current state is unacceptable? Where is the media? Where are the alums? Come on, old John Purdue Club members! This team lost to Notre Dame, a MAC team and IU this year! How low do things have to get before people with influence begin to get pissed? 1-10? 0-11? I'm not suggesting (yet) that Coach Hope definitely has to go. I'm simply asking why it feels like we're the only ones in the Purdue realm who are highly concerned/irritated at the state of things? How come nobody is questioning Danny Hope's nonsensical rah-rah "everything is going well" baloney? That's just....stupid. And insulting. 


All is not well, Coach Hope. And for things to begin to get better, you need to recognize that and get angry and do something about it.

The Media Giveth...The Media Taketh Away.

All growns up.

Kerring for Ryan

Ryan Kerrigan is a talented, fast and strong football player. Plus, he seemed to put a maximum amount of effort into each down. There are plenty of guys that have that motor that coaches want, but don't have the production that Kerrigan does. But because of the combination of effort, ability, production and beautiful, flowing hair, Kerrigan received some well-deserved attention on Monday.

He is the first, first-team All-American at Purdue since Anthony Spencer. He is the BT's & (of course) Purdue's defensive player of the year and MVP. Kerrigan was also Lineman of the year and received recognition for his sportsmanship. That's pretty cool- he'll knock you on your ass...then help you back up.

He'll receive other awards by the media too in the coming weeks. But, his most prized award will probably be the large, solid gold-plated trophy that's on the way to him right now- The (coveted) Boiled Sports Purdue Defensive Player of the Decade. Due to cost, only one of these has been (or perhaps ever will be) given...Keep checking your mailbox, Mr. Kerrigan. J's 11 month old son packed it up and shipped it himself. It's molded out of all of J's gold chains, ear rings and bracelets that he wore in the 80s and 90s.

Other Boilers Honored

Wiggs, Beckford and Allen were all All-BT Honorable Mention. For some reason, I couldn't find any Purdue offensive players on the list. It could be because many were thrust into action after not being on the depth chart in camp...(related) it could be because the offense simply couldn't score for halves at a time. Regardless, I think Rob Henry could be a guy who receives some awards in the next few seasons. If so, he needs to work on an acceptance speech. Because every time I've heard him talk, I can barely hear him or understand him. That'll come in time.

All signs seem to be pointing to Keith Smith getting his sixth year of eligibility in '11. He'll be Purdue's 3rd player in three seasons to be granted this. Hopefully no one has to do this on the Purdue roster for the next five, because in all cases, it was due to horrible injury.

Here's to Bolden, Smith, Siller and Marve all making full recoveries and making one of these post-season recognition lists next year. Everyone already knows their names...but most of the media has probably forgotten about them. Purdue fans haven't.

Free Fallin'

I didn't get to post yesterday due to interwebnet problems at the BS world headquarters...But a lot happened.

First, Purdue dropped from 10th...to 22nd in the writer's poll (8 to 18th in the coach's). A significant drop was warranted, in my opinion...but 12 spots is a pretty huge drop. If you want to analyze the lack of consistency within the poll, it's not difficult. I'm not going to do that today. But, I will say that it makes Purdue the hunter once again. That might not be a bad thing. They played with no edge or grit versus Richmond. Painter should have been, and was embarrassed by the lack of effort by his squad. There will be others this season, but this is a pivotal moment for the team.

One day later

Yesterday was a bad day...hell, let's be honest- the last two months or so have been pretty tough to be a Purdue fan.

But a lot has changed in 24 hours...for one thing, my perspective has been corrected a bit.

I detailed how angry I was while watching my Boilers lose last night. The reason the loss v. Richmond hurt so bad was because the people that I, as a Purdue fan, felt were rock-solid were shaky. JJ and Smooge didn't shoot well...that's lousy. But, they didn't seem to fight or get angry as they lost. That hurt to watch.

The night before, when JJ was pushed, he pushed back, he got angry and he put the opponent away. And Smooge, while almost always smooth on the court, he plays with a chip on his shoulder and a toughness that comes from facing mean competition in NW Indiana and South Chicago. But the chip on his shoulder seemed to have been knocked off and his silky-smooth game was flat-out rough versus Richmond.

While these two struggled, Matty seemed to have no answer. He wasn't confident enough in much of the bench to make the substitutions that we thought would save this team in gritty times. And, he seemed frazzled- with the officials and with his own team and the situation they found themselves in.

