There For The Taking?

Purdue fans are beginning to get excited about the possibilities for the Boilermakers this football season. Is the division there for the taking? Will you have the opportunity to high five and belly-bump with T-Mill of Hammer & Rails at the Big Ten Championship game and celebrate the appearance by tailgating to Whitesnake and Taylor Dayne? Let's think about it.

Wisconsin had yet another unimpressive victory over the weekend over the UTEP Miners and one might argue that Coach B is doing some panicking. He fired his O-line coach after the loss in Oregon and has now yanked transfer Danny O'Brien in favor of a former walk-on who only recently became a scholarship player. Stave played pretty well on Saturday and seemed to give the Badgers some life, but he's definitely untested and the Boilers, as we all know, get to take on the Badgers at home, so Stave's road mettle will be tested...though Wisky does play at Nebraska next weekend so if Stave shows no rattle in that one, it's doubtful that a 2/3 filled Ross-Ade will spook him. (Yes, that was my shot at everyone -- go to the games!)

Michigan, while not in the Leaders division, is still a conference foe and is also coming to West Laffy. Michigan was ranked until their six-turnover, stinker of a performance against apparently indestructible Notre Dame. Can the Boiler D follow the lead set by Alabama and ND (and to a lesser extent, Air Force, who only lost 31-25 to the Wolverines)? I do have confidence in this defense, particularly the line, so if they can bottle up the Denard at all, that bodes well for Purdue. Dare to dream?

Illinois got positively dump-trucked at home vs. La Tech over the weekend, 52-24. I understand that Louisiana Tech is a decent team this year, and I understand Illinois is working their way back. But they have to be better than this, don't they? They were at home, and as I tweeted Saturday night, I cannot remember a worse home loss to a non-conference team by a Big Ten program. Can you?

My point re: the Illini is that they're a divisional foe who is prone to getting hammered, both on the road (Lost at Az St, 45-14) and at home (see Tech, Louisiana).

Ohio State, while ineligible for the title game, still is a game that will count in the conference and divisional standings. And no matter what kind of fairy tale season this could turn into, it's very difficult to imagine the Boilers walking into the 'shoe and beating a ranked and potentially undefeated Ohio State team coached by Urban Meyer. 

Penn State seems to have begun to right the ship after two losses to start the season, but you never know where they'll be mentally by early November. And again, the Boilers get the Lions in Ross-Ade. While that's not a gigantic home field advantage, it does help to not have to travel to a place where the Boilers rarely win. As mentioned, the only place on the schedule like that is Columbus.

Iowa, our most hated rivals (OMHR), has now lost to both Iowa State and Central Michigan at home. I'm not saying I think any game is a lock -- esp not a road game against OMHR -- but if those teams can win in Iowa and Purdue wants to have a special season, this is the kind of game you need to win. Plain and simple.

Minnesota is tricky to figure out, because while they're 4-0 and clearly playing a lot better football under Jerry Kill, I think we need to wait to see if this is a truly improved team or more like one of those IU teams that wins non-conference games and then gets manhandled by the conference. Regardless, it's a road conference game.

Indiana is... ah, never mind. It's Indiana.

My biggest concern at this moment is the Marshall game, and not just because of the "take them one at a time" cliche. As you've heard us lament before, Purdue -- especially under Danny Hope -- always has one stinker against lesser, non-conference competition, usually at home. There's only of those left and so I find myself in fear of it. Yes, I like the makeup of this team and I like their focus. That doesn't make me any less concerned, though.

So what do you think? Is your optimism skyrocketing as you see what's going on in the conference? I'm getting closer, and beating Marshall will be a big help in making me giddy going into Michigan semi-under-the-lights in two weeks.

Purdue Football: The Wrong Kind of Optimism

Now it's time for the Panda to weigh in on the upcoming football season...


Purdue football has had a tough few years. After finally breaking the bowl drought, the Boilermakers got a big 5 dollar hot and ready pizza for winning the Little Caesars Bowl. Although not very impressive, it's a start.

The big news so far has to be the lack of injuries (knock on wood). The past few seasons the Boilermakers have been having some serious issues with losing key players due to injuries, this year it might just be limited to the Where Else? Bar. I know I won't be sad to see that place disappear soon, and I doubt Morgan Burke sheds a tear either. Barlow on the other hand might just find his wallet.

