Post-Spring Football Thoughts

We were asked by an odds making site to give our thoughts on next season...and while we don't encourage gambling and probably won't link the post here, you'll be able to find it on our Twitter feed in the coming days.  Here's what he had to say about our Boilers in a pretty condensed format:

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General Thoughts about Spring Ball

The biggest thing Purdue fans took away from Spring is how different the new coaching staff is. Practices were open to the public, which hasn't happened at Purdue in about 10 years.

I got to attend a few of them and noticed how fast-paced and focused they were. They always had music playing loudly during the practices to keep things loose and get them used to signal calling and huddles with noise distraction.  A few ex-players I talked to said the speed is increased when compared to the old practices and they're more intense...plus, they played live scrimmages, even on the QBs which Purdue hasn't done in years.

One of the questions heading into Spring was who would emerge at QB; Rob Henry seems to be the guy at this point...but true Freshman Danny Etling quickly rose to 2nd string; which surprised many.

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Players that are poised to emerge

The guy everyone should be watching next season is WR Dolapo Macarthy. He played well at times last season, but his combo of size, hands and solid route running make him a tough match up for smaller corners.  RB Akeem Hunt's explosiveness will also make him tough to ignore, we think...as he's finally the guy after waiting his turn for a few seasons.

Defensively, if Purdue's going to have any success, Sean Robinson will have to have a good season; so I'm looking for him to do big things in just his second season as a LB after being moved from QB...and on the end, Ryan Russell is poised to become Purdue's next member of the Den of Defensive Ends...if he can be an every-down guy.

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Positional Grades

QB- B (a good battle for the starting position might have already been decided)

RB- B- (depth is an issue at this point; new system will use "Z" back regularly)

WR- B+ (bigger, more-physical receivers will be leaned on)

TE- B (Will be much more important to Purdue's offense than the last decade)

OL- C (Lots of talented youth in the two-deeps; but too many RS Freshman need to play now)

DL- A (lots of experience inside and outside)

LB- C (The starters should be solid; depth is a big question)

DB- B- (Again, lots of question marks on the depth chart)

ST- C (One of the nation's best punters and solid return men keep this grade from being a D)

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Things that might surprise non-Purdue fans

We really like this new coaching staff- it's a good mix of young, passionate positional coaches and grizzled coordinators...but the Darrell Hazell is gives us the reason to be the most excited. He's been brilliant with the fans and media since his hiring and helped a historically-awful program in Kent State reach 11 victories last season. I'm not sure this season will be much different than last, from a record standpoint...but Purdue has one of the most-difficult schedules in the nation; six opponents had double-digit wins in '12 and three of them were in BCS bowls.  One surprise should be the style of play; Purdue had gotten so sloppy and penalty-prone in the previous seasons, fans might be surprised at the attention to detail by the new staff.

Purdue Wins Spring Game!!

The players were excited to hear and see from the program alums before the game. During this past week, many tweeted how they were looking forward to this as if the event was an actual game...and lots of fans and alums were excited to see the new look team.  There's good news and bad news: The good news is, in many ways, today did not disappoint...bad news was that in others, it did.

There was a DJ playing music between plays, and the alums teamed up with members of the student body and alumni to play punt, pass and kick...and during the game there were some hard hits.  But the final score of the game was 14-0.

The pre-game clinic was fun for the kids- my son, daughter and nephew can all attest to that.  The players, who generally don't disappoint in these situations, welcomed the little and not-so-little ones onto their home bermuda grass field for drills and just running around.

When business time came around, a few things seemed obvious: Henry leads this offense well, has a good grasp of the concepts and is ready to start. He had one of the passing TDs...didn't pass the ball a ton (didn't have to) and only had two or three incompletions on around 10 attempts.  After the middle of the second quarter, Henry's day was almost much done.

Etling took the majority of remaining snaps for the black squad...and Appleby took almost all of the snaps for the gold team.  Marshall played QB for one possession in the first half (I believe), but didn't have a ton of production.

The vagueness of this post, from a stats standpoint, is because there were no stats on the scoreboard.  Let's be honest for a moment...just you and I- you don't come here for stats, now do you? You come here because you love the witty commentary and you hope you'll see J shirtless.  Today, you will get one of those from this post.