I've heard their conditioning being questioned...and I think it's fair to look at this. Everyone was fatigued. Perhaps it was the fact that they weren't battle tested by the lackluster competition in this early season, and the first real test was surprising. Regardless, the team and the coaches looked tired and Richmond looked hungry. Purdue was out-Purdue-d...Out-willed...out-hustled.

The neutral court in front of an empty crowd felt like a late night NCAA tournament game being played out West. And if you're as old as me, you remember Keady's teams losing those games in similar fashion- the wheels came off, the will wasn't there and our Boilers' season was over pre-maturely. That sting lasts. This one doesn't have to. This one can be built upon and learned from.

The rubble after the loss to the Spiders also reminds me a bit of the Wofford game 3 years ago. Lowly Wofford came into Mackey and shocked the Baby Boilers. In the game's wake, I didn't want to turn on the TV or get on the computer. But Painter later called that game one of the most-important of the season. Perhaps we witnessed a moment of similar gravity last night? Hope so.

I still believe that this team can defy the national media and local skeptics by creating havoc in the Big Ten race and ultimately making it to Houston. But, that won't happen unless they figure some things out first. Adversity reveals character...here's the first big opportunity for this team to show what it's made of.

A Little Momentum?

Our side discussions, on Twitter and in the comment box have revolved around how the Purdue basketball program needed a victory...off the court. In a decision that was as surprising as Yogi Ferrell heading to IU, Bryson Scott verballed to Purdue earlier today. It's not a huge deal as his arrival is still nearly three years away, and no letter of intent has been signed, but his comments should give Pollyannas surrounding Matty's program pause...the sky's not even close to dropping...and there's still hope for the program.

But, in the interest of being consistent, I'll not get too excited about this...but will say- Can't wait to see you in black and gold, Bryson. Signing day is a little under two years away.

Wise Move From Bloomington

I was hoping Fred Glass would be starry-eyed from the massive victory in West Lafayette yesterday...I was hoping he'd ignore IU's deplorable BT record during Lynch's time at the helm in Bloomington and decide to keep him around for another year. But he didn't.

IU's AD decided it was time to change direction, and he will now seek a replacement for the likable, but staggeringly-unsuccessful Bill Lynch. Good for Mr. Glass and IU. This decision says a couple things.

First, Glass doesn't want a crappy football team and understands that he needs to generate revenue by selling seats in Memorial Stadium. Second, he sees that beating a sub-.500 Purdue team wasn't that big of a deal...and the bigger picture can't be ignored.

He's right too. Sure, winning is better than not winning against your in-state rival. But, Glass doesn't want a sub-.500 record and a game in Indiana to be the end of the season for his football team. Hopefully, in this case, Purdue fans take note of Glass' respectful decision to change course when there's no progress.

I know everyone who visits this site is rooting for Hope and company to erase any doubt that they can be successful at Purdue. Moral victories are still losses...and positive talk after close losses doesn't suffice for winning. I'm already looking forward to Spring Football.

Looking Ahead

Our focus will shift to being mostly on basketball (of course) now that football season's over. But, we'll still take looks at what's on the horizon for the football team in '11. The quarterback position has tremendous potential to be an interesting battle in Spring/Fall. Weigh in by voting on the poll on the right side of the page.

The Bad Old Days Are Here Again; Boilers Relinquish Bucket

Congrats, you just beat a horrible Purdue team. Party like it's 1996!

The Boilermaker football team is nothing if not creative. Week after week, this team finds really creative ways to lose ballgames.

Start the season looking kind of flat, yet win a few games... Yay.

Then lose to a MAC team. At home. Boo.

Start the Big Ten season 2-0. Yay.

Get lambasted by OSU. Boo.

Expect to get railroaded by Wisconsin, but lead them at the half! Yay!

Get torched in the second half. Boo.

Feel like the season is over... but then come ready to play against 9-1 MSU and look great for three quarters. Yay!

Fold in the fourth quarter. Boo.

And then there was today's 34-31 loss in OT. "Boo" doesn't quite do it.

I'm getting tired of coming up with new ways to describe Purdue's football failures. IU is a terrible, terrible football program. Not just a bad team -- a bad program. And if I just read that sentence and liked IU, I might say, "Well, then what does that make Purdue?"

Indeed, a good question. Purdue just lost to a horrendously bad football program. So what does that make Purdue?

You can stop now with all the "if only" talk. There were injuries, yes, I get that. But how many games do the players and coaches need to get the team ready to beat IU at home? Again, I don't want to hear blame on the injuries. Rob Henry is a Division I football player. So were all the guys out there. Purdue wasn't starting walk-ons and volunteers. Other teams had injuries, too. You move forward as a unit.