It seems as though everyone is being extremely optimistic [Not everyone.:-) --J] about Purdue's chances this season in the Big Ten, but I just can't fully see it. Sure I see that Ohio State is ineligible for the upcoming post season and Penn State is in shambles, but that still leaves Wisconsin to look for.

Wisconsin will reload as usual, and the only thing going in our favor is that we don't have to play up there this season.  Either way though, Purdue is going to face criticism even if they do win the division, due to the lack of competition.  Not something I'm very optimistic about.  As a diehard fan my entire life, I want to beat the best, and beating the best means winning when your opponents are full strength, not at the state Ohio State, Penn State, or Illinois is in right now.  Now luckily we will be able to face Indiana at full strength, but that's not saying much.

The optimism for this season seems to really rub me the wrong way.  In one way I'm glad to see it, but on the other hand it's hard to accept that the only reason we are in the running for a division title is based upon others' expectations or faults. To me optimism should be about the promise we have in this team this season.

Watching Kawann Short have a terrific senior season should be something to be optimistic about, or seeing what Hope can do with a healthy roster that will hopefully not face any injuries.

With Rob Henry being back in playing shape it should be interesting how this season turns out.  One thing I'm surely not optimistic about is our chance in a BCS game.  That might just get ugly.  Although Purdue might be able to turn the corner and get back to something of that caliber again, the Boilermakers are a few years away from that.

As for this season all we can really hope for is to improve on last season's performance, and build on the bowl victory, even if it was the pizza bowl.

(Not a Little Caesars Pizza)

The Cradle's Overflowing

Sure, we have readers who think we're not paying attention to Purdue sports this summer. But, my pals at Comcast have been doing their best to derail the awesomeness that is BS. I haven't had a consistent internet OR phone, thanks to Comcrap in 10 days. So, between losing signal, I've been reading my sports updates on my iphone...and AT&T's fantastic service has allowed me to check the internet on my phone at speeds similar to my Net Zero dial up back in ought-ought.

Honestly, it couldn't happen at a better time as there isn't a ton going on around my favorite sports program. Sure, the yahoos are releasing their prognostications for this coming fall...and our Boilers are falling into their predictions of conference standings anywhere from the upper middle to the lower-third of the conference. All that's inconsequential.

But, getting a verbal from another solid QB is noteworthy. Granted, I'm not a big fan of slathering attention upon a kid who's not signed- so much can change between now and February (read as 'we need an early signing period for football')...but, Russell Bellomy has been a Purdue lean for a few months, so he seems like a pretty safe bet to come to Purdue (unless UT or another of their ilk decides to flutter their collective eyelashes at the Arlington, TX native).

The thing I'd like to look at is what this does to Purdue's stable.
If I was a betting man, which I'm not, I wouldn't put money on this happening as planned. Injuries, defections and position changes coaching changes and anything else can render this handy-dandy chart useless. Plus, I think Rob Henry will be playing another position as early as this fall...and will be a damned-good slot receiver by the time he leaves campus. But, once again, that's just an educated guess.

What we do know is that 18 and 19 year olds change their minds from time-to-time, so things can change. But we also, as a fanbase, should be very excited and pleased that a player with offers from MSU, Boise State and a ton of others thinks Purdue is the bestest of the bestest. I'd guess Bellomy will be a high-3 or low-4 star-rated recruit come mid-fall. But moreso, this kid is really smart, has a good arm, possibly better feet and plays against very good competition down in Texas...what's not to like?

What might be more interesting to note is Danny Hope's taste in quarterbacks. All five of those with the highest odds to become a starter in the next 5 years seem to be able to pass the ball well and run as the situation dictates. Run-first and pass-only QBs seem to need not apply. Plus, these types of QBs like what they see and hear from Hope and Nord.

My opinion of Hope's recruiting philosophy and results is "so-far, so-good". If the quality of players and speed of the team keeps trending the way it is, as Hope builds depth across the board, Purdue will be a team that people outside of the Purdue family won't be able to ignore.

Keep it up, Coach Hope!

Springing Into Action

With basketball season officially over, we enter a long drought for me. Sure, I like watching Indy Car, but it's nothing like college basketball and football for me...and while the Yankees and Red Sox are set to play this weekend to kick off the MLB season, the length of both the season and the baseball game itself doesn't jive with my self-diagnosed ADD.

