Danny Hope Speaks; Unclear if Anyone is Listening

Mike Cleff of WLFI in Lafayette got a one-on-one sit-down with the former don of Purdue football, Danny Hope. Part 1 aired last night and is available at WLFI's website. Part 2 airs tonight. I hope there isn't a cliffhanger ending... like Cleff asks him about what mustache comb he uses and then we fade to black, with Danny giving his crooked grin.

In the three-minute segment we're allowed to see (out of a purported hourlong interview -- I've asked WLFI if the complete hour will be available somewhere), Hope continues his rambling, sort of entertaining in the drunken uncle sort of way, about Purdue football and how unfairly he was treated.

Hope calls Morgan Burke out in the interview and says he should have "been a little more accountable." Not that I ever like to side with Morgan Burkce, but no, Danny, as head coach, you're actually the one accountable. The buck stops with you, as they say. For Morgan Burke, taking accountability means making the difficult decision to fire a man and to pay him his buyout. Let's not undervalue the fact that that is a big decision. (I did like the "behind the whistle" and "behind the necktie" analogies from the ever-quotable Hope. He kind of took the "behind the wheel" metaphor and applied his usual wire whisk.)

Hope also notes that the players wanted him to be there. That's all well and good, but they wanted him there because he let them run the asylum and get away with not even knowing their assignments on the field at times -- something that was apparent even to non-football experts like me. He and the coaching staff he champions were, quite simply, not at Big Ten level and were not getting the job done. This was made apparent  numerous times over the course of Coach Hope's time at the helm (or behind the whistle, if you will), as we have documented here at BS. Losing to lesser opponents, not rising to the occasion when it was absolutely critical, getting positively walloped by good teams.... all of these are signs of poor preparation and/or coaches who are just in over their heads.

Going back to Hope's comments, I love this one:

"We hoped we had done enough. But I knew it was close. We had a tough stretch there and didn't come through at a critical time of the season and, obviously, had lost the support of our administration, athletic administration, and fan base."

You knew you'd lost basically all support possible... and yet it was still "close"? Nope, it wasn't.

The amazing thing about this is that if Hope actually believes what he is saying here, then he still doesn't understand that it was basically a done deal after the Michigan and Wisconsin embarrassments. And even if you cling to some kind of delusion that it wasn't over then (like if you're, oh, I don't know...Kelly Kitchell), then the bed-wetting at Minnesota where a truly bad Gophers team relentlessly pummeled and listless and disinterested Boiler squad (one we wrote may have actually been the low point) was for sure the end for Hope.

This interview truly means nothing, which is probably why nobody else was scrambling to get this "scoop." Danny Hope is old news and he's really got no feathers in his cap (despite what he surely thinks) that will make many of us look back at his tenure with any sort of fond remembrance. His time in charge was a low-budget experiment by Morgan Burke -- Burke has essentially admitted as much -- that did not work out. He took a program that had clawed its way to respectability after many years of awfulness and in four years presided over them becoming a punchline again.

That's as succinct as I can put it.

Heartless in the Heart of Dallas

I hope these uniforms don't make it back from Texas...but this is a pretty sweet shot.

Danny Hope wasn't on the sideline, but he watched the game from the stands.  Even with Higgs at the Helm, the Boilers looked eerily similar to the team we saw versus Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State and Minnesota...a team without the ability to beat good (not even great) teams.

Make no mistake, Purdue was overmatched versus the 7-5 Cowboys.  Okie State fought through adversity this season, being forced to start three quarterbacks during the year...yet they were able to beat five bowl-eligible teams. Purdue had a relatively healthy season, yet squeaked into a bowl from the weakest Big Ten in memory. Purdue squeaked into the the Little Caesars Bowl...but found themselves in Texas anyway...and it showed that our Boilers belonged in Detroit from the get-go.

The final score was 58-14...but it felt much worse.  If nothing else this game was a reminder to those who were on the fence of why Danny Hope had to leave.  Heading into the game, OJ Ross, Ricardo Allen and other veteran Boilers expressed confidence in their opinion that Purdue would win easily as the Boiler defense would handle the Cowboys' offense.  That wasn't the case...not even close.  But everyone earned this loss.

One of OK State's many TDs.

Purdue had five turnovers on offense- three fumbles and two interceptions.  On the other side, the defense allowed 5.2 yards/carry...and allowed two quarterbacks to play close to perfect. OK State could pretty much do whatever they wanted on offense and at the same time, Purdue's offense lacked pop and executed poorly, with one exception- Akeem Shavers played a great game until he went down injured late in the game.  The Texas native had 14 carries for 93 yards and four receptions for 54 yards.  I haven't yet heard how severe his injury was, but it was a knee...and it looked pretty bad.

If Purdue wasn't down two coaches and everything went their way, they probably still would have lost.  But with a makeshift coaching staff, this Boiler team had no chance.  The blood letting started early and didn't stop until the game hit 0:00.

A few things were noteworthy to me as I watched this Purdue team play its final game before Hazell starts his time in God's Country:

-Webster's fake punt from the endzone in the first quarter was a "what-the-hell" play call that looked like it might foreshadow a fun caution-to-the-wind game.  Turns out, not even a second successful fake punt would matter as the game was simply out of hand from very early on.

-Tommie Thomas scored his first TD of his career- Good for him.  We've become virtual pals with #12 via Twitter and love seeing him succeed. He's been a good ambassador for the university and the program.  It's great to see that type of guy get a moment in the sun...even if that sun came via an out-of-hand game at a cloudy, cold bowl locale.

-We don't like calling out players, but OJ Ross' fumble after the catch in the second half was easily-avoidable.  The guy typing this post played Freshman football in high school, and I know that you should cover up the ball as you prepare to get hit, especially when facing two defenders.  Instead, Ross was careless with the ball and it changed a Purdue first down to six points for OK State.  Gabe Holmes also didn't do a great job securing the ball.  Both of these guys are extremely gifted...and both deserve to be benched by the next coach if they can't get the details right.  They have all of the potential in the world- speed, size and strength...but without mental toughness, they'll perpetually be just what ifs.

-The team looked visibly out of shape...something I can't remember seeing in the last four years.  A couple guys who I had never seen with soft midsections looked to be on the Boilerdowd diet and exercise schedule.  Sure, the holidays are filled with gatherings that include delicious cookies, big meals and egg nog for many, but you hope that's not the case for our Boilers.  This didn't seem to have any bearing on the game as Purdue was simply dominated.  An extra pound or two didn't make it happen.

The Darrell Hazell Era began when Oklahoma State was the official champ of the Heart of Dallas Bowl...and not a moment too soon. I'll be rooting for him to get one more victory before he starts looking for houses near my favorite college campus.  But when he trades in his golden rod Kent State shade of gold for the metallic beige of his new employer, he'll have his work cut out for him.

Years of sunshine being blown up the backsides of Purdue's players have left him with a difficult project...This Purdue team, as it stands now, needs schematic improvement, attitude and mental adjustments and personnel shifts.  They looked slow today, but they're not a slow team.  They looked weak at times, but it's not a team of weaklings.  What they were today was what they've been the last few seasons- an ill-prepared squad with unrealized potential.

I'm not sure Hazell has a full rebuild ahead of him, but it should definitely a large-scale remodel...and I'm already excited for the Spring game to see the early changes.


*Please note, my headline isn't questioning the heart of the individuals on the team...but it is pointing to the team's collective heartbeat and cohesiveness.


Happy New Year, everybody.  I hope your 2013 is blessed and prosperous!!  Thanks for reading the site.

Boilers Leave No Doubt v. PSU

According to Purdue players and coaches alike, this afternoon's game v. PSU was an important one.

The high expectations of camp and the early season weren't completely out of reach as Purdue could still take a step forward for the program, by winning out.  Seven wins for this team would be pretty solid...A bowl in Texas instead of Detroit wasn't out of the question, and Purdue's player's coach would surely earn another extension by leading his squad to a 7-5 season.  So our Boilers were playing for their coach...playing for pride, and playing for this Senior class.  All of those motivators seemed to matter little this afternoon in God's country.