Another thing this does is eliminate any of the consternation over missing a bowl game because of the loss to Toledo. 4-8 isn't even close to a bowl game, Toledo or not. In fact, losing to Toledo and IU in the same season should make you ineligible for a bowl game even if you finish 10-2.

I feel terrible for guys like Dan Dierking and Ryan Kerrigan. Seniors who played their asses off for this program but finish with three straight losing seasons. These guys (and others) deserve better.

Another thing I keep seeing is a stream of complaints about the officiating. Let's just knock that off. The officials did not give IU this game. IU beat Purdue, plain and simple. Yeah, you could maybe argue about some of those pass interference calls, but I think only one was really a bad call. The others were legit pass interference. You can't tangle the receiver up or grab him before the ball is there. Simple as that. And again, the refs didn't give this to IU. Let's not forget they threw an IU player out fo the game for a scuffle. I don't care if you get bad calls against you -- you need to be able to beat IU if you're going to be even a marginal program. Purdue is not that right now.

For a change, I didn't think the coaching was a huge problem today. Play-calling seemed okay (not great, but okay), but the problem seemed to be execution. Maybe it was preparation. Maybe it was -- and this is hard to believe -- overconfidence. Whatever it was, Purdue's defense gave up 34 to IU. And Purdue's offense only manage 31 against a truly terrible defense. I blame everyone.

Those of you crusading for Hope to be fired, you might have more traction now with the loss to the Hoosiers, but I still don't think you should expect anything to change. He'll get next year to prove himself, at the very least.

As of now, when we think of Purdue football, we get to think of this image for the next 9+ months.

This should make you very angry.

Bucket Week

Both Purdue and IU's football programs are struggling to not kick the bucket this week.

Hey-yo! Lamest lead sentence ever?

Truth is, it's bucket week and there's really nothing else for either program to be thinking about. No bowl games, no postseason practices... and in Bill Lynch's case, maybe no job after this. So in a good way, it allows the players, fans, alumni, mascots, training table workers, janitors, vendors, etc., to all focus on their rival. All energy goes into this game this year... all hate, including "International IU Sucks Week," featured on Facebook. (Which, sadly, IU fans are joining so they can tell Boilermakers that they suck. There's even a complete toolbag on there who keeps saying "Got 5?" And can you guess where he went to college? Not IU.)

Courtesy, Chad

Okay, so I'm stretching here, trying to give this game more boost. Thing is, though, while it really doesn't mean much.... it still kinda does. That absolute last thing we want to see the season end with is a loss to IU. IU football is terrible. Don't misunderstand, Purdue football is a mess right now. A true mess. Beyond the injuries, the coaching staff seems, at times, overwhelmed. The players don't seem well-prepared. It's giving us this sinking feeling that Purdue football is completely sliding back into the irrelevance of the pre-Tiller era.

But you still can't lose to IU. Simply cannot happen.

Some factoids about the bucket game to chew on:

• Purdue is 11-2 in the last 13 bucket games. 
• The two losses ('07 and '01) were by a combined nine points.
• The 11 wins were by a combined 304 points (or 27.6 ppg)
• Purdue won 15-14 in 1989.
• Purdue won 1-0 in 1894 (interestingly, a year after winning 60-0)
• From 1892 to 1910, the two played 13 times, with only one of those being at Indiana.
• IU's last bucket win in West Lafayette was in 1996. We were at that game and Purdue wore all-black (which was a novelty back then) and IU wore all-white (not a good look). 
• Bill Lynch is 1-2 against Purdue, with one of those losses being the 62-10 blasting in Joe Tiller's last game. One surmises that Lynch's win over Purdue the previous year is one of the reasons he has held onto his job. Much like at Purdue, if you can beat the rival, the old alums are happy. Lynch could win this game on Saturday and be 2-2 against Purdue. Not bad.
• The last post-Thanksgiving matchup was 1995, when Purdue went down to Bloomington and Mike Alstott curb-stomped the Hoosiers, 51-14. 

I actually don't have a lot of great memories of the Purdue-IU rivalry from my days on campus because I started 0-2 against IU (losses in '94 and '96). I like seeing all the spirit (hate?) brewing on campus right now. Let's hope our Boilers take out their frustrations of an infuriating season on the Hoosiers.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Drifting to Sleep...and a Wake Up Call

Here at BS, we love Purdue players to wear their hearts on their sleeves, sell out when on the field of play and play with heart. Our Boilers did just that in East Lansing on Saturday...and the reason is probably their coach. Danny Hope sold the idea of his players making something happen, being aggressive and playing like there was no tomorrow...And his players did just that. In the process, the Boilers almost pulled off a gigantic upset similar to aOSU in '09. But, unlike in Ross-Ade last season, they simply couldn't finish.