Hazell wouldn't go as far as to say that Henry was the number 1 QB as Purdue headed into the practice-free off-season...but I'll go ahead and say it- it seems like it's Henry's job to lose, and for good reason, he looks good under/behind center in this system.  I saw it in drills a few weeks ago and saw it today in a more game-like situation today.

We really like Appleby; he's big, has a canon of an arm and is a student of the game, but today wasn't a good day for him.  There might be a combination of factors that caused it- it was windy, he wasn't playing behind a full-strength OLine and he wasn't playing with a full quiver of weapons around him...but neither was anyone.

That said, the best running back on the field, by a lot, was opposite of Appleby, on the victorious black team...and I don't think that's a coincidence.  The gold defense was pretty tough for much of the day, but had no answer for Akeem Hunt.  He looked faster than about everyone on the field...his cuts were crisp and resolute, he hit holes quickly, and as always was great in space. But he was definitely one of the guys that stood out.  On one of the rare gadget plays, he almost completed a deep ball to Raheem Mostert...but it wasn't quite in stride and a DB (can't remember the number) was there to break up the play.

The two main black squad QBs were just sharp...whether it was Henry OR Etling, both of these guys looked comfortable running the show.  Etling didn't have a passing touchdown, BUT, had a ton of production, and only a few incompletions.  There is a lot more misdirection than we're used to, as Purdue fans, in this offense.  Even though the defense knows it's coming, it forced LBs and safeties to constantly shift and respect the guys running the other way.  Notably, on third and short a few times today, a slot receiver or wide out would come around end for the fake only to pull manpower away from the middle so the half back could get the short yardage needed.

On the defensive side of the ball, Bruce Gaston created some havoc for the black team QBs by sacking Byrzinskas and Henry...the sack of Henry was one in which Gaston just kinda tossed 15 around like a rag doll.  Not sure if I liked to see Henry thrown that way, but I know I liked seeing Gaston do it (if that makes any sense).

Another couple guys on the defensive side of the ball that I noticed as active were Michael Rouse and Jalani Phillips.  Rouse stuck out because of an opportune interception off of a deflection in which the big fella got to show his skills with the rock...he was tackled after a 15-20 yard return.  Phillips was impressive because he seemed to be everywhere.  His name was called a lot and his number was in the backfield...a lot.

But as noteworthy as these guys were, the guys that couldn't play due to injury might have been just as noteworthy. Four of the guys who will probably get the ball a lot in the fall weren't able to play: Macarthy (who will probably be the number one possession receiver), Cottom (who will be the thunder to Hunt's lightning), Anthrop (who will play in the i

LBD and Cottom

mportant "Z" position in this offense; RB/slot), and Bush (undoubtedly the most-experienced returning receiver...especially if Ross doesn't return).  Their absence makes a big difference...and spreading out the talent so this could be a straight-up scrimmage, not an offense v. defense scrimmage, makes a big difference.

The 14-0 final score is probably indicative of these factors more than anything else.

A few people on Twitter asked if one thing or another was a good indicator for the team.  Well, here's what I know about Spring games: I love them because I love watching football...and miss it during the off-season. The Black/Gold game is like my last drink of cold water before the sports desert is upon me...so as inconsequential as this game is in the grand scope of things, I absolutely love going to watch it each season.

BUT, I've seen some things in spring games that weren't exactly the best representations of the fall during these contests.

A guy named Drew Brees played second fiddle, on more than one occasion during the Spring game- once to his backup named Marc Burgler (I believe)...and the second to David Edgerton.  You might know Edgerton from garbage duty v. IU just before Purdue clinched the Big Ten title...not much else.  More recently, Sean Matti put on an absolute showcase for the Purdue fans in the Black Gold game as Dan Dierking was out with injury.  Sadly, we didn't get to see the walk-on's potential, as (I believe) he passed away that following summer.

The point is, Spring football is important because coaches get to see a lot that we, as fans, just don't get to see...but the B/G game is really for fans and dorks like me.

Will Phillips turn into a monster in the fall? Will Hunt tear up the B1G like he did his teammates today? Will Appleby be in the hunt to start come August? Nobody really knows right now.  But, I can't wait until the late summer when camp begins.

The BS Curse? (and other football notes)

After reading GBI and Mike Carmin, I thought I'd weigh in on what's been happening in God's country under Coach Hazell's watch.