Robert Marve's speech earlier this week was the stuff of legends...but Purdue's subsequent play was not.  It wouldn't matter if Marve was at QB or Drew Brees was behind center...Nord and Hope's gameplan and play-calling was uninventive, uninspiring and flat.  The game crept along at a snail's pace (at least for Purdue fans).

Purdue wasn't behind by much...then was behind by a few scores...then was completely out of the game.  Lousy spacing, defensive schematic breakdowns, poor tackling, awful execution and vanilla, predictable play-calling put Purdue in a position that we're all familiar with: the prone position.

Make no mistake, this PSU team is just OK.  They're not great...but Purdue made them look like a juggernaut this afternoon.  I was looking for a spry JoePa on the sidelines...and KiJana Carter to break the huddle...but all I found was a mediocre QB and a slow, plodding RB...who kicked Purdue's ass time and time again.  The end result was another thrashing: Purdue 9 PSU 34.

Purdue's defense couldn't get a stop when they needed it...and the offense was no better.  At one point, our Boilers were averaging under 3 yards/pass attempt...that number swelled to 4.6 with TerBush's strong effort in relief of #9.

Back when J and I were students, we just waited for the moment when Purdue would be out of the game...today, that moment came pretty early in the game as Purdue didn't put up much of a fight after midway through the second quarter.  The familiar two yard out was back in force on offense...and on the other side of the ball, Purdue looked like they were trying to catch a jack rabbit, but to no avail.

I still believe that these players are capable of much more than what we're seeing...and we have proof: UND is still undefeated and Purdue took them to the edge of defeat.  Same goes for anOSU. But games like last week, this week and both the Wisky and UM games make even the most-faithful Boiler doubt that anything's left in the tank.

Shavers averaged 8.1 yards/carry...but Hunt was the guy that Nord went to as the game was slipping away. Edison had a couple uncharacteristic drops, but still finished with 93 yard receiving and a TD...but he was forced to catch the ball with his back to the defense and his feet in cement...not by his design, mind you.

The sad thing is, Nord, Tibesar, Gibbony, Hope and company probably haven't reached the bottom yet.  Purdue travels to Iowa next week.  Iowa is not good...they're sub-.500 and they lost to IU today...plus, Purdue hasn't won at Kinnick since I was in high school...and many of Purdue's players weren't born, at that point.  What I'm saying is that I'm not counting on things to change next week, or for the remainder of this season, sadly.

Watching college football for me is tough right now.  As I type, Oregon is scoring with regularity...K State is enjoying a resurgence under a guy that looks like my grandpa...and college football is still fun for some fan bases.  But, it's not much fun for Boilers right now.  In fact, it looks like Purdue isn't even playing the same game that many teams, like Sumlin's Aggies and others, are playing right now.

Mercy.

One of Purdue's really good fans came up from Texas this weekend to watch the game in the nice seats in Ross-Ade.  He didn't buy the seats from a scalper, but he purchased these years ago...and due to work and life, he doesn't get to go to many, but keeps supporting his Boilers with his time and wallet.  The reward for his long trip was his Boilers laying a gigantic egg on the RA prescription athletic turf.  Fans like this guy I'm talking about, our pal, deserve better...hell, Purdue fans in general deserve better than what we saw today...and what we've seen this season.

The coaches didn't give the players the tools to win today, and the players repaid them with a lackluster effort, especially after the first quarter. This putrid blend of lousy effort and worse planning has helped create a nearly-unwatchable product clad in vegas gold and black this season.

37,500 seats were sold for the game today...and by the middle of the third quarter, about 25,000 die hards remained in their seats...I wasn't one of them.

My brother, a fellow Purdue grad, turned 35 yesterday.  We celebrated his birthday at his home with an open house...during a four or five our span, 20-25 Purdue grads, along with their spouses and kids came through his house...and none of them seemed to indicate that they were too bothered by missing the game.  Some even left their seats in RA empty while celebrating my brother surviving another year.  Most of these men and women graduated during the Tiller era...But, the early oughts are a distant memory at this point, and in their place, the late-80s seem to have taken their place.

Minnesota Aftermath

So...Robert Marve is now the starter.
For more, Check out GBI article and video.

My hope is that Marve can help the defensive scheme...because that seemed to be the biggest issue to me.

Hmmm.  I guess the theory that's been floating around that he wasn't physically able to play was inaccurate.

Listen to our thoughts following the massacre in Minneapolis below.


Hope your week starts well!!



Off topic: It looks like South Carolina's Lattimore's injury was not as bad as it looked initially...and it's not a career-ender; great news.

Uh Oh

As J wrote about earlier this week, we've seen some pretty lousy games in the last four seasons under Coach Hope...but I believe that earlier today we saw the lowest point for the program under his direction.

Getting hammered by good teams is lousy...especially when our Boilers are supposed to be one of the better teams in league. In earlier seasons, getting beaten by Northern Illinois and Toledo was disappointing as they weren't great teams. Losing a close one to Rice was pretty embarrassing, no bones about it.  But getting smoked by a really bad team with no offensive or defensive identity might be the bottom of the barrel...right?

We've stated our case, time and again, that Hope is in over his head. In a conference full of great coaches and extremely-talented players, Hope-coached teams can't consistently compete.  But, Hope used to be able to beat the bottom of the conference. But perhaps the problem is, Purdue is the very bottom of the conference.

0-4 in the conference...and really this team has only competed once in those four games and the cellar dwellers now look tough to our Boilers. IU just won a road game...but the good news is Purdue is hosted by that very Illini squad in just a few weeks. The bad news is IU is a much better team than Purdue right now...and their upside is pretty sizable.

Confused by the outcome.

As little as I want to do this, let's look back at Minneapolis for a moment.

Purdue's back to getting flagged with regularity...like the last few seasons. And the defense that got made the last two DCs lose their jobs seems to be back, yet again. It almost seems like the defensive problems are bigger than just the defensive coordinator.  In fact, Purdue allowed Minnesota's offense to get nearly their season average in yardage...in a half.  Atop that, Purdue let Goldy score almost exactly double their points average for the season. And to pile on, Minny had scored exactly 13 points in each of their first three Big Ten games -- and then hung 44 on the Boilers today.

Young DBs got burnt for easy TDs...solid veterans got burnt just as easily.  The defensive scheme was deplorable today...and put none of Purdue's players in the position to make plays; plain and simple.

On the other side of the ball, TerBush's solid game v. aOSU was followed up by a dog. He panicked under Minny's pressure and made slow decisions and poor throws. And once Purdue was down by a couple touchdowns...which was very early in the game, TerBush couldn't stretch the field. Purdue ran the ball well- Bolden, Hunt and Shavers all averaged over 6 yards/carry...but since TerBush doesn't run the hurry-up well, Purdue was forced to pass on nearly every down; not good.

Marve came in, for some reason, after Purdue was already down 44-7. I'm not going to tell you that Purdue would have won the game had Marve started. Neither Marve nor TerBush nor Henry, who also played QB, by the way, could have stopped Tibesar from having no one further from the line of scrimmage than 4 yards...time and again.

Some offensive positives of this team might get lost by the fact that Purdue's defense played so poorly.  Macarthy continues to become a big time receiver as Edison continues to be consistent.  Shavers ran hard and finished runs well as did Hunt and Bolden (who I just love to see running the ball).  And Henry was very sharp passing the ball...even over the middle (*gasp*) in relief of TerBush, then Marve.

We've gone from high expectations (division/conference championship)...to OK expectations (solid bowl)...to low expectations (Little Caesars Bowl)...to where we are now- hoping and praying for another win. Sure, there are plenty of opportunities left, and our Boilers aren't mathematically eliminated, but with the way this team is playing now, what have any of you seen that makes you believe this team can win another game?  Help me out; I haven't seen it.

Our Boilers lost 44-28...but the score is really not indicative of how badly Minnesota beat Purdue.  Let that flow over you for a moment...