The games are pretty similar in the way they were played. Purdue played with the lead for much of the game in both and the more-talented squad scratched and clawed its way back into the game. But, Purdue stepped up and made plays last year, and simply collapsed this season.

Unlike many games this season, there are plenty of positives to take away from this one...but, like most games this year, there were a ton of negatives. But, the main problem really was the timing of these mistakes was critical.

I joked in my prognostication for the game that it would take multiple defensive TDs for Purdue to win. And Ricardo Allen got the message as he had his second interception for a TD in two weeks. All day long, Allen played blanket defense and made play after play. At one point, I asked myself why MSU dared throw his way. The only times he wasn't there to break up the pass was when Purdue's scheme called for zone or asked for the corners to back off of the line of scrimmage.

Kerrigan also played large in spite of being clothes-lined and held for most of the game...but as MSU decided to simply double and triple team him, the rest of the line just didn't take advantage of the situation.

Rob Henry played very well at times and made some awful decisions others. I think much of that can be chalked up to his age and maybe his injured finger still...In my opinion, Henry played well-enough to lead Purdue to a win. I like that he is willing to check out of plays when he sees the defense in the wrong set for potential success. I hate the way he doesn't seem to see it until it's too late. I like the fact that he's willing to take shots down the field. I hate the way he seems to make those throws blindly at times...and seemingly to no one.

The special teams, like Henry, was way up and down. Wiggs got involved with an important 52 yard field goal...but both he and Webster, while punting, had some horrible kicks. Barbarette had an important long kickoff return...but the punt protection let an obvious block formation in nearly unabated. In fact, multiple players could have made the block of the punt that sealed Purdue's fate.

Coach Nord had some brilliant play calls...but also seemed to struggle making effective calls on first down. Landholm & Emanuel had Purdue's bend, but don't break defense dialed in early, but played it too safe in the fourth quarter time and time again...plus, they gave Cousins too much time and allowed him to pick Purdue apart (he played brilliantly, by the way...and gritty too).

No Purdue fan that I know was surprised that Purdue lost. But, most were surprised in the manner in which it happened. The offense showed that it had a pulse, the defense played hard and made plays for three quarters. But the team combined to rip the hearts out of the Purdue faithful. Granted, MSU made plays, but our Boilers all but presented the opportunity for Sparty on a shiny silver platter...and (as you all know) MSU won, 35-31.

After the game, I was so deflated and "meh" that I simply enjoyed having my family over for dinner and forgot to do a post-game wrap up...that's why this is so late. This is kind of what this season has done to me as a fan, honestly. I've been to every home game, watched every away game on TV, but I'm sapped of enthusiasm...and hate admitting it, because I'm not usually that way, especially about Purdue football. I still love the players and feel like they're giving everything they have...and much of that is because of Hope's ability to motivate them.

BUT, I also feel the lack of football IQ by this staff has simply killed this team over and over. From stupid time-outs (again and again), to inconsistent play-calling, I'm frustrated with this coaching staff. We had a commenter yesterday get angry at people for having the audacity to complain about these coaches, but I'll always support the players first. Afterall, they're the ones who are really bleeding for the University and the coaches as they follow their marching orders.

For the second year in a row, the Bucket is what it was in the mid-90s. An in-state rivalry that means nothing outside of the borders of Indiana. And it's funny, 30 minutes really changed that. At one point late in the second half of both games, IU was tied with Penn State and Purdue was up by 15. One half our later, Purdue had given the game to MSU and IU had done what they do- rolled over...on their home field, FedEx Field.

I don't have the hatred for IU (especially in football) that I do for UND...and I while I want Purdue to beat IU, I have a really hard time getting "up" for this one. I hope our Boilers don't feel the same way I do.

Mackey Madness (Kinda)

Oakland came to Mackey tonight and was clearly more-ready to play than Purdue. The Golden Grizzlies held the lead for much of the first half and didn't go away until late in the second. Like many contests versus mid-con teams, their drop-off in talent after their starting five was sizable. Purdue's depth was something they couldn't keep up with, so the Boilers improve to 3-0 after winning 82-67.

The box score tells you that Purdue's Big 2 both played well and carried Matty's crew. But, a few things might get missed just by looking at the numbers.