I always struggle in analyzing stats and reports following an intersquad scrimmage...was the offense winning an indictment of the defense? Is the defense's progress a sign that the offense isn't getting better?  We really don't know until the fall...but there are a few things we can glean from the reports.

First, Bruce Gaston played on Saturday...that's good news, and Hazell noted that. Regardless if Purdue plays a 3-4 or 4-3, Gaston's presence in the middle will be noteworthy.

Next, the DBs played pretty well even without Allen in the fold due to injury. They had a few picks and a few more were dropped, but a ton of passes defended.  This update is one of those that might not be great news for the QBs.

And speaking of QBs, the guy that I wanted to see at QB1, Austin Appleby, has dropped from 1A with Henry to 3. Stink. But I'll be frank about the QB battle for a moment- I don't care who's at quarterback if the good guys are winning.  Henry has an unconventional delivery and has struggled with accuracy at times...but Billy Dicken had an unconventional delivery and didn't have the strongest arm and played one great year as Purdue transitioned to Drew Brees running the offense.

I'm still foggy on when/how a player commissions the NCAA on a sixth season of eligibility.  But it would seem that Henry would be a shoe-in for such a season due to his ACL tear following a redshirt. If he gets the extra year, Appleby starts in '14 and Etling is able to redshirt in the fall, Purdue could have a legit QB plan for the first time in a long time. But hey, there are a ton of variables along the way that could derail that.  I just like that there are three good options in the stable.

Etling passed Appleby on the depth chart, according to Hazell, on Saturday...competitions is always a good thing.  Hopefully this coaching staff is better at making decisions and assessing talent than the last group...and I'm confident that they are.

According to the practice reports, a few RS Freshman are playing with the ones on the offensive line.  This is good and bad.  The good of course is that these gigantic dudes are living up to their billing.  The bad is that they're green, so QBs are needing to roll out quite a bit in order to find time and passing lanes. It seems that Henry, Etling and Appleby are all mobile enough, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

One surprise from the reports that I've gathered is that former QB, Robert Gregory is making some noise at the position. Cottom strained his MCL on Saturday, so a few guys further down the depth chart got some carries with the ones...and everyone who saw the scrimmage noted how Gregory ran extremely hard and didn't shy away from contact.  Conversely, Akeem Hunt looked fast and great outside the tackles, but didn't shine in between the tackles. Hazell is seeking more depth at the RB position...this leads me to believe that a guy like incoming Freshman, Kenyate Green will be able to possibly see the field in the fall.  BUT, if Cottom and Hunt are healthy, that's a damned good 1-2 punch to start with.

An on-going development as Spring progresses is the lack of mentions for two-year starter Gary Bush. Bush's class schedule has kept him from practicing this Spring, so that surely doesn't help. But the question is, will he be able to move back to the 1s in the fall when his schedule is (obviously) more conducive to Purdue's camp schedule.  As of right now, RS Freshman, Knauf is in the same spot wih the 1s that Bush is playing with the 2s.  I think there could be a ton of movement come August as Anthrop gets healthy and Ross gets out of the doghouse.

I also think Mostert, Anthrop and Hunt might all be playing a similar position in the Fall...but that's just speculation at this point.  It just seems that they all have a similar skillset.

Hazell called the scrimmage one of the best that he's been a part of since he's been a head coach. That's good to hear. I guess that clearly signals that this Purdue team will have around 11 wins this coming season? Maybe not, but as J alluded to last week, Hazell seems to be making good moves thus far and his openness along with the way he's handled the media are nothing but positive.

T-minus five days until Spring ball is officially concluded with the Black/Gold Game in Ross-Ade. I'll be there with a few miniature people; looking forward to it already.

Our First Look at Spring Ball

What a day- watched practice on the field in Mollenkopf, enjoyed a healthy meal at TripleXXX, had the best seats I've ever had for a Purdue basketball game...let's not talk about how that ended; let's stay positive.

Thanks to our pal Joe who scored me a box seat...and Purdue's security who let my son sit on my lap or stand in front of me for the entire contest...The perspective of looking at the players at eye level a few feet from the out of bounds line was awesome.  I understand why all the rich guys don't like cheering down there...wait a second, no I don't.  I loved the fact that officials heard every complaint and Sandi reacted when I urged him on...loved that I could gaze longingly admire coach Ryne Smith's tenacity up close...sitting down low is definitely where I belong.  So wealthy benefactors, for the best possible coverage, keep the club seats coming.  I kid...or do I?