So, my attention, at least for a few weeks shifts to Purdue football practice. Sure, you can't really tell much about the team through the screens in the fence and while watching videos of drills, but it's a solid diversion.

Hope's squad had its first scrimmage with the kooky scoring system yesterday and the defense won. And if you're not into it enough to comb GBI and Journal & Courier for info, here's the skinnny so far:

-Lots of guys are injured. Specifically, linebackers. As of now, there are only 4 guys who have played significant snaps at any of the three positions available for spring. That could be good as it might help someone get seen early...Perhaps true Frosh, Will Lucas will show? But, in the Black/Gold game it'll create problems.

Keith Smith is out for the remainder of spring as is Ken Plue. The good thing about both of these guys is that they're pretty solid at their knowledge of the offense. The offensive line is banged up and depleted due to graduation and injuries. So, guys like Foy and Melton will get more reps...which is good.

Albert Evans and Nick Mondek are both out...I hope Evans is acting as a coach for the young DBs in his time off...because that unit will need it. There's plenty of reason for concern for this amazingly-underexperienced unit come the fall.

-Defenses always seem to come along a bit quicker...so it's OK to see the defense edging out the offense, especially early. But, I'm hoping the offense passes the eyeball test, for me, on April 17.

-Gary Bush seems to be the new apple of the coach's eye at this point. Bush put on some weight in the offseason and Hope likes what he sees from him. He's also talked a few times about how the battle between McBurse and Bolden will be fun to watch.

-Marve has been held out of practice from time-to-time due to soreness of his surgically-repaired knee. Not a concern, but it's helped give TerBush some more reps with the ones. The guy pushing Marve seems to be Henry. I think much of the Purdue fanbase is excited to watch him this spring.

-In a nifty team-unity move, Robert Marve brought his O-linemen with him to talk to the media last weekend to help him answer questions. So far, Marve's saying and doing all the right things as a team guy.

Playing With a Chip on Their Shoulder

Yesterday we talked a bit about some of the guys that will need to step up in order for this season to be a success for Danny Hope...and quite candidly, a bowl game seems to be a long shot at this point. But, football is a game played with aggression and emotion. And while nothing matches a deep, talented, well-coached team, a well-coached, amped team with a lot to prove can make a significant amount of noise.

Joe Tiller's teams always seemed prepared and played a consistent brand of football. But, Tiller teams at times also seemed emotionally arid in the last few seasons. It wasn't always that way- Guys like Drew Brees, Chukki Okobi, Vinny Sutherland, Matt Mitrione, Tim Stratton, Shaun Phillips, Nick Hardwick, Dan Bick and others seemed to react to the size and scope of games...and Coach Tiller, by his own admission, didn't like that type of emotion. On more than one occasion, he talked of never being too high or too low. His favorite type of players were seemed to be Kyle Orton, Taylor Stubblefield, Mike Otto, Ryan Baker and Jaycen Taylor-types. Every one of these guys were tough as nails...and all had the lunch bucket mentality- you do your job, you do it the same way each time...You prepare for everybody the same way- never too high, never too low.

I think the fair-minded fan and observer can see merit in both mentalities. The problem is, when the playing field isn't level from top-to-bottom...when all 22 players on the field aren't at the same level as their 22, you're going to need more from almost everybody on the field.

Purdue football is at that point again. Depth will be a problem in '09. From the wide receiver position to the defensive line, there will be a lot of guys playing a lot of snaps who have seen little or no playing time at the collegiate level. Those guys will be inconsistent...they'll tire out quickly and they'll be overwhelmed when playing in front of 100,000 fans. That's when you need players who will give the proverbial "bird" to those who doubt them- the media, the opposing fans and even their own alums, when they're not on board. Right now, Purdue needs impassioned warriors...the time for stoic technicians has gone.

It's going to take getting way up for some games and playing on the fact that some teams just believe they deserve more than Danny Hope's team. It's going to take guys that were passed over by Michigan, Florida, Georgia and others who remember that they have to earn what they get. It's going to take an idea, a perspective, a collective team philosophy that it's Purdue versus the world...and at this point, really isn't it just that? Some fan bases call Purdue football boring, others call Purdue a perpetual middling program and others still (Purdue's own fans and alums) have resigned themselves to the fact that it's Michigan, aOSU, Penn State...and everyone else falls in line behind them, in the BT.