First, Smooge started the game ice cold and didn't score until around 9:00 left in the half. It's not coincidental that after he started heating up, Purdue began to assert itself. But, he had an uncharacteristic amount of turnovers (4)...but was lock down on defense at times. He finished with 26 points, was 4/5 from three, 4 assists and 3 steals.

JJ seemed to do everything right...except shooting behind the arc. All of a sudden he thinks he's a three point shooter. Sure, he hit two tonight (doubling his previous high from last game)...but he missed three. In JJ's case, I'm just trying to look for something to pick on- he played huge in a game that was hyped to be a showcase for him and Benson (from Oakland). JJ finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks...and played 40 minutes. He was great, and made his teammates better.

John Hart's the third guy who comes to mind for me. He had 11 points off the bench in just 13 minutes. He shot poorly from three (1/5), but was a huge spark and played with a ton of energy.

On the other end of the spectrum, I'm not sure how Ryne Smith can stay in the starting line-up much longer. I like the guy, but, as Painter said, you've gotta produce to play...and I don't see it. He might be automatic in practice, but he's not in the game. Plus, he's not as strong as many of the guards on the team on defense and simply isn't able to assert himself at either end.

Terone Johnson (10 points in 17 minutes) or DJ Byrd (6 pts, an assist, steal and block) might both be able to take his place, in my opinion. I really like DJ Byrd without the ball and on defense too.

LewJack, like Smith, struggled offensively, but unlike Smith, continues to be very good defensively. But, he was rocked a few times by picks up top and was visibly shaken up as he was taken out of the game. But, tonight might have been the first night this season where Barlow looked like he should be starting at the point. Kelsey only scored 4 points, but he had 5 assists and 0 turnovers. I like LewJack as a starter and Barlow off the bench though because their styles are so different...but it could work either way, I believe, and might be best to judge depending on the opponent.

Outside of JJ, none of Purdue's bigs did much to write home about- Bade had no points...but more disparaging, 0 rebounds. Carroll the same, and Marcius didn't play. This is the first game this season where Purdue played significant talent under the basket, and the rebounding battle showed it- Purdue lost that 26-31. If nothing else, Bade & company need to make rebounding their sole focus- especially when JJ is scoring like he did tonight (which should happen often).

Not sure if it was the fact that they were coming off of such an easy win, or because Oakland is a pretty good team (they were 17-1 last season in conference and went to the tourney), but Purdue was flat for much of the first half and couldn't separate themselves until Oakland was just beat-tired. But, Purdue allowed way too many points in the first half and seemed to let Oakland dictate the pace...noteworthy, but not bothersome unless these problems become a trend.

And I know there's no transitive property in sports, but Oakland lost by 24 to West Virginia to open their season...and WVU lost to Minny earlier tonight (after beating UNC). At this point, I don't think any of this means much.

Next up, Austin Peay on the 23rd.

Sparty Predicto

Tim says:
Take worst parts of past 5 games and repeat them this week. I wonder who can get injured on the first play this week. Will anyone spontaneously combust? Sudden onset of gangrene? Leprosy? I'd say there must be something in the water, but in reality I think the strength and conditioning crew all need to be replaced.

It will take a miracle to get bowl eligible, but that's not even mentioning that if this team goes to a bowl it very well may be the worst bowl team in history. The offense simply cannot move the ball. How many times in a row can you run the ball while expecting the defense to pretend to care about the pass? Sure you're missing most of your weapons, but get a little creative on offense anyway. Oh wait. Remember the reverse last week where Edison saw the QB from 20 yards away and still ran right into him? I guess creativity just isn't in the cards either.

Michigan State 38
Purdue 6

J says:

I wish I could see any reason to be optimistic because it's much more fun to believe good things are possible. And while I'll still be supporting the guys, I really see no way they can win this. That's bothersome to me for lots of reasons, one of which is that at the start of the season, I truly felt there were NO games Purdue would have no shot in. I know a lot has happened, and everyone points to injuries, but injuries don't excuse a lack of preparation, or guys not catching the ball correctly on kick returns.

Last week, every time the defense gave us reason to believe and bailed the team out, the offense found a way to punch another hole in the hull....below the water line.

Purdue would need to be incredible on defense and mistake-free on offense to beat MSU this weekend. How likely do you think the latter is?

MSU ends Purdue's bowl hopes for a third straight season.