Alright, back to the important stuff.  My Purvis burger was cooked to perfection and the onion rings were on point as well...

Alright, the really important stuff...we're finally moving on to football.

I had read practice reports from J&C and Gold and Black, but seeing things in person is even better.

LBD and I got to talk at length with Josh Johnson about what he's been up to and how the new staff compares to the one that just left.  He said the practice methodology was closer to the philosophy of Coach Higgins than Hope- high-paced, station-based, timed sections of practiced designed to get individual groups chances to work on fundamentals.

QBs worked on getting their drops right and keeping the ball high...WRs, RBs and TEs ran a ton of seam routes that are easy for the QB to throw, but difficult for the receiver to catch. Lineman blasted off of the ball, changed direction quickly.  In larger group sessions, defensive intensity was notably high. There even seems to be a touch of intersquad rivalry between the two sides of the ball.  Veterans like Ricardo Allen were pissed if they didn't make plays, on the other side, Gary Bush showed some emotion when not effectively finishing plays.

One notable difference from the offense was the tightend was verrrrry important, it seemed. Sinz, Holmes, Curry, Carvajal and Carter were all active and had the ball in their hands a lot. A few things stood out to me about this group- Carvajal is still ginormous.  Among tall men, he's nearly a head taller. Curry has a ton of tools in the shed- good hands, runs hard and quick feet. And Holmes looks like he's working very hard and has a sense of urgency (finally). I like the corps of TEs a lot.

The big WRs seem to be the most active. Macarthy, Mikesky and Torwudzu, specifically stuck out to me. The out routes thrown to a spot obviously favor guys with big bodies who can block out a DB.  I haven't seen the entire offense, but if this practice is any indicator, bigger possession receivers are going to be imperative.

Watching the RBs, I didn't get to see a ton...but what I did see was Akeem Hunt seems to be one of the fastest guys on the field. Curry (who seemed to play a bit of RB and TE) and Cottom both look like bruising backs that might fit on a Wisconsin squad...I liked watching both in drills as they blasted through stations.

The QBs look like this: At this point, it's a two-horse race. Appleby and Henry both are pretty accurate, both feel pressure well, both look the part. In two step drop drills, they're the guys who are the most consistent. In 7-on-7, they were the guys who had the grasp of where to throw it to keep it away from DBs. Henry is an obvious leader and seems to do the little things and is clearly the best runner of the group right now.  Appleby has the best mechanics and is by far the most accurate passer. BUT, Marshall seems to throw a very catchable ball, if that makes sense...but his don't have a ton of zip on them. Berzynskas surprised me as much as anyone; big guy, good mechanics and looked accurate. I heard Shoop telling him that if he does things the right way, has a real chance of earning a schollie (during a drill). Etling looks like a guy whose head is spinning a bit...floats the ball a lot during drills and in 7-on-7.  Decent mechanics and footwork...I fully expect him to redshirt this fall and compete next spring...I also still expect Appleby to start; and think Henry should be on the field somewhere; he's too good of an athlete, too good of a leader, not to be utilized heavily.

I'm biased; Appleby, once again took time to talk to LBD and even gave him a memento of the visit to practice; really like this kid. I re-introduced us to him...reminded him that we met a year ago in Mackey and had "talked" on Twitter; he remembered before I was done speaking. My boy is kind of tough to forget though, I believe...once again though, I'm terribly biased.

Sean Robinson is a guy that I'm still kind of taken back by- I spent a bit of time with he and his Dad a few years ago, after a game that he started.  Granted, I didn't go out to eat with them, but was just near them...and remember how he looked and acted. He is a different guy- looks like a defensive player...bigger, stronger, meaner...should be an anchor for the defense. Gillium also looked good at LB.

The offensive line is a gaggle of massive men...probably the biggest corps of Olineman that I can remember (at least those that I've been able to see up close). They all seem to be working hard on getting their hands on the guys on the other side of the ball and firing quickly.

Coach Freeman looks like he not only could, but should suit up for Purdue in the fall.

...sorry for the rapid fire thoughts; I took no notes...