In spite of that...in spite of losing week after week after week after week, in a season that was supposed to be special (according to the coach himself), Hope still thinks the program is going in the right direction (according to his post-game comments).

Short summed it up well after the game- he said Purdue wasn't as well-prepared as they were for aOSU...and while a 6-6 season is still well within Purdue's reach, it's not at all acceptable.

Gut Punching-est Hits of the Danny Hope Era

As the fanbase gets less and less tolerant of the Danny Hope era coaching staff, it begins to feel as though all of the Hope era games are gut-punch losses. So I took a look back to see how many of his games are the kinds that make you curse and kick the cat. Turns out...a lot of 'em.

Let's hit the wayback machine.

2009

We should be used to this sort of nonsense by now, because by my count, Danny Hope gave us four straight such games early in his tenure and five overall in a particularly painful 2009. Of course, at the time, we liked how much spirit a team showed that was a year removed from a dismal 4-8 campaign under Joe Tiller. But let's look closer.

9/12/09, Oregon 38, Purdue 36

A year after blowing a 17 point lead at home by playing uber-conservative in the second half against the Duckies, the Boilers headed to Eugene for a late start (in the East) under the lights in front of Oregon's "hippie lettuce fans, who were lucky to be able to find the stadium," as b-dowd hilariously told me via text. The Boilers promptly came out and hit Oregon in the mouth, playing an exciting, back-and-forth game that included Danny Hope doing the hand to the ear "I can't hear you" gesture to the Oregon student section.

The Boilers had a 24-17 lead in the third quarter, then fell behind by a TD and then marched right back down to score on Ralph Bolden's third TD of the game, giving Purdue fans everywhere serious hope. Then the Boilers missed the extra point, gave up another TD, came back to score with a minute to go... but were unable to convert for two and lost.

9/19/09, NIU 28, Purdue 21

Following their heartbreaker at Oregon, the Boilers put on perhaps the most listless performance of Hope's tenure (which is saying a lot) in falling behind -- at home -- 28-7, before Joey Elliott finally comes to and scores two rushing TDs to make the score respectable, if not the result. This is the first of the annual Danny Hope letdown games, in which there is no other explanation than that the team was not adequately prepared to play.

9/26/09, Notre Dame 24, Purdue 21

Purdue is outplayed into the second half and trails 17-7, yet somehow grinds out a couple of scores to take a 21-17 lead on one of Gary Nord's favorite plays (seriously, you'll see this every game). The Boiler crowd is going bananas as a victory under the lights against the Domers (come from behind, no less) seems to be happening. The the Purdue coaching staff goes into its patented play-not-to-lose defense and is picked apart by an injured Pickles Claussen, even going so far as to call a head-scratcher time out when ND was about to have to make a fourth down decision.

Pickles finds his man Kyle Rudolph in the end zone on fourth down with 25 seconds to go to rip the Boilermaker hearts out yet again.

10/3/09, Northwestern 27, Purdue 21

Three minutes into the second quarter, Joey Elliott throws his third TD pass of the game and the Boilers go up 21-3, clearly asserting their dominance and taking out the frustrations of their previous three weeks and two near-misses against quality opponents.

Then the Boilers have their customary pasta halftime meal, go to sleep, and give up 24 unanswered points to the Mildcats.

11/14/09, MSU 40, Purdue 37

With the Boilers needing to win out to have a shot at a bowl game, the players come to play against Sparty. Purdue leads -- again -- at halftime, 20-17, and expands their lead to 11 points (34-23) with under twelve minutes to play in the game.

MSU then goes on a 17-3 run to close the game -- in Ross-Ade -- despite Kirk Cousins going 11/25 for a 44% completion percentage.

2010

The Boilers scaled back their hearbreakers in 2010 by simply being a worse football team and leaving a lot less up in the air. This was not a good year. Sure, injuries played a huge part, but a four-win Boilermakers squad still left these tasty morsels on the table that could have made 2010 a season of optimism in the face of adversity.

9/25/10, Toledo 31, Purdue 20

The Boilers come out apparently still affected by the season-ending knee injury suffered by Keith Smith the week before and look even more dazed after Robert Marve's knee folds and Rob Henry is thrust into the QB role. Purdue, down 17-0 by the second quarter and 24-3 by the midpoint of the third, simply can't recover. Toledo plays a smart, aggressive game and in what is now a trend that continues to this day, the Purdue coaching staff fails to -- or simply cannot -- adjust. The Boilers are again humbled in their home stadium by a MAC team.

11/20/10, MSU 35, Purdue 31

The Boilermakers head into East Lansing against the 9-1 Spartans and hit them in the mouth. Rob Henry leads Purdue to a 28-13 lead after three quarters. Fans of the 4-6 Boilermakers begin to dream of an improbable bowl appearance, as a win here would make them one win away, with only IU at home remaining.

Alas, in a script that is by now common, the Boilermakers can't hold a sizable lead and go into scared mode, losing the fourth quarter 21-3 and the game 35-31. For a second straight season, 75% dominant effort against the Spartans turns into a bowl-hopes-dashing loss.

11/27/10, IU 34, Purdue 31

Stop me if you've heard this before. Purdue steadily climbs to a 21-7 lead in the second quarter against a poor Indiana team. However, the soup and turkey legs in the locker room were delicious as the Boilers sleep through the second half, being outscored 27-10 from the late second quarter onward and losing the Bucket on home soil.

2011

In Danny Hope's best season to date, the Boilers went 7-6, including their bowl victory. There were plenty of games to choose from if you're talking about frustrations, but in terms of the ones that slipped through their fingers, only one hugely egregious one stands out.

9/10/11, Rice 24, Purdue 22

With a rare boisterous road Purdue contingent on hand in Houston, the Boilers piss away the opportunity for a road win and a potential 3-0 start by having a game-winning kick blocked in the final seconds after coughing up yet another lead (17-10). This one stings for a long time as the Boilers prove they are an improving squad with good talent. Winding up with a 7-5 regular season record instead of 6-6 meant the difference between Detroit and somewhere appealling during bowl season.

2012

And then there was last Saturday.

10/20/12, OSU 29, Purdue 22

Purdue surprises everyone with a concerted, aggressive, creative approach to the game plan coupled with spirited, emotional effort from the guys. For three quarters, at least. Then the coaching went into the tank again, from play calling to being overly conservative to time out usage. Basically, they hit all the pain points in letting this one slip away, as Purdue blows an eight point lead with under three minutes to play. Or, in fact, they blow an eight-point lead with 45 seconds to play as that's when OSU got the ball back with no time outs.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The point of all this? That it isn't a one-off occurrence. And it doesn't matter which players are on the field for the Boilermakers...which brings us to the question of what has been the constant in all of this? I think you know the answer to that one.

Coach Hope is 19-25 in his tenure and his teams have given away perhaps ten games that should have been lockdown wins. I don't think it's a stretch to say that. These aren't games where they were long shots and lost by three TDs and would have had to be different humans to win. These were games that were either:

1) Matchups the Boilers were far superior in talent;
2) Games Purdue held commanding leads in that a good team with good coaches should not relinquish; or
3) Games affected by poor coaching, poor adjustments and poor in-game management.

So again, if it feels like this happens all the time to these Boilermakers....it's because it does.

Our Number One Candidate

Just to review, we still don't necessarily think Hope is a dead man walking.  There are a few reasons behind that- Burke doesn't have a history of firing coaches and Hope can still salvage the season.  Sure, the signature win(s), if Hope can correct things, would be against depleted Penn State and Iowa squads, but a 7-win regular season is pretty respectable...and there is no way Hope could/should be fired with that record heading into a bowl.

I feel like when we write, some people read the headline, the first sentence and the last sentence...then respond via Twitter.  For those people, nothing that's written matters anyway.  For others of you that are reading this and trying to figure out the back story for this post, here are the posts that led to this:

Don't Hire These Guys

Affordable Options

Wish List

The Way Things Are

Even though the first list posted was slightly more-pricey, we think there are some pretty good names on these lists...and if Burke's hand was forced and he needed to seek candidates for this job, this would be a great final three:

Rutgers HC, Kyle Flood

Northern Illinois HC, Dave Doeren

...and finally, without further ado...