Make no mistake, teams reflect their coaches. Urban Meyer's teams reflect an awareness of their greatness. Pete Carroll's teams play loose-and-fast. Jim Tressel's teams play precise and controlled. Charlie Weis' teams want everyone to know how great & nasty they are (even if they don't play that way). Ron Zook's teams play with great energy...and so on.

If you've had a chance to watch Danny Hope during Purdue football practices (last year on BTN) and you've heard what former players like Light and Brees say about Hope, you start to understand what he's about. Then, take a minute to listen to him at a presser...You'll see a theme- he's gritty, he moves quickly, he's honest, he's got some mean to him, and he's enthusiastic. I think he'll cultivate the hard-charging type of players on the roster and he'll push the wallflowers to either take control or follow someone who will.

While no one knows how successful Danny Hope will be during his tenure at Purdue, every person who follows this program understands that a coach with his personality is precisely what the program needs at this point in time. I'm looking forward to watching a team that in the coming falls that plays the game as if they have something to prove...They do.

Who's Ready To Step Up?

If you're like me, right now, you're looking for something...anything to scratch that itch created by the void of not having college football for the last 6 months. And let the truth be known, there's not a lot out there that can do that. But, online publications know about addicts like you and I and are slowly trickling out their early looks at the college football world.

Here are a couple of notes from three of these publications:
Scout.com's Pete Fuitak hasn't yet made his prognostication for the season, but sounds like he thinks it could go any number of ways...but most of Purdue's success will be measured by quarterback consistency. He also likes a few returning players on Purdue's roster, specifically Ryan Kerrigan and newcomer Kawaan Short. Fuitak's analysis is pretty solid...perhaps he can take over the beleaguered Boiler Sports Report?

The next stop, the NYT Blogs Countdown of the 120 D-1 College football teams. They mention us, which helps them earn brownie points...but atop being awesome because they've stopped by BS, their opinion of our Boilers for next season seems to have some wiggle room. Paul Myerberg looks at Joey Elliott as the lynchpin for the season...and seems to intimate that if Elliot can't get the job done physically, Purdue's just biding its time until Marve can get behind the center. He also is bothered by the void the graduated, Anthony "Heywood" leaves at LB...but thinks Purdue's DBs are really the story on defense. A No. 94 ranking is a tough pill to swallow, but who can blame him for placing Purdue there?

Matt Hinton at Rivals.com uses some pretty sound statistical analysis to look at our Boilers. My favorite portion of the article is his look at Purdue versus the top 25 in the last four seasons. While the 0-13 record is an easy thing to focus upon, I like that it's in there to remind us why Purdue had to move on and start rebuilding toward the future. And his opinion, our Boilers aren't in a state of re-modeling, but a demolition and complete rebuild are underway...the depth chart, especially in the skilled positions shows that he might be correct.

Something to think about- Hinton also aludes to the fact that Purdue's in the position it is in because they simply don't have the horses in the stable, right now...and the last five recruting classes' rankings tell that tale well- 29, 50, 59, 63, 74...but then again, isn't this Purdue's M.O. really? Kerrigan is a case in point- he was reccruited by MAC schools, Cincy, IU and Purdue...and he's developed into a very good end, and might be pretty darned good by the time he leaves West Lafayette.

And that leads me to what Purdue must become...and in a hurry! Our Boilers under Joe Tiller had guys like Nick Hardwick, Craig Terrill, Curtis Painter and many others come into Purdue quietly and leave via the NFL draft. Under Tiller, Purdue was a developmental team- seldom did a player come in as highly touted, play from day one and end his career as a star en route to the NFL.

So the challenge Danny Hope has at this point is blending the old with the new- the developmental players recruited to play in Tiller's system and the speedy skilled guys that are going to be asked to step up right away. That's why many heady prognosticators and Purdue fans alike think Hope's first season will be a 3-5 win season...Purdue football is in the midst of an overhaul of a roster, changes to a team philosophy and the purging of some bad habits that had crept in over the last five seasons. A difficult set of tasks, no doubt, but not impossible.