New Boiler Head Coach with grizzled
Boiler vet, LBD

Finally, my quick first meeting with Coach Hazell-

I actually met his son first...and if an intermediate school kid is a reflection of his Dad as a man, Hazell is doing a fine job. His son shook my hand (good hand shake)- looked me in the eye and introduced himself...seemed poised like his Pop.

Darrell Hazell is a very engaging guy- I liked him from the articles and TV interviews, liked him even more in person. Where as Hope was likable because of his lack of polish, Hazell's easy to like because of his poise and perceived thoughtfulness...Seems to take time to really look someone in the eye and listen.  We only spoke for a few seconds, but I was impressed and am more of a fan than I was when the day started.

He also has the practices running in a way that clearly reflect his personality- orderly yet energetic, cerebral yet fast-paced. Purdue's new football regime is only a few practices in...and they have already began to change the culture, in my opinion. Gabe Holmes might be the biggest emblem of the change to me...getting veterans to change attitudes and buy into a new system is a big deal.

I might get to one more practice before the B/G game...might not...all depends on my stupid job.  If I do, I'll be back here to let you know what I see/hear.

May The Best Man Win

It's official. Danny Etling has enrolled early to be a student at Purdue University...and later tonight, Darrell Hazell will no longer be a part-time coach at Kent State...And with this, the quarterback competition begins.

RS Senior, Rob Henry is still a QB at this point...and he's made it very clear that he wants to play quarterback for Purdue.  Henry has thrown for about 1,200 yards, 11 TDs, 8 Ints and completed about 54% of his passes at QB at Purdue. He started a handful of games a few seasons ago, is a former captain of the team and by all accounts is a pretty good teammate. Henry is a dangerous runner, but has unusual throwing mechanics as he doesn't seem to follow all the way through. He will seek a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA as he tore his ACL after he had already redshirted.  It'd be shocking if the NCAA didn't give him a sixth year since he's a great student and a guy who's involved in the community.  BUT, they didn't give Keith Smith an extra year a few years ago...so never underestimate the NCAA's ineptitude.

Henry is 6'2" and weighs 200 pounds.

RS Freshman Austin Appleby was a Nike Elite 11 QB coming out of high school in Ohio. If you've watched him pass, you probably notice that he has a lively arm and, at least in my opinion, the best mechanics of the quarterbacks in the stable.  While he's a dropback passer, he's a pretty good athlete that can run as well.

Appleby is the biggest QB in Purdue's stable at a legit 6'5" 235 pounds.

RS Freshman Bilal Marshall was a dual-threat QB out of high school in Dade County, Florida.  Marshall ran quite a bit in high school and his throwing mechanics needed work (the last time I saw him throw)...but he can get out of trouble with his feet very quickly.  From what I've heard, he's been an apt pupil since coming onto campus.  Not a ton of people are giving him a shot to start next season, but I think he's a darkhorse because Hazell's Kent State team ran the option this season.

Marshall 6'3" and weighs 170...but has a frame that should be able to put on 10 pounds by next fall.

True Freshman Danny Etling is a four-star recruit out of Indiana whose team struggled during his Senior season.  Much like Appleby the year before a few key injuries might have helped keep his offense in check during his final season in high school...and Purdue benefitted from that.  I thought he would surely receive more offers, but a lackluster Senior year kept some away.  He was invited to the Elite 11 National contest, but didn't make the finals.  His cousin, Joe Holland, helped convince him to come to Purdue...and through the transition of Hope leaving and Hazell being hired, he stayed true.  He's a dropback passer with decent mechanics, but doesn't throw completely over the top.

Etling is 6'3" and weighs 200 pounds.

Walk-on (So) Parker, who saw limited action this season, will also compete for the starting job.

Competition is nothing but positive and having options with different skillsets is probably exactly what Hazell wants to see the first day in camp later this year.  The only downfall for Hazell is that there's probably not one guy who is the clear-cut favorite...at least at this point since none of them started last season. We're still about two months away...but workouts will start this week.

With Hazell's open practices, I'm hoping to get to see these guys with my very own LASIK-repaired eyes in March.

Analyzing Purdue's Multi-QB Approach: The Sample Size is Growing

A reader pointed out in a comment that the multiple QBs limit the guys from becoming a strong #1 because they're never really in their a whole game and thus it takes longer to get into a rhythm as a starter -- if it ever happens.