Louisiana Tech HC, Sonny Dykes

A few of you also think Dykes is a great candidate, but we think he might be the best candidate.

First off, if there's one consistent opinion within the majority of the Purdue fanbase, it's that Purdue's heritage as a program lies in the passing game...and Purdue should have an offense that is built around passing the football.  Plus, if there's any chance to keep Purdue's QBs that are on the roster and on the way in, a new offense would have to be sold to them.  Sonny Dykes pedigree and current offense would be attractive to most quarterbacks, we believe...and Hope's focus on speed in the skilled positions would play quite well in Dykes system as his offenses are a bit more balanced than Tiller's early teams were. What Dykes' teams really do is just score and move the ball up and down the field.  In fact, his offense might make Cowboy Joe Tiller of 1997 blush a bit.

They're currently 1st in points scored, 8th in passing yards and 12th in rushing yards.  Before coaching for LaTech, he was OC in Arizona, but he really learned what he knows in his previous 6 seasons coaching under Mike Leach at Texas Tech.

Those jobs are another reason that we like Dykes.  Coaching in the state of Texas, but not for UT or A&M is a challenge...same goes for coaching in Louisiana and not wearing purple and yellow.  The recruiting and resource situation at Purdue will be similar to two of his previous jobs...the one thing Dykes doesn't seem to know too well is colder weather...but we think that isn't a deal breaker.

Dykes turns 43 in a few weeks, makes 3/4 of a million dollars right now, and his buyout is about what Hope's is right now (estimated; can't find the exact number).

From what I've read, Arkansas fans have also noticed Dykes resume and ability to recruit the state of Texas...something that Purdue fans can appreciate as well.  The point is, if Burke waits long on Dykes, he won't be available either...like the other two names on the list, he's a great candidate and would be a pretty solid fit for Purdue.

Like many of you, I'm still hoping Purdue wins out, including the bowl, then there'd be no doubt that no change is warranted.

The apathy that seems to have settled within the Purdue fanbase is noteworthy and widespread...it'll take something like a five or six game winning streak to awaken us from our early hibernation.

Hope Snatches Defeat out of the Jaws of Victory in Columbus

If you didn't watch the game today you missed one that was at least entertaining...and you missed a nearly-fun game.  Purdue had a long TD pass on their first offensive play from TerBush to Shavers, a 100 yard kickoff return for TD by Hunt, a few sustained drives and some solid defense versus an offense that was scoring like J when a Sade CD is playing...at least before today.

Antavian Edison had big catches and YAC when Purdue needed them.  Josh Johnson played large along with Frankie Williams as Allen was unavailable for play. Dolapo Macarthy continued his emergence as a capable and clutch receiver.  Purdue's front made noise and big stops and was in Braxton Miller's face all day...until his day ended as a Josh Johnson tackle sent the Heisman contender to the hospital with head/neck injuries (which is horrible to see, obviously).  Purdue's defense caused four turnovers while the offense only gave the ball up once...Purdue seemed to be hitting and playing harder than the Bucknuts all day as aOSU players leaving the field all day due to injury.

We wanted to see the Boilers fight...we wanted to see them compete...and they did that today.  The players did their job for 58 minutes this afternoon as they went toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the nation.  The problem of course is after two weeks of getting their arses handed to them, a moral victory is worth nothing...especially the way this one played out.

Key moments in the game:

-After Purdue's first touchdown the PAT was blocked...score 6-0. (one point left on the field)

-2nd quarter, with Purdue up 13-7 on the 2 yard line, Purdue comes away with zero points as TerBush tries to force a pass into double coverage.  The possession resulted in an interception, and aOSU ball. (at least three points left on the field)

-20-14 2:58 left in the 3rd qtr Purdue gets the ball on the aOSU 37.
Purdue could have all but put the game away.  After a big runt by Akeem Hunt Purdue was inside the 20 with a fresh set of downs.  After conservative play calling and a busted play, Purdue attempted and a field goal...and it was blocked.  (three more points left on the field)

-With Miller out of the game, Guyton took over for the entire fourth quarter and really couldn't move the aOSU offense.

-20-14 11:50 remaining
Purdue just in aOSU territory with a fresh set of downs.  after two busted plays, Purdue is forced to punt.

-20-14 10:51 remaining
Webster's pooch pins aOSU on the one yard line.  After a hold on aOSU in the end zone on second down, aOSU gave Purdue two points in the form of a safety.

-22-14 2:40 remaining
Feichter's interception of Guyton gave Purdue the ball.  Purdue's offense promptly went three-and-out after a possession that took just 47 seconds off of the clock.  The possession included a false start, a befuddled-looking Purdue offense and a hair-brained scheme that included Purdue calling two time outs...in order to save the clock.  This strategery of course allowed aOSU to avoid using their timeouts.  Yeah, the rest of the football world doesn't get it either...but Hope is that much of a revolutionary.

After this mess, Purdue's defense joined the lying down party and allowed a previously-inept offense led by a green QB to find life versus a prevent-to-win defense.  After scoring a TD to put them down by two, Guyton once again looked like a veteran, as a broken-down play led to Gaston being forced to guarda  TE...it didn't end well for Gaston (shockingly), as aOSU tied the game.

With the wind out of their sails, Purdue's defense allowed aOSU to go up by seven in OT...and the offense responded by not moving the ball and being forced to throw a desperation heave that ended the game.

I felt like if Purdue had won, it would have changed the trajectory of the season.  A win today and a few more wins this season and this season might have been universally viewed as a success.  So in a way, Hope was coaching for his job today.

So how did he and his assistants coach as they looked to make a statement and a mark on the program's direction? They coached scared.  The defense lost its teeth, the offense lost its lower-intestinal fortitude, and of course, Purdue left Columbus with a loss.

I'm proud of the players for fighting and playing in the way they're capable of playing for much of the contest...but this game still crashes down loudly and painfully in the right hand column.  Plus, the coaches seemingly wiped away all momentum created in 58 minutes by throwing this one away.

Purdue stole a game last year versus aOSU in Ross Ade as two mediocre teams battled into bonus football...Today, our Boilers gave one away that they had all but wrapped-up.  If nothing else, balance remains in the universe.

A Look Back and a Look Ahead

It's not much fun right now on Saturdays for us, either.
(credit GBI's Tom Campbell for the pic)

Twitter, message boards and this site's comments are calling for Hope to be gone...and while we haven't come out and do that, many are requesting we do so.  Do we dare wield our massive power with the athletic department to focus on Hope being pushed out the door?

Well, since we have no power... and the season is only half over, the short answer is no.

We're not going the other way either; Hope deserves no vote of confidence nor blind, unwavering support...Being critical of the head coach and his staff is absolutely in order at this point, in our opinion.  I didn't have the heart or the time to watch the videos of the press conference just yet...I might later, might not.  But what I'm hearing is Hope looked beaten up and defeated and the talk of being inches from victory and success was gone. Good- it shouldn't have been in his lexicon last week either.

While a few of Hope's players are whining and bellyaching via Twitter about ridding themselves of all negativity, their head coach finally has his eyes open to reality...after five-straight halves of simply awful football.  Like we've said over and over and over- this isn't an offensive issue, a defensive issue, a special teams issue, a coaching issue or a personnel issue...it's a Purdue football issue and the failure has been rampant and across the board.

I still think the last two weeks were Purdue's best chances to make a statement about the program in the last few seasons.  They made their statement...it just wasn't what I thought or had hoped it'd be.

So with 7 weeks down and six games behind them, Purdue's football team has six-straight weeks of opportunity to play well and pull themselves out of the outhouse hole that they've lept into head-first.  The stakes aren't quite as high as the division championship is out of their hands, but, not every team they play from here out is garbage.  The stakes are still kinda high though- if the players love Coach Hope as they seem to, this is their chance to sell the idea that he deserves to be coaching them next season.