Michigan State 31
Purdue 13

boilerdowd says:

You know what has bothered me more than anything this week? The Toledo loss from the pre-con. And while I'm positive that the bowl that Purdue might have gotten with 6 wins wouldn't be great, that extra few weeks of practice is helpful for the development of young players...something Hope has needed and will continue to need as his time at Purdue continues. None of that matters now- Purdue is still mathematically alive for a bowl...at least for 24 hours or so; so we can hold onto hope for a bit.

With a healthier offense, we know the Boilers would be a bit more-effective...but things are what they are. Purdue couldn't move the ball last week versus a bad Michigan defense. I don't have much of a reason to believe my Boilers will be able to move the ball versus one of the best rushing and scoring defenses in the league.

Kerrigan, Short and Allen all need to score on defense...and ATM on special teams for a win to be possible...So I'm saying we have a chance!

Michigan State 28
Purdue 10

To Your Call Once More We Rally;
Alma Mater Hear Our Praise.
Where The Wabash Spreads Its Valley;
Filled With Joy Our Voices Raise.
From The Skies In Swelling Echoes
Come The Cheers That Tell The Tale
Of Your Vict'ries And Your Heros,
Hail Purdue! We Sing All Hail!

Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
All Hail To Our Old Gold And Black!
Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
Our Friendship May She Never Lack.
Ever Grateful, Ever True,
Thus We Raise Our Song Anew;
Of The Days We've Spent With You,
All Hail Our Own Purdue!

Bits of BS for November 18, 2010

It's all in the details...listen in.

Gabcast! BS Bits & Pieces #4

Mmmmm...Turnovers. A wrap-up of Purdue's Sixth Loss.

Sean and Denard Robinson (not related) both had 2 interceptions...and both of their teams had an additional 3 fumbles lost. Atop that, the weather was horrible...it looked bad on TV, I'm told...but it felt worse. Nearly three quarters of the game, there was a driving rain from the South...and it was chilly and windy. But, before you misunderstand, let me clarify, the game was uglier than the weather...and many of the turnovers were flat-out just bad football and can't be blamed on wind or rain.

Purdue's quarterbacks (both Robinson and Henry) simply didn't look like they knew the play that was called on multiple occasions. Plus, Justin Siller had the honor of being Purdue's fourth QB to start this season...and to add injury to injury, he most-likely had his season ended after the first offensive play of the game.

But, as bad as the offense looked, the defense may have been that good. Ricardo Allen displayed shades of Deion Sanders as he ran an interception back 94 yards for a touchdown. And speaking of 94, Ryan Kerrigan was a man possessed. He forced two fumbles, had 10 tackles and, shockingly was held every fricking play. In fact, on one of his forced fumbles he was pretty much clothes-lined and still fought through it to rock Denard Robinson. Bruce Gaston and KK Short both clogged the middle very effectively and Will Lucas was all over the field in the second half.

Thanks to our pal Margie, we had great seats for this afternoon's game. As a result, we got some exclusive video of the game. Enjoy.

Here are some quick observations from the day:

-Before it even started, DeVarro Greaves tried to drum up some angst from the Wolverines by chirping at the Michigan players as they warmed up. Michigan didn't react a whole bunch...and Greaves didn't have a ton of support from the team.

-Rich Rodriguez seemingly lectured and berated Robinson after every possession...after each brow beating, Tate Forcier would warm up by either riding a stationary bike or throwing the ball distances that varied between 5 and 7 feet from his receiver (slight exaggeration)...but for a half, it was all smoke and talk as he didn't play until Rich Rod was really upset, I guess. Being close to the UM bench gave me the opportunity to tell Tate how much I enjoy his website. Best site ever?

-J, Margie and I had a burger at AJ's Burger and Beef after the game...had never heard of it before today, but the garlic cheese burger & pizza puff were probably two of my favorite parts of the day. Give them a try if you haven't been.

So, what's the bright side of today's loss? Our Boilers lost by 11...not 63. And speaking of the Hoosiers- things are so bad for IU fans that on message boards and blog sites alike, many IU fans see beating Purdue as nearly impossible at this point. If I was the Hoosiers, I wouldn't want to face Kerrigan in his last home game either. Sadly, the offense will have to take the field at some point.

EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA, Handsome!! Handsome Hour 11/11/10

Ladies love 'em...fellas wanna be 'em...The handsome pair returns for a pre-BS Summit Show.

Their pal Brent stops by to chat (Sorry, BTN's Brent Yarina...this is the only photo we had lying around).

The guys discuss Matty's additional firepower...

and even get horny together as they talk about the BCS.

Later in the show, the gentlemen discuss the mastermind behind UM's vaunted defense...

and finally, they look at the future and dream a little.

Tune in...Get handsome...NOW!!!