The worst case scenario I've read is a 1-11 season...the best is an 8-win season. And truth be known, I think an 8-win season would be miraculous, ridiculous...just as absurd really, as a one-win season. But, to sqeeze out enough wins to even almost make a bowl game, Hope is going to have to have a few guys surpise their BT opponents...so who are the players that might surpise people? Here are a few numbers that you, as Purdue fans should commit to memory, in my opinion:

Offense:
I think the offensive line is going to be noteworthy...and honestly, they'll have to be. Everybody knows the quarterback by default, so he's disqualified.

73
-Ken Plue has the size and strength to be All-Conference...and as he continues to get a bit lighter, he'll have very good footwork this season. Look for Plue to swallow up a linebacker or 10 on delays.

23
-Ralph Bolden will benefit from Plue as much as anybody outside of Joey Elliott. Bolden should be able to get low and hide from defensive linemen before exploding through the hole and getting into the second level of the defense.

8
-Keith Smith is still relatively a novice at wide receiver...and last season, according to his coach he was a bit chubby. If you attended the Spring game, you know he can catch...and as a safety valve, he should be able to create problems because of his strength.

-Eric Williams number is not yet on the books...but after dinking and dunking, the safeties and corners might creep closer and closer to the line of scrimmage...that's when a home run hitter comes into play. Williams has big time speed (4.4) and might make his name getting past CBs as Elliott creates time.

Defense:

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-Mike Neal has had one of the quietest four years for a guy who's played a lot in recent memory. He's got a significant chip on his shoulder...something I think Hope will like and opponents won't.

93
-Kawaan Short is young, but he's got big time size...and like his counterpart at DT, he plays with a mean streak. He and Neal might make Purdue a very tough team to run against in '09.

29
-Jason Werner is a guy who every Purdue fan is familiar with...at least by name. But if you've seen him during a spring game, or had the chance to watch him play in high school, you know he's a gamer who's strong and athletic. Plus, he's an on-field coach. I'm betting on Werner staying healthy this season...and making big noise.

-Ishmael Aristide is another guy who is playing to prove something...Since I picked a Freshman on offense, I wanted to pick one on defense. Aristide, if his knee is healthy, can be a shut-down corner. He'll be coming in off of the bench for much of the season, and because of that, I think opposing QBs will try to test him...that'll be a mistake. He's got great closing speed and a knack for disrupting receiver's routes. Plus, he hits very hard for a sub-200 pounder.

I'm not going to give a ton of time to this, but...

I have to mention this. I feel like this is Paulus driving his own media train, but we'll see I guess.
Hopefully, he never steps foot on campus as a Boilermaker.

The Joey Elliott Experiment

A couple seasons back, I was at a game and Painter had a minor injury and so Joey Elliott (as a frosh or soph) had to come in for a series, and a guy sitting near us shouted, "Welcome to the Joey Elliott Experiment!" I always found that amusing and continue to use it.

Why's it appropriate? Because we really don't know what Joey's capable of. He could be a very serviceable game-manager... or he might not be. He hasn't played enough for us to judge. But we do know that he wants to go into coach, as per this piece by the talented Adam Rittenberg.

Reading that and learning more about Elliott, I am cautiously optimistic about his chances. Sure, shoulder injuries are scary and one hard hit on it (like being driven into the turf) could shelve him, but putting injury aside, it sounds like he's going to work very hard to put on a respectable performance at QB this season.

And while there are no promises of him being the starter, he really should be. A team like this needs leadership and in the absence of experienced, talented playmakers, you have to turn to your seniors... especially if they act like a player-coach. Definitely a good thing.

Other tidbits from the story...

Joey Elliott wants to become the next Josh Heupel.

Sure, he wouldn't mind leading Purdue to a national title, winning the AP Player of the Year award and finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting. But Elliott is more interested in mirroring Heupel's rapid rise up the college coaching ranks.

Sure, we wouldn't mind that, either. Hells yeah! Elliott for Heisman '09! I assume his website is in the works.

"In my mind, he's the starter," Purdue offensive coordinator Gary Nord said. "At the same time, we haven't named anything, and anybody can beat anybody out. Nobody's guaranteed anything. The coaching staff doesn't know what the capabilities are, doesn't know the intangibles of them yet."

You know, "intangibles." Who's the best juggler? Who makes the best buttermilk pancakes after a night out with 19-year-old college girls? Who has the highest score on "Dance Dance Revoultion." That kind of thing.