Morgan Burke doesn't fire coaches in the middle of the season...hell, Burke really doesn't like firing all that much, especially in the big revenue sports.  It probably comes back to his aversion of spending money when he can avoid it.  BUT, if you think he hasn't made a note of the empty seats in Ross-Ade, and the continuous drop of sales of the rich guy seats, you're crazy.  He prides himself on keeping the program in the black, and that is an impossibility with the loss of revenue each and every Saturday in God's Country during the fall.

If Hope can't reach 7 wins during this regular season, I think Burke will be forced to find a new coach for the football program- not just because of the record, but because of the lack of support for the program.  Plus, he's made public statements of how six win seasons really aren't successful in this era of football.

Purdue's players and coaches can't afford to play one more quarter of football like the last 10...let alone another entire game.  The problem is, they're facing the best team in the conference on Saturday...in their house.  aOSU has been scoring 40pts/game...Purdue has been allowing 41/game for the last three- sounds like a match made in hades for the good guys.

I don't think Saturday is a must-win for Purdue as it'd be beyond foolish to expect that.  But, for the team's psyche, they have to play with the Bucknuts...IU just nearly beat them.  By the way, in case you want to discredit IU, don't- they're playing well.  They still have the same amount of losses the last two games as Purdue, but unlike Purdue, most of their leaders return in '13.  Purdue needs to win this season...IU's fans and AD know that they're on a journey, and have a goal.  Purdue's coaching staff has been on a similar road for too long to be in the same category, and in a similar standing, in my opinion...but they absolutely are at this point- a cellar-dwelling also-ran.

So Purdue has six games to win four...and five are absolutely winnable.  Granted, if you're like me, you might have seen a few of those as wins a few weeks ago; I see none of them as guaranteed, left column games, regardless of the opponent.

Ex-Boiler, Rosie Colvin, sent a note to a bunch of current Purdue players yesterday via Twitter telling them that they were the only ones who could change the trajectory of the season (in so many words)...and he's a guy that knows a thing or two about performing under pressure, winning and changing the complexion of a program.  They should listen to him.  Not only has he walked in their shoes, he's been a public cheerleader for them via BTN's Friday night show.

At BS, we have a hard time believing this coaching staff can change things (based on what we've seen this season and those prior to this one).  But instead of constantly complaining about Hope and company, we're offering solutions.

This post is the easiest solution to the problem: Win now and this coaching staff will have earned another season.  Transitions are generally messy and painful- Joe Tiller's first season at Purdue and Kevin Sumlin's first season* at A&M are the exception, not the rule...no one really likes to see an overhaul of the football program, if it can be avoided.  But squeaking by, going .500 and beating the bottom of the conference and crappy out-of-conference foes simply isn't acceptable for this team.

We'll be offering a few more solutions to the problem in the form of coaching candidates if things don't change.  We've been asked by a few people who Purdue could hire...and we're not talking dream hires in which budgets and infrastructure changes overnight.  We're talking Purdue in '12; our alma mater.

Stay tuned this week...join the discussion.




*Yes, I went there...and it hurt.

Hopeless...Again.

"...take this from a guy who remembers Burtnett, Akers and Colletto quite well- The bad ole days are here again.  There's simply no denying it..."

Man, today started out with a ton of promise.

It looked like it might be a perfect day for football- Around 50 degrees and only a 40% chance of rain.  Friends and family all sitting together for the game...and right away, Purdue was on the board.

On the first offensive play of the game, the pocket held up, TerBush went through his progressions and Edison's vertical route yielded instant results.  Purdue was up 6-0 two plays into the game.  A moment later it was 7-7...and then Bucky began to do what they do against Hope's Purdue's squads: manhandle them.

As Wisconsin flexed its muscle, they took the lead...and Purdue floundered...and a few drops of cold rain began to fell.  Wisely, I headed to get a few ponchos...as I did it, Wisconsin scored again. Robert Marve came in...and had similar results as TerBush- both were running for their lives and getting few positive yards.

As the half drew to a close, the rain began to fall...and with it, Purdue's hopes of conference or even divisional relevancy seemingly washed away.  It was only a 10 point differential...but it felt much worse...turns out, it was.

Purdue couldn't move the ball on offense and wasn't a speedbump for Wisconsin on the other side of the ball.  Sure, Ball did what he does- slap Purdue defenders around...but the walk-on Frosh QB, Stave, did just enough to keep drives going as he found Wisky's tightend time and again.

But like UM the week before, Wisconsin didn't really need a QB with a functioning ball joint in his throwing shoulder...the just needed to keep it on the ground. As J already told you, they smartly did.

Tim Tibesar told Purdue fans, as did Nord, as did Hope, that Purdue was mere inches away from success last week.  I called 'bullcrap' then...and in advance...I'll call it again for their comments to the press this week.

That defense is not close to being one that garners respect from the rest of the mediocre B1G conference...and the offense's production is now comprable to that of the Purdue team two years ago that utilized a pair of true Freshman QBs who shouldn't have even been playing in the conference. Oh, and Gibboney's punt team had another one blocked.  Neato.

This one stings...and for the second week in a row, I actually regret going to the game...and I'm not the only one who's thinking that way based on Twitter exchanges and message board posts.

Like a lot of you, I have two kids.  I really want both of them to have the passion for Purdue sports that I have...but my son was miserable today.  Sure, the rain didn't help, but before the rain was falling, he wasn't enjoying himself...and neither was I, quite honestly.  I loved spending time with my family...but could have done that back home...and had a better time while doing it.  My wife, a fellow Purdue alum goes to a game or two a year (a few years ago, she was a season ticket holder)...but this year, the one game we were going to go to together now looks like it'll be a tough sell.

Guys like Edison, Johnson, Hunt, Shavers and others deserve our support...no doubt about that.  And guys like Marve, Bolden Henry, Gaston and Russell who are fighting current and previous injuries should be playing in front of more than 500 fans.  But, make no mistake, fans deserve more too.  People that plan their lives around Purdue sports and spend hard-earned money in an awful economy on sports entertainment should be entertained; at least a bit.  And if they can't be entertained, they should be able to get behind a bunch of young people who are selling out for one goal.

But, for the second-straight week, Purdue wasn't prepared to play in a college football game.  And unlike last week, some of the players seemingly gave up...And that's something I've never seen from a Hope squad.  Hope's players' coach mentality and nothing-but-good-vibes tactics didn't pay off this week...It didn't even come close, in fact.

I talked to a guy who played on the team last year after the game...and he was shocked at the lack of heart the team displayed.  He thought, like I did, that they looked beaten very early in the first half.

If Danny Hope can no longer motivate a team, he's as worthwhile as your fancy smartphone in Ross-Ade on gameday*.  Not worth much at all.

Homecoming has, once again, become a reunion with a football game in the background which you try to ignore...And take this from a guy who remembers Burtnett, Akers and Colletto quite well- The bad ole days are here again.  There's simply no denying it (as J said earlier).  The sad thing is I didn't leave RA angry today...but kinda apathetic.

When teams are bad, they look slow, perpetually-young and overmatched. When teams are bad, inclement weather feels worse to fans and the players alike. When teams are bad, people stop working their games into their schedules, and more-importantly for Morgan Burke, their budgets.

Sadly, Purdue's no contender; not even close. In fact, my Boilers aren't even a competitor any longer.



*(Sidebar- neither my phone, nor my sister-in-law's phone could even get the weather or send texts for much of the game; she's on Verizon, I'm on ATT.)

First Hand Account of a Debacle

Our pal Ed couldn't come up from Texas for the game, so he sent his tickets to me this week.  I thought I'd take my Dad, fellow Boiler alum...but he had to go visit my grandma for her birthday.  I then asked another Boiler...and another...and another.  I asked quite a few Purdue alums and even a few non-alums that are big fans...but no one was biting.  Perhaps they all knew something that I wasn't willing to admit- nothing's changed in Purdue's program...and they didn't want to see yet another bloodbath in person.