Listen to internet radio with Boiled Sports on Blog Talk Radio

Badger Predicto

For the third-straight week, none of us have a real good feeling about this one. Wisconsin is favored by 20...and we don't think that's nearly enough. Here are our prognostications

J Says:

Last year, Purdue was 1-5 going into the OSU game and we felt it was a sharpie game -- in the loss column. We wound up happily wrong.

This year, Purdue is a respectable 4-4 going into this game against Wisconsin...yet this game feels to me to be an even longer shot. Like...no shot. Purdue winning this game would be one of the most amazing victories I will have ever seen. And I hate to be this fatalistic, but it will not happen this Saturday. Put it in Sharpie (tm, Boiled Sports).

After what we've seen the past two weeks, I don't have any faith the coaching staff can pull out any magic. And I think it will be ugly.

Wisconsin 42
Purdue 12

Tim says:

Predict this week?

U. G. L. Y. They won't have an alibi. This game will be ugly.

Purdue is getting 20? Only? Really? I think they need more like 40. The defense is non-existent. The offense is non-existent. Good luck Sean Robinson. Welcome to the Big Ten.

Wisconsin 45
Purdue 10

boilerdowd says:

Henry's still on the mend and Purdue's offense continues to lose players. Last week, it was O.J. Ross' turn to have a season-ending injury (shoulder). Gary Bush steps in for him; and while I like Bush's speed, his hands have been inconsistent. ATM will line up in the slot from time-to-time. Hopefully, that will become one of the happy bi-products of this painful season. I think he'll be a better receiver/RB a la Edison, than just an RB. He struggles mightily between the tackles...but no one can deny that when he gets enough chances, he tends to do great things in the open field.

Wisconsin is brutally-large on both sides of the ball in the trenches...and they're mean and scary.

I think Kerrigan will get back on track by having a big game...but I don't think it'll be enough. I do like Gaston and Short in the middle a lot versus a big line, but the linebackers have to a better job watching the stuff underneath as plays break down. More so than the pass, Purdue must change the way they play run defense...and this isn't a good week to try to figure out how to stop the run. If Bucky doesn't want to, I don't think they'll have to pass. Wisconsin could have multiple 100 yard rushers tomorrow. Tressel was pretty classy and showed pity on Hope...Zook didn't and Hope wasn't real happy with him. Beliema seems to be neither classy nor merciful. His play card might say "Go For Two" all day. Hope might have another BT coach enemy at the end of the day.

If Purdue were to win this, I'd be more surprised than I've been since Tiller's first victory back in '97.

Wisconsin 52

Purdue 17

To Your Call Once More We Rally;
Alma Mater Hear Our Praise.
Where The Wabash Spreads Its Valley;
Filled With Joy Our Voices Raise.
From The Skies In Swelling Echoes
Come The Cheers That Tell The Tale
Of Your Vict'ries And Your Heros,
Hail Purdue! We Sing All Hail!

Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
All Hail To Our Old Gold And Black!
Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
Our Friendship May She Never Lack.
Ever Grateful, Ever True,
Thus We Raise Our Song Anew;
Of The Days We've Spent With You,
All Hail Our Own Purdue!

HANDSOME AHEAD!!

The handsomest pair of interweb radio hosts is here and ready to entertain.

They take a look at the ugly situation the football team is in...

And they have their game faces on as the exhibition basketball mini-season is underway.

Tune in, turn it up, tell your friends!!

Listen to internet radio with Boiled Sports on Blog Talk Radio

What's Ahead?

It's Monday...and the last few weeks, it's been hard to find things to talk about following being crushed, so I'm going to look ahead a bit.

Our Boilers could get another win (or even two if the stars align) this season...but it seems the best money would have Purdue ending the season with 4 or 5 wins. Blame it on injuries, the schedule or whatever you'd like. But the state of the program is what it is.

For two straight seasons, we as Purdue fans been reduced to saying things like, "they're young" or "injuries are killing them". These are both truths, but they don't change the fact that these statements are typically those of fans who follow "rebuilding programs" or simply programs that aren't winning.

BUT, before the deluge of injuries this season, Purdue lost to UND and Toledo. Both of these are looking worse and worse as time passes. And, the difference in Hope's staff and the Purdue program taking any steps really forward really lie in those to defeats, it seems. But the past is the past and that can't be changed.

Now looking ahead...

Offensively, the situation is dicey.

In the Spring, Bolden, Marve, K. Smith (if he decides/is able to return) and possibly Ross & Pamphile will probably still be unavailable due to injuries. Add in the normal 2 or 3 players out due to surgery and what are you left with?