This got me to thinking, especially given everyone's seemingly near-unanimous dislike of this approach... what's the evidence to support it? Either, to support the system working, or to support the dislike from those who hate it to vociferously?

Let's hit the wayback machine.

At the start of the 2011 season, it was clear that TerBush was the starter. Rob Henry was injured and Robert Marve was still recovering from his second ACL injury. However, there was a growing faction of us who were very eager to see Marve get on the field. Danny Hope told us that he would play and that both QBs would see action. I think it's fair to say that we felt this was reasonable, given that Marve was still recovering and TerBush hadn't yet had a lot of time to demonstrate what he was capable of.

Then we began to accept that Caleb was who he was. As the season progressed, the group wanting to see Marve get a few complete games grew, the coaching staff dug in their heels, and the multi-headed QB monster continued to grow, leading us to where we are now.

So how has it worked? Well, would you believe there is now a solid, full season's worth of games from which to choose? That's right, between 2011 and 2012, the Boilers have played 12 games with the QB merry-go-round operating. And, wouldn't you know it! In those dozen games, Purdue is....6-6. 

The wins were over: SEMO, Minnesota, OSU, IU and Western Michigan in 2011, and EKU in 2012.

The losses were to Notre Dame (both years), PSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Could stability have made a difference in any of the six losses? It's obviously impossible to know, but I might argue that, last year, in the PSU loss (23-18) and the Iowa loss (31-21), I would have liked seeing what Marve could have done with a full game's worth of responsibility. I also think it might have been interesting to see him play the whole ND last year as well as this year. Last year, he was still recovering and it was only his second game back, so let's scratch that one. But this year, I think almost anyone who watched the game will agree that the Purdue offense simply looked more potent with Robert under center.

Let's say that even two of those three losses mentioned were wins as a result of a better and more consistent QB approach (remember Marve desperately trying to score against Iowa and fumbling off the pylon? Maybe that doesn't happen if he knows he's not about to get yanked if they don't score). Suddenly, Purdue is 8-4 in their last twelve instead of 6-6. It's a subtle difference and, as I said, one can never know about the path not taken (unless you're watching Sliding Doors, one of Boilerdowd's favorite flicks), but I do feel fairly comfortable saying that Purdue hasn't won any games as a result of Caleb TerBush's steady hand that Robert Marve could not have won.  

What does all this tell us? Perhaps it tells us that even with a lack of stability at the QB position, Purdue is talented enough to beat marginal to bad teams. One might argue, though, that the mediocrity could just be what Purdue is under Danny Hope, and that could be true... but does 6-6 with losses to petty much any decent team they face (and Iowa) suggest that they've got some kind of advantage by playing two (or three) QBs? It sure doesn't suggest that to me.

In my opinion, this goes into the growing evidence that says that this team is talented enough in several areas to compete with nearly anybody on the schedule, but that the musical chairs under center is going to continue to be an obstacle, not a weapon.

Danny Makes The Call

Starting v. UND

Throughout camp, Hope called TerBush the starter for the first game because neither he, nor Marve, had changed position in camp due to the lack of full contact in practice. The inference seemed to be that last year's starter would be the starter because game situations were different...Fair point- they are.

That said, he and his assistants listed the depth chart as an "or" decision...meaning either could start depending on what happened in practice.

So, when TerBush, one of the team captains, was suspended for reasons that most still don't know, Marve was given the keys to the offense last Saturday.  If you're on this site, you've probably already seen the stats that Marve produced...if you don't know, look them up- they were pretty damned good. During his opportunity to prove himself, he played 70% of the snaps v. EKU (with Henry taking the other 30%).

Atop of the extremely-tight depth chart situation, Hope and Nord have both said Marve has a potential to be an NFL quarterback...and they've never uttered those words about TerBush. And while we both know that a great college QB is not necessarily great in the NFL...the games are different.  BUT, saying someone is an NFL talent is typically a compliment.

With all that said, Hope has named TerBush the starter for Saturday.

“It may be that it’s best for us to go into South Bend and make sure we manage the offense really well and that we don’t create any negative plays. If that means Caleb TerBush starts and Marve finishes, so be it. If that means Marve starts and TerBush finishes, so be it“ 

Based on that quote, one would think Marve creates too many negative plays.  Also, Hope and company seem to believe that the defense can win the game in South Bend with an offense that isn't aggressive, but merely just manages the clock and field position, I guess.