Elliott even shares play-calling ideas with the coaching staff, almost like he's another graduate assistant.

"He's got everything you want in a quarterback, except experience," Nord said. "He hasn't played any."

Insert the wah-wahhhhh sound effect from The Price Is Right here. He's great! He's got everything you want! I mean, besides having played.

Elliott has appeared in only 10 games, completing 27 of 49 passes for 300 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

You know, this is interesting to me. If I was offered Joey Elliott going 27/49 for 300 yards and 2-and-2 every game, I'd sign up right now.

Wouldn't you?

A Lot to learn

I'll be honest- I don't know what's going to happen in '09 to Purdue's football team. A lot has changed...and the coaching staff and players both have a lot to learn before they can be considered a cohesive unit.

At the same time, we as fans have a lot to learn about what type of football will be played, offensively and defensively, what type of mentality this team has and who is going to rise to the occasion as opportunity presents itself to a slew of new players who will be starters or in the two-deeps for the first time in their careers.

There are a few people out there, myself included, who have thought of the parallels with Tiller's first season that we're going to see in Hope's first campaign.

-The starting quarterback will likely be a Senior who is coming off of a shoulder injury. In 1997, it was Dicken, this time, it's Elliott...both had rotator cuff injuries.

-Last season's team finished near the bottom of the conference with just four wins. The 1996 team did too, with just three wins.

-In 1997, expectations were that Purdue would finish near the bottom of the Big Ten, it's once again the case in 2009.

It seemed pretty bleak then, and it has that feel now. But there are some differences that are noteworthy, some are positive, others are negative.

-Billy Dicken had started a few games at QB...and at DB before his final year in West Lafayette. Joey Elliott has not started a game.

-Tiller's coaching staff was nearly completely in-tact coming from Wyoming. Hope's staff is a bit of a patchwork of Tiller guys, EKU and some transplants from other programs still.

-Tiller's hire came with very few votes of confidence within the Purdue family. Conversely, players like Rosey Colvin, Drew Brees, Matt Light and others seem to think Hope is exactly the right guy for the Purdue football program.

A few friends of mine are already cynical because of the age of Hope's coordinators and the fact that Hope's teams at EKU were never great...they're bothered that so much is being asked of so many underclassmen and that so many skilled players will be starting who have never done so before. All those things are true. But really, none of it can't be changed at this point. Furthermore, while there are parallels and contrasts to the last coaching transition, none of those matter either.

I think the best and fairest thing we can do is wait until we see the product on the field before we make our decision about this team and the level of success they might have. Give Hope, his players and coaches the chance to succeed or fail on the field of play before making a judgement call.

At this point we all have a lot to learn.

Football Practice begins

Not a ton to happened at practice that's noteworthy, but a player that coaches and fans alike are interesting in seeing in uniform wasn't able to practice.

Al-Terek McBurse was held out of practice due to NCAA Clearinghouse issues...That doesn't mean it won't change int the coming days, but Purdue's luck for guys who have come across transcript and academic requirement issues hasn't been good the last few years.

I have no idea how they're going to be able to run a full scrimmage on the 4/18 with this group of wide receivers...but the game is at 1:00 in just a few weeks.

If you'd like to see some pretty vanilla footage of yesterday's action, click here. (thanks to Gold and Black for the video)

Get back to work!
I guess the Senate has nothing better to do than this.

Oooh, I know a solution to this problem that doesn't involve pointy-headed politicians.

Spoilermakers?? Not a Chance.

The label of Spoilermaker became pretty popular in the Burtnett, Akers and Colletto years simply because no one really every expected Purdue to win...so when the did, it spoiled some unexpected team's afternoon and maybe even their season.

Now, expectations are back to being low, how low? Hear what Joe Tiller had to say about last week's effort v. UND:

"I told our team at halftime, 'Fellas you couldn't be in a more enviable position. You're sitting here at 14-all and could be up, but your not. Lets go out there and get up on them like we're capable of doing.' I thought I would get a great big, 'Yea,' but I got more like an, 'OK.'"