J and I both thought Purdue wouldn't win...but neither of us could really figure out how the Boilers would lose.  Well, they lost in a very familiar way- by doing almost everything poorly.

The Special Teams gave away the ball and set up a score, the offense had too many turnovers- one leading immediately to 6 points...and the defense couldn't stop the run; inside or outside, and just for good measure, the DBs allowed easy completions whenever UM needed a larger chunk of yardage.

Prepared.

Denard Robinson looked like a Heisman candidate once again...shaking the rust loose that is often caused by the shackles of good defenses.  And the old adage that 'nothing cures an ailing team like a game versus Purdue' reared its disgusting head once again.

It was chilly, a bit windy and clear...nearly-perfect weather for football, really.  UM fans were confident as they headed into Ross-Ade- they were confident that Hoke would right their collective ship off of the bye week...and he did. Conversely, Purdue's coaches seemingly took the week off of practice as their players looked extremely ill-prepared, and not at all equipped to play a B1G game on this day.

If you didn't watch it, congratulations.  Those hours that you spent coaching your children, watching better football, gardening, painting, napping or hunting for the perfect pumpkin were hours well-spent.  But the three hours that I spent in one of my favorite places in the world, I'll never get back.  The good news is that I got to watch the game with a friend of mine, and it was good to hang out together...sarcastically cheer every now and again and hope that something would change.

I have a confession- I left this game early...something I hardly ever do.  But, I made it to the around the 4:00 mark. I didn't see UM break 40...but it felt like I watched the Wolverines lay 100 on the metallic beige and black.

TerBush played poorly...but I've said this before- it's not his fault he's starting.  I believe the guy is playing as well as he can.  But today was the reason that people like me have been saying for weeks/months- Purdue needs a gunslinger.  I guess I didn't buy into the idea that Purdue's defense had suddenly become that of the Baltimore Ravens with the injection of the 3-4.  But, in spite of his guts and grit, I'm not sure Marve...or Henry is enough. If the play calling doesn't change, it's not going to matter who is at the controls.

Drew Brees would have been benched by Hope and Nord for too much free-wheeling in this system.  15 might have checked out of the second, third, fourth or fifth fake read draw on first down that didn't gain more than one yard.  Or maybe he'd call a slant route OR a vertical route (*sigh*).  Or maybe not.  What I do know is there's a reason Purdue fans will have a hard time believing the next big game will end differently.

As fans, we're on a hamster wheel of crappy Saturdays.  Just like your favorite rodent runs the same way over and over hoping for something new with the next stride, Danny Hope and company do the same garbage in each game versus good teams and get similar results time and again.  Sure, every now and again, we all jump off of the wheel for some room temperature water (a win over a MAC opponent) or some kibble (an unexpected win over a disappointing aOSU squad).  But when the potential is there for Purdue to actually change course, things don't change.

I really believe that Ross, Bush, Shavers, Marve, Holmes, Short, Gaston, Russell, Allen, Johnson, and others are good enough to start for a ton of really good programs in the nation.  But my Boilers continuously look like they're not ready for primetime when the bright lights come on.

A friend of mine who graduated from Michigan texted me as I got into my car outside of Ross-Ade.  He rightfully taunted me...and I had no response other than Purdue stunk today; a lot like they did last season in Ann Arbor.  A new DC, Senior leadership and a home game didn't change the outcome.

And perhaps even more worrisome, an even bigger intra-divisional game looms six and one-half days from now...versus a program that handed Purdue one of its worst losses in the program's long history, just a season ago.

Ugh.

I guess the good news is the media will be off of Purdue's back...removing all of that undo pressure from them about being one of the best teams in the league. So there is a silver lining.

Even Nancy Cross Thinks Carl Bimel is Doing His Part

If you've been dragging your feet on donating to the Purdue athletic department and have been feeling lousy about it, well, Carl Bimel is picking up the slack for you. He just donated $2 million to Purdue football.

Mr. Bimel has been a Purdue fan for almost 85 years. He attended his first game in 1928 (a season in which the Boilers went 5-2-1 with five shutouts) and then attended Purdue in the '40s. Bimel was one of the original 32 members of the John Purdue Club in 1950.

In several stories, Bimel as quoted as follows:

"I have loved Purdue University and Boilermaker Football for as long as I can remember. In my lifetime, I have only had one wife and one football team. My intent with this gift is to do my part to help my team remain competitive in the Big Ten Conference and on the national level. I have full confidence in the leadership of the athletics department and the football program that the money will be used in areas identified within the Purdue Football 'Next Step' initiative to have the greatest impact for my Boilermakers." 

Hey, he's just trying to do his part, everyone! Now, Nancy Cross and Morgan Burke want you to step up and do your part.

I'm also struck by the idea of cheering for any team for over eight decades, let alone one that can be as maddening as Purdue football. This is not to say we won't be cheering for Purdue into our golden years -- it's just that at the rate the team has been aging us, we probably won't make it as long as Mr. Bimel has. Considering he's been cheering for the Boilermakers for that long, he looks pretty spry.  

When You Win, People Notice...

When teams win a lotta games, the media, other coaches and fans all notice.  When you lose a lot, you also get noticed, but for different reasons.  But when you're mediocre, not many people see much of anything.  And that might be the case for the Purdue football players named to All-B1G teams.

Coming into the season, Coach Hope told us that his team had the nation's most-exciting kicker, one of the best cornerbacks in the country, a defensive end that was going to be healthy and one of the best at his position in the nation, a pair of defensive tackles that were two of the best in the league, a possession receiver that would rival the best in the conference and we heard about a quarterback that the coaching staff and teammates alike say has one of the best arms they've ever witnessed.

Sounds like a pretty good place to start on the road toward success. But, in spite of spinning a positive story, not many individual players received post-season accolades.

Beast.

KK Short was a difference maker all season.  He was fourth in the league in TFLs (13 solo), third in the league in solo sacks (6), and was perpetually double and triple teamed due to not having much help on the outside.  It seemed that almost every time something good happened to Purdue on Special Teams or defense, Short was in the mix on that play. He was correctly-named as an All-B1G player.

Ricardo Allen, Cody Webster and Carson Wiggs were all named to the second team.

A lot of people on the message boards took umbrage with Allen being left off of the first team.  His stats were pretty solid- 71 tackles and 3 interceptions...one returned for a touchdown.  But, he was picked on from time-to-time during the season when matched up with experienced and physically-gifted receivers.  I think one could fairly argue that it's pretty tough to shut anybody down when there's little-to-no pass rush (an epidemic that plagued Purdue's defense for large chunks of the season) and safety help was inconsistent at best.  BUT, in spite of being a very good corner, he's not a shut-down corner...yet.  He's got two more years in gold and black...so I think he'll become what many thought he'd be this season...but it didn't happen in '11.

Wiggs leg strength and natural ability is undebatable.  But, his lack of concentration this season probably kept him off of the first team this year.  Webster crushed the ball, but didn't get as many chances to punt since Wiggs punted the most he had since a few seasons ago.

Dennis Kelly, Joe Holland and Dwayne Beckford all were on the Honorable Mention teams.  I think Kelly and Holland could both get paid to play next year.  Kelly is big, athletic, smart and nasty on the field...but a shuffled OL due to Plue's late pre-season scratch strained the experienced line.  Holland and Beckford were both sure tacklers (they were second and first on the team in tackles, respectively) and hard-hitters. But, for the first third of the season, they were burnt like poptarts while in pass coverage...something I really blame on Emanuel more than these two LBs.

Other guys that weren't noticed by enough people outside of the Purdue family were Ralph Bolden (4.5 yds/carry, over 1000yds of offense, 6 TDs...no fumbles lost), Antavian Edison (10yds/touch, 700 yards of offense, 5 TDs...and he did everything he was asked to do) Josh Johnson (2 INT, 8 broken up & 61 tackles), Raheem Mostert (713 return yards, 31yds/return) and Albert Evans (1 INT & 68 tackles...after a really lousy start to the season).  The good news is that all of these guys have a chance to get noticed next year...except Evans who graduates...and we're still awaiting word on Bolden's status.