On Saturday, Purdue will play an ND squad that just beat the tar out of Navy...based on what I saw Saturday from them, management of the game might not be quite enough.

Versus UND, both TerBush and Marve are 0-1; Marve started the game in SB, TerBush in God's country. So, I guess, since TerBush has never lost in South Bend, Hope thinks he gives Purdue a better chance of winning there (or maybe not losing)...I guess we could say he's undefeated there.  Pretty fuzzy logic, it seems.

There are a couple of things that really confuse me about this whole situation.

Obviously, Hope and Nord's compliments to Marve, yet refusal to start him are odd.  But not that big of a deal.  We're fans of Marve and his style of play...we think his ability to escape the pass rush, move the pocket and still keep his eyes downfield give the offense a chance to do things a TerBush-led offense cannot. Plus, he has a bigger arm than TerBush.  Granted, Marve makes poor decisions from time-to-time...but so did TerBush last season- He gave up costly sacks time and again due to his cautious demeanor, but that doesn't seem to bother Nord and Hope because he doesn't freewheel as much.

The question of the reason for the one-game suspension is also lingering with us.  Hope has allowed players to get arrested and not miss action...so when a guy is suspended for the home opener, my antennae are up as I try to figure out what egregious error he made.

Could TerBush have worn an IU sweatshirt to a film session? Maybe #19 poked fun at Hope's mustache? Perhaps Purdue's starting QB talked badly about Carson Wiggs?  Whatever he did, Hope didn't take it too lightly.  But now, it's been forgotten as TerBush apologized to the team and the coaches for whatever-the-hell-it-was.

Here are facts we do know- TerBush lost a year with the team due to academic ineligibility. That was the year that Marve went down to an ACL and Henry was forced into the starting role...and when Henry's finger was crushed, Robinson played and then started (burning a redshirt). Does Hope think that was important?

He made a mistake, and strived to make it right- got his grades up, got back on the team and all was well.  He started last year after Marve's knee held him back in camp and Henry tore an ACL of his own. He was made a captain by the coaches and the team this season...and officially became a leader of the team.  Then, prior to the first game he did something to get suspended all while engaged in an intense battle to keep his starting QB role. To me, that doesn't sound like a leader...but I only know the parts of the story that Hope and co. allow me to know.

But, I'm not the only one who's making a call based on the info that's in front of me.  And in the wake of what I saw from Marve last week, I have an extremely-difficult time in backing up Hope in this decision.  If nothing else, my expectations for TerBush are now higher...and at the same time, the scrutiny upon the coach from an already-skeptical fanbase will become more pointed if TerBush doesn't deliver mistake-free football.

Marve, TerBush and Henry have all publicly said the right things during the last few seasons- good for them; that has to be hard.  Hope continues to say all three will play, not only Saturday, but throughout the season...because the quarterbacks are 300% better than just one! But, I'd think decisions like this will make it even harder to continuously hold the team line for the three-headed monster of #19, #9 and #15.  I honestly hope they can continue to do so. On top of that, I also hope that TerBush leads Purdue to victory in South Bend...for his coach's sake, he'd better.

Coach Hope Wants More Discipline, Dammit

Mike Carmin of the J&C has a story up with the latest nuggets and notes from Boilermaker football practice. One of the current themes coming from Danny Hope is that the team needs to be better about penalties, which I think we can all agree is a welcome approach. Not that any team wants to take penalties, but Coach Hope is having officials at practice more frequently thus far in August to hopefully work towards that goal. Whether it will work or not is anyone's guess, but I like the attempt. Here was Coach Hope on the subject:

“There are no excuses for this football team. It’s a veteran football team,” he said. “They’ve played, they know better. I can’t be an enabler. We’re going to be a more disciplined football team.”

I just shared that because it's an example of one of my favorite nonsensical trends among anyone who works in or around football -- to overuse terms like "football team." You know, just in case you were distracted by NBC and thought he was talking about synchronized diving.

We also learn that Rob Henry was fielding punts yesterday. I'm not a doctor, but I wonder if among the best ways to utilize a QB who is recovering from a torn ACL tear is to