"After watching the tape on Sunday, I can understand why they were of that mood," Tiller explained. "Even though we were in the football game and actually were in position to be ahead in the football game, they were getting knocked around pretty good, they were getting manhandled pretty good in the first half so I could see why maybe at halftime they weren't quite sure how much more they had in them if they had to go out on the field and had to stay on the field. Of course, that's exactly what happened to us.”

So, Joe asked a few years ago for fans to manage their expectations. Now, he's got what he wants...no one has any expectations of his squad...not his players, not his coaches, not even himself. He got his record, smoked his victory cigar, what more does he have to prove, right?

I think regardless of how this season goes, Tiller will be remembered by the majority of the super-soft Purdue fanbase as one of the great coaches, if not the all-time greatest...I don't agree with the idea that this season doesn't affect his legacy.

He decided to leave the cupboard pretty baren following this season; he had faith in this team during camp...it's time to show why. Afterall, it gets even harder next week.

Painful But Imperative Rebuilding Process
Tiller doesn't like the idea of rebuilding, clearly. He came in and won right away with the group that Colletto couldn't seem to win too many games with. Then the Boilers got even better as a few recruits came in. But, after the Rose Bowl, Purdue probably should have focused on rebuilding toward another great team instead of accepting just another bowl game. Tiller wanted to go to a bowl game, no matter how lousy, each season. Now, it looks like the program is finally going to need to be rebuilt next season.

A watered-down spread offense with very few weapons remaining and a defense that hasn't been the aggressor in five years is what '09 looks like. Coach Hope has a tough road ahead of him in his first season as head coach. Not only does he have to pick up the pieces of three or four poor recruiting off-seasons, but also needs to re-install a sense of discipline and accountability among the team.

The system, the attitudes and the overall culture of Purdue football desperately needs an overhaul.

My Sources Say...
Here's what Purdue football has become, according to a few people close to the program.

Young players are afraid of Tiller...he's always quiet, doesn't raise his voice, doesn't talk a lot; and the young guys are worried about what he's thinking and how he's going to punish those who step out of line.

Conversely, the older players have seen that the coach won't discipline guys that have been arrested or have been involved in conduct detrimental to the team...So many of them take it easy. In fact, I'm told some players simply don't practice as the seasons wear on. As a result, team unity is pretty lousy because these vets aren't punished for their lack of effort and instead, are rewarded with starting roles or significant playing time...while a guy buried in the depth chart who busts his hump barely sees the field.

If this is what the program's become, it's sad...but it also makes a great deal of sense. As I talked about a few days ago, individual players and the greater program no longer seems to move forward from year to year.

Tiller came into Purdue and held Chike Okeafor accountable for his actions...and made him earn his way back onto the team. This showed who was running the show and earned immediate respect from the team. Keep in mind, Okeafor was one of the only members of the Purdue defense to have received accolades coming into the '97 season...his class and previous accomplishments didn't matter...there was one standard and he had to live up to it.

It's going to be hard for this Purdue team to turn around what we've seen so far. The culture of "you only have to win by one" and "never too high, never too low" is deeply engrained in the captains and Seniors. My hope is that someone is given enough latitude that they can smack their team mates around and bring this underachieving group back to life...It's not probable, but it is possible. I'm still holding out for Hope's sake.

Athlons Predictions

I have had the opportunity to read over the most recent Athlon's Pre-Season magazine and I think their analysis of Purdue is well-thought...that said, I think it has some flaws.

The first and most-glaring problem with it is they predict Purdue to finish 9th in the conference. They only have IU at 10th and Minnesota at 11th finishing below the Boilers. I'm not saying that it's not possible, but I just don't think it's likely. The magazine believes that Purdue's lack of returning starters is one of the reasons the Boilers will struggle. That said, Iowa has fewer returning starters, off of a pretty-bad '07 Hawkeye team, and Northwestern simply isn't that good of a team.

Purdue's lack of defensive backfield experience is going to hurt very badly, especially against teams with poised quarterbacks and good schemes...This could be one of the reason the magazine called Central Michigan a swing game...But my question for these writers is simple- Do you remember Central Michigan's defensive prowess? Curtis Painter does. The magazine also called IU a swing game in that they simply don't know who will win. Well, IU hasn't won in Ross Ade since before Tiller arrived. I'm pretty sure his going-away party will be a victory again.