Well, Dierking, C. Smith, Carlos, Kerrigan, Werner, Prater, Pierce, Adams and Lindsay will all be gone due to graduation.

So, you'll have Henry v. TerBush (or Robinson) at QB...that position seems OK- at least one should be able to hit receivers in stride for drills.

At WR, there's a ton of speed, but really no one who has shown they can catch the ball consistently outside of Edison and Siller. So, it's Siller, Edison, Bush, Gravesande, Reese, Tommie Thomas and Torwodzu...like I said, talent/speed is fine here...but there are still a ton of questions in the receiving corps that need to be answered.

At tight end, Gabe Holmes is the only guy in the stable that's seen significan't playing time. Sinz and Flood should both be contributors in '11.

Then, at RB Hope will have, ATM (who hasn't played at a consistent high level) and Pegram (who has barely played at all) available. After that, a bunch of fullbacks- Freytag, Crank and Jackson...and we all know how often the FB is used in this offense.

The OL actually should be fine...lots of different guys have seen PT that will be available in the spring. But next season, for the first time in a long time, we might see an OL that averages under 300 pounds...I think you have to go back 15 years to find the last time that's happened. Reference Michigan to see if that's a good thing in the Big Ten.

Much like last spring, the offense will not be able to field two solid units due to attrition for a number of reasons...and who is to say whether or not Marve and Bolden will EVER be able to play at a high level again? As you all know, I like both of these guys and hate seeing it- hope they can both get degrees at the very least. But what we're left with is a team that needs time and needs reps as it is a program that has to develop players over seasons/off-seasons...and this coming spring looks like it might be of little value from a developmental standpoint...much like last spring.

Defensively, the personnel looks much better, surprisingly.

Purdue will have Maci at one DE...he's gonna be solid at the very least- kind of like Kevin Nesfield a few years ago. But, he doesn't seem to be cut from the same cloth as the great DEs of the past 15 years. Opposite him, Gooden will be a Senior...but his play seems to be declining with time. Can you remember a DE in recent memory who has had more opportunity and less-production? It doesn't seem to matter that he's flanked by a guy that's perpetually double-teamed and two DTs that are very good...he has yet to show significant improvement. After those two, I don't see a guy at DE that I'm really excited to see on the field...hopefully someone develops and I'm wrong. I think Mebane might still develop, but he still is built like an LB (and a lean one at that)...Hopefully Higgs is moved in the off-season to add depth to the group. Honestly, I don't know what the other options are.

At tackle, Purdue seems kinda rich, especially in comparison to other positions. Short and Gaston are guys that most teams would want on their roster- great size, great footwork, good motors. Isaac, Kitchens, Taylor & McDaniel bolster the position...DT should be solid.

At LB, there's some talent, speed and size. Carlino and Holland finish what seems to be, their 15th years on campus working hard but missing a ton of tackles in the process. I don't have any problem with these two, because their attitude and work ethic seem to be a real positive...plus, there's depth at the position. Beckford, Greaves, Lucas and Gilliam should all be in the mix in '11.

The DBs should be a solid unit- Allen, Johnson and Williams are are starters at CB. Eargle and Charlot, with everyone healthy, are solid off the bench. Evans, when healthy is a very hard-hitter who is solid in coverage. After these guys, Aristide might still pan out (but I have a feeling he might not finish at Purdue)...Harris and E.J. Johnson should both contribute significantly next season.

The kickers & punters should all be fine...but I'm still not pleased with what I see from the Special teams units as a whole. Poor spacing, poor and nonchalant handling of the ball and bad tackling are recurring problems that won't go anywhere if changes aren't made on Special teams.

Many correctly call a Purdue a developmental program- one that develops marginally-rated players out of high school into good football players by the time they leave campus. I'd agree that with the way recruiting tends to go for our Boilers, that this assessment is correct. That said, we saw last Spring come and go with little development, and few steps taken forward, due to Purdue not having enough hands on deck to scrimmage effectively or even do some drills the right way. This off-season, especially on the offensive side of the ball, things look similar.

Granted guys like Edgerton, Bergler, Noel, Durrett and more-recently, Barbarette and TerBush have helped the entire team develop by being Spring football studs...but a season of dashed potential and uncertainty looks like it's going to be followed up by an off-season of healing and more question marks at multiple positions.

Lots can change in the coming months...I understand that. In the meantime, hopefully we'll have something to talk about next Monday other than another loss in which the game is never in doubt, but I wouldn't bet on it.