Ugly Play Yields Yet Another Ugly Loss on Senior Day

Seven days ago, an inspired Purdue team played a physical and talented aOSU team even before putting the 'Nuts away in overtime.  After a week of (presumed) smiles, praise, sunshine, lollipops, flowers, fresh-baked cookies and sunshine being blown up their collective backsides, Bad Purdue showed up to lay an egg this week.

Iowa was already bowl eligible (somehow), but my eyes told me that this Hawkeye team wasn't very good. They made stupid plays like fumbling the ball inside the Purdue 10 after receiving a gift from the Boilers, giving Purdue a cheap TD, dropping interceptions that were in their chests, dropping open passes and were generally as sloppy as the weather around the game.

It was a chilly day in the high-40s/low-50s with intermittent spits of rain and gusty wind.  The wind affected the play on the field pushing Purdue to not kick or pass when going into the wind and forcing an attempted pooch by Wiggs to net 7 yards.  Wiggs also had an ill-advised near-fake in which he kicked the ball right into an Iowa defender. On top of that, Purdue had a botched fair catch kickoff that gave Iowa the ball.  So what had been rock solid for a few weeks, special teams, simply was awful...but they weren't the only ones.

If McNutt was Superman yesterday, Purdue left the kryptonite back in Mollenkopf

Last week, Purdue was sure-tackling and did a good job pressuring aOSU's mediocre Frosh QB.  This week, they gave Vanderberg weeks (it seemed) to sit back and find McNutt as he tormented Purdue's highly-touted, but seldom-productive corners.  But in their defense, how can you hold coverage for 5, 6, 7 seconds as one of the nation's best receivers just runs around the defensive backfield as if playing in the backyard.  But when they did pressure him, get this, it worked.

One of the few plays in which the front got to Iowa's QB, he kind of wet himself, fumbled the ball and Purdue got a gift of a TD as he was standing in his own endzone.  At the end of the half, it was 21-14, and it felt and looked like it should have been 28-7.

After watching Marve on this day in the first half, it was clear he was the better quarterback.  He was quicker on his feet, both literally and figuratively, he was shooting darts and playing with a chip on his shoulder.  Make no mistake about this- I like TerBus as a kid, but just don't think of him as a very capable quarterback...and I don't blame him for being what he is.  He's been out of high school for four years and has only shown he can manage a game an not screw up too badly...that's not a bad thing if the defense looks like aOSU's or Penn States...but this defense doesn't.  Thus you need a gun slinger.

But Hope came into the game with the idea that he hadn't seen anything in the previous contest that would make him switch starters.  Hmmm...guess I saw a different game last week.

No matter, even with the wind at their back, Nord was baking up a blend of screen passes, poorly-timed quarterback draws and ill-advised runs inside the tackle when Bolden was very effective on the outside, yet again.  Purdue didn't use any of its advantages of quickness by putting Bolden, Edison and Bush in one-on-one situations, but instead seemed stubborn and bull-headed to the point of never checking out of obvious bad play calls OR making any adjustments at half time that might have yielded results.

At the end of the day, Purdue had lost a 31-21. Furthermore, Purdue was not bowl eligible as they squandered the opportunity that was presented to them on a gleaming silver platter. So now, they're facing an unenviable situation of heading South to their rival who will be playing in their bowl game next week as they have only one win.  Sounds like an easy thing to do, right? Just beat one of the worst teams in the nation, and they'll put a choke hold on their only bowl bid in the last four years.  But, a home game versus a mediocre opponent after coming off of a big win would seem like a pretty good situation to be in too, right??

Purdue will play the depleted Hoosiers in Bloomington at 3:30 on BTN.  I can guarantee that Wilson will have a Santa-sized satchel full of tricks, treats and toys for the Purdue defense. And on the other side, who the hell knows what Hope, Nord and Emanuel will have prepared for the only team in the FBS without a win versus another FBS foe. But, after watching this week's game, I feel this coaching staff might be fighting to keep its job...actually, I hope so.  If not, Burke can put himself on the list, along with Hope, of employees on the athletic department's payroll who simply are not doing what they were hired to do.

Although I thought Purdue would lose this game, I was still in a foul mood afterwards, in spite of my BS counterpart being in town for his only game of the season.  Thanks Coach Hope for ruining my pal J's visit back to his alma mater.

Hard not to like: Danny Hope

From the time Danny Hope was hired, we at BS have said that he is a difficult guy to dislike.   I wasn't a huge fan of the hire by Burke- I thought then, and still think that Purdue should have pursued a coach with a bit of a higher profile and a better record of success prior to Hope's hiring by my our Alma Mater.

Our boilers stand at 3-3 at the halfway point of Hope's third season as the head coach.  If you visit here often, you've heard us express our thoughts that we believe that this team's record should be better than it is.  We think that there are some talented guys on this team, talented-enough to have at least one more win if not two...but things are what they are. Purdue continues to struggle with stupid penalties at key times, seems to have breakdowns when they're in the most need of crisp play and the offense seems to still be struggling to find an identity.  On top of that, there are gaping holes in the line-up that can be attributed to poor player development or recruiting misses. Many, if not all of this team's problems can be credited to the coaching staff.

But, there are some things that are very positive that are due to coaching.  This team almost always looks motivated to play.  They hustle and don't seem to give up on plays too often.  And there seems to be very good chemistry among the players...as they legitimately like each other.  Plus, Hope has conscientiously built a team that is faster on both sides of the ball than the teams that Tiller put together.

The reason this team is what it is, both the good and bad, comes from the top. The players are fun-loving because the man behind the mustache is as well.  These guys are excitable and emotional because the head coach encourages it. He understands that football is a game of emotion...but at times this season, the players and coaches alike have looked confused and unsure of what should be done next.

In this era of football, it's really tough to watch your favorite squad go one, two, three, four...seasons without going to a bowl game.  That's probably why attendance has been dropping steadily during Hope's time at Purdue.  In fact, it looks like the Homecoming Game could be the lowest-attended of its kind in nearly 20 years unless there is an unexpected run on tickets in the next 24-36 hours...and while I hate seeing it, it's understandable that many have shifted the way they spend their money the last few years.

Forecast: Handsome Monsoon Imminent!!!

Last week, we received a bit of a hard time from some of you for not sending out ample warning of the weekly Handsome Hour.

Sure, the show is each week during the season at 10:00pm...and has been for most of its three year history. But we understand there are new listeners out there...and many of the young ladies on campus who are just beginning to understand the breadth of handsomeness that comes from the duo each Wednesday night at 10:00pm Eastern haven't yet made it a habit to listen. But soon they will...they always do.

So if you've got plans, break them. If you have a test on Thursday, get your studying done early. If you have kids to take care of, put them to bed cause it's business time (not that kind of business). Whatever your excuse, nothing should trump this opportunity for you to grow your Purdue knowledge, kick your feet up and relax and just listen to some good interwebnet talk podcasting.

Sometimes we have great guests, other times we just talk amongst ourselves. Regardless of what tonight's show turns out to be, it's always a delight to your ears and uplifting to your black and gold soul.

Listen tonight. Become part of the movement...be part of history.

What We Know So Far...and it's not good

If you listen to the Handsome Hour or read the site regularly, you knew we had questions coming into this season:

-Who would step up at WR?

-How would TerBush be under/behind center?

-Did Purdue have a DE in the stable that could lessen the blow of losing Kerrigan?

After the first two games a couple more questions have emerged?

-Why haven't we seen or heard more from Purdue's defensive backs?

-Why hasn't Hope used Wiggs more?

-Why are the linebackers covering wide receivers so regularly?

-Why has the play calling been so vanilla?

All of these are just gut feeling questions...but here are some stats and numbers to go along with the questions.

Yeah, they're that good!