Other points of interest in this issue of Athlon's includes the fact that they think UND will still finish lower in the nation than Purdue at 60th (Purdue is predicted at 54). My favorite part of the Notre Dame write-up is a quote that comes from Notre Dame's Senior fullback, Schwapp.

"Three-and-nine doesn't even sound right, especially in the same sentence as Notre Dame."

Bad news sir, it may not sound right, but it was...and your victories came against patsies. The good news is, you'll have plenty of those to fatten up on as San Diego State, Stanford, UNC, Navy and Syracuse are all on UND's schedule. The magazine calls the Purdue contest a swing game...I'd tend to agree since Purdue struggles so mightily in South Bend and neither team looks to be a world-beater coming into '08.

We'll officially weigh in on how we think the season will go as it draws closer...Stay tuned! Fall can't come soon enough, for some of us.

State of the Program

There is an intense debate raging among Purdue fans, students & alums about the state and overall direction of the program. I would say this debate started years ago, but seemed to really gain a lot of momentum in the past three seasons.

Many Purdue fans think Joe Tiller has worn out his welcome and are ready for a change. There are divisions within this faction that argue he should be fired...But that simply will not, nor should not happen as Purdue continues to win more than it loses. The depth of the program is not that of the perennial powers, thus a winning season is still an acceptable season for many in the Purdue family.

The other side of this debate seems to be worried and bothered that if Joe Tiller leaves or is forced to leave, the world will come to an end...This group points to Coletto, Akers & Burtnett as the only other option when it comes to Purdue football.

I honestly understand parts of both sides of this debate, but before I weigh in on this, I'd like to reiterate something I've said here and in person for quite a while: The program is stuck.

Tiller's teams are neither good, nor bad. They do not surprise anyone with great wins over favored opponents, nor do they lose games they're supposed to win. Tiller-coached teams win about 7.5 games per season and have gone to a bowl game in each season, with the exception of one. All that said, of the ten bowl games Purdue has gone to, our Boilers have won three. It's almost as if the goal is the reward of the invitation and the game itself is worthless.

Joe Tiller-coached teams have consistently beaten MAC opponents and mediocre UND teams during the pre-conference schedule and followed it up by beating Northwestern, Minnesota, IU, Michigan State and Illinois. They have struggled versus Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State and only beaten Michigan and Ohio State a total of three times during 11 seasons. That record once again places Purdue squarely in the middle of the pack at number 6. Number six in the Big Ten will get a bowl invite...but so will 63 other teams in the nation. Getting to a bowl in the day and age of 32 bowls per year is not a victory unto itself. There are 128 D-I football programs...can you go to a bowl and be just average? You tell me.




Going to the Insight or Sun Bowl might be something that rebuilding programs and lousy ones alike would revel in...I consider these post-season contests no longer thrilling especially when my alma mater no longer seems to be a threat to win that contest. It's become a bit of a tradition...we all gather at someone's house, get excited and watch our Boilers act as if they left their shoulder pads and cups back in West Lafayette...A calling card of this era seems to be bowl teams that simply don't look prepared...regardless of the venue.

So, how do things look on the horizon? Well, to me, the next three games are extremely important for Joe Tiller's legacy. Why? Because if Purdue can win out they will likely get invited to the Alamo or Champs Bowl...If they can win that contest, it might show the guys coming back that the program is still capable of great things (it would be Tiller's first 10-win season as Purdue coach and only Purdue's second 10-win season ever).

This program and this team needs as much momentum and confidence as it can muster heading into the '08 season as things are not getting easier. Purdue loses 4 offensive starters next season (3 will most like receive some sort of honor from the conference) and five defensive starter...not to mention the offense and defense will both lose two additional off of the two- deep chart. The schedule's pretty rugged as well. In one four-game span, Purdue will face Oregon, ND @ ND, Penn State and OSU @ OSU. After a week break versus Minnesota, They'll face UM then MSU @ MSU and finally Iowa @ Iowa. On the upside, it seems the coaches have been doing their best to prepare the twos and threes this season for what lies ahead...unlike some coaches.

I've heard it said that Tiller should retire after Painter graduates. That season (next season) to me, seems to look more and more like the second in which Purdue would not make a bowl under Tiller...but if they did get an invite it would probably be at 6-6. I guess that'd be fitting in some ways. But honestly, I'd like to see him leave on a high note with a record above .500. Perhaps the end of this season makes the most sense.