MTSU looked pretty tough versus Purdue in the first game, and their QB looked like a guy who could be the best in the SunBelt, if not more. We all talked about how they were a bowl team...so what did they do to follow up their near-win in West LaLa?

They got crushed by Georgia Tech. They were down 42-7 at the end of the third quarter and lost 49-21. Their QB, Kilgore, who passed for 330 yards and 7.3yds/attempt v. Purdue, finished with 114 yards and 4.1yds/attempt and was yanked v. the Yellow Jackets.

The Likability Factor

I spent a few hours watching videos from last spring to last week posted by the Purdue football team...and it was pretty fun.

Just as companies tend to reflect the boss' personality due to his example and hiring practices, this Purdue team reflects Danny Hope. They're loose, they seem to really genuinely like being around eachother and love the game of football.

What's not to like about self-deprecating guys like Carlino and Holland, hams like Wiggs and Lichtenberg, nice guys like Short, Rouse and Thomas, polite, soft-spoken players like Gaston, Robinson and Shavers, Amazing athletes like Bolden, Henry, Mostert, Marve and Ross, hard-workers like Allen, Sinz and Lucas, and physical freaks like Beckford, Kitchens and Plue?

There's a lot to like on this team...and these guys are easy to root for. And while on paper, and even on the field, we can see a ton of potential, it's still tough to know whether they can put it all together in reality.

There just always seem to be a ton of loose threads for Hope's teams- waiting for academic clearing, awaiting someone to get healthy, looking forward to see if a guy would see the field in his Frosh season or redshirt, and everyone on the field knowing their role and just executing.

A lack of cohesiveness and poor chemistry have not been problems for the teams over the past two years- something that Tiller teams struggled with from time-to-time...so there's definitely a good foundation to be built upon. But consistency has been something the last two Purdue teams simply haven't been able to find...and this team must change that trend in order to get Purdue's football team back to respectability and above .500.

At the mid-way point of the pre-season practice schedule, like every team in America, there are some good reports coming out of camp and some things that sound kinda lousy. Two-a-days have left a few players like Roberts and Johnson hurting to the point that they might not be back for more than a month. Other "little" injuries and ailments are keeping guys from practicing for days or weeks at a time- that's football.

But as this team heads down the final stretch of practice prior to playing MTSU, one thing I hope they're able to find is focus...because dropping an early game versus a team they should beat can't happen if they are to take the program forward this season. Likability is extremely important...but nothing excites a fanbase like a winner.

Part 3: A Look at What Has Us Skerrrrrred

I really can't stand when I hear this crap- you know, "No one scares me on Purdue's schedule." or "This team really has me worried."

I can fully-understand those who work for our alma mater's athletic department being worried...players- absolutely. Coaches- they should care enough to worry. And current students, they get a pass. But for me, my true worries involve my livelihood, my family and friends and my country. So if you seriously ask, "Who has you worried on this year's schedule?" I'll tell you no one.

Not one team makes me lose sleep or gets me nervous when I think about them. That said, I still think way too much about what's going to happen this season...and there's a lot that has me bothered as I look ahead.

I'm not as old as some of you reading this, but I do remember watching Purdue in the 80s...back then, I worried about football season. I liked Leon Burtnett a lot. He was enthusiastic, seemed to have a good time coaching, often got ahead of himself with the media...and seemed over his head at times.

I think some of you see where I'm going with this.

You won't ever hear me say Danny Hope doesn't know football...because I think he does- so did Burtnett. In fact, Burtnett coached for over 35 years with stops at some very good programs and even coached in the NFL...but he wasn't much of a head coach.

The jury is still out on how Coach Hope will be judged as a head coach...and it's really not fair to measure his worth with what we know, but here are some things that we do know.

In Hope's brief time at Purdue, it's clear he's been able to motivate his players. Drew Brees himself says he'd run through a wall for Danny Hope...and there's nothing wrong with that. Hope's passion for his players and the game is fun to watch...and every now and again, it motivates the team to do tremendous things. His Boilers nearly pulled off wins versus Oregon and Notre Dame in his first season...and got over the hump versus the talented and well-coached Ohio State Buckeyes. Last season, they played with the highly-ranked Badgers for a half, beat a superior Northwestern team while barely being able to complete a forward pass, and took a very good MSU team to the brink before losing a heart-breaker.

But, not every team that Purdue plays is a world beater...and sadly, our Boilers have dropped some games that they simply shouldn't have during Hope's time in God's Country.

An emotionally-drained Boiler team reflected its coach as it came out flat versus Northern Illinois at Ross-Ade in '09. In fact, Northern Illinois simply controlled the trenches and manhandled our Boilers on that afternoon. An evenly-matched Northwestern team settled down after the homecoming emotion wore off for Hope and Co. and methodically picked apart Purdue's large first quarter lead to leave Ross-Ade with a win. In 2010, Purdue looked lethargic in both the Western Illinois and Ball State games before dropping a home loss to Toledo. I do know that was a tough day for the team as they lost Marve early in that game. But, before Marve was out, Purdue's defense allowed one of the worst offensive teams in America to flex its muscle and simply control the line of scrimmage. And probably worst of all of Hope's losses in many of our fellow Boilers' view, Purdue threw away an early lead to give the bucket back to IU.

While football is a game that needs a ton of emotion to be played at a high level, it also needs preparation and execution that we haven't seen a ton of out of Hope's teams...and that's what really troubles me.

The practice report that came out yesterday doesn't really help my outlook either. Both Nord and Hope are bothered that the passing offense isn't where it should be at this point...but they say it's better than it was at this point last year. That's good, I guess...but it's not much of a positive. At some point poor execution trends come back on the coaches...and this season hasn't yet began and a lot can change in the next month...but what we're hearing might be ominous.

Let's get back to Leon Burtnett for a second. Burtnett languished through a few seasons with 3 wins in an era where you didn't get to pad the schedule with mid-major (and lower) opponents...so his teams were performing similar to Hope's teams, in my opinion...before Jim Everett became Purdue's starting QB his Junior year. Everett and Purdue's high-powered offense revived a sleepy fan base and helped earn Burtnett the BT COY honors.

The question is, does Hope need a player like Everett to have a winning record...and the follow-up, is that guy in the stable?

While there's a ton of potential on this team, there's really nothing I've seen to convince me that Marve, nor Henry has the ability to put a team on his back and pull them to a 7-win (or more) season in 2011. I think some might argue that we didn't know that #11 would become what he did prior to the fall of 1984...and that's why we watch. All of us want to see something amazing...but at this point, that's what it's going to take.

I love being wrong when I predict a gloomy outlook for my Boilers...and I'm the first to admit it when it happens. Sadly, I've been right more than I've been wrong...and there are just so many question marks on this team.

-Can Purdue develop a pass rush with a group of unproven D Ends?

-Will our Boilers' experienced linebackers be able to make open field tackles and defend tight ends and running backs on the short passes?

-Can Henry become a formidable passer and stay healthy? Is Marve going to be able to play at his full potential?

-Will Bolden's knee stay healthy? If so, can he endure the pounding on the rest of his body of being the number one guy after a full season away from contact?

-Who's going to catch the ball?

Couple all of these questions with a history of poor clock management, emotional let-downs and losses that should be wins, and my outlook is less-than-stellar. My thought has always been that for Hope to be truly successful as a head coach, he's going to need to be surrounded by some of the best assistant coaches in the B1G. And while I like the coordinator situation a lot more than I did in the past two seasons, I'm still not convinced that the attention to detail in this staff as a whole is where it needs to be for this team to be better than just OK.

A few weeks ago, Hope said,

"The teams that stay healthy, play hard and execute are going to win."

As Purdue fans, we know that one-third of that equation is out of the hands of the coaching staff. But in the wake of last season, they should be preparing for anything. We also know the players will play hard for this coaching staff...but the execution is a huge question mark. One out of three just isn't enough when there's so much talent in this league and so many well-coached teams.

So am I concerned about this season? You bet...probably too much for a 36 year old product designer. As for the worrying part, I'll leave that to some other guys who can actually do something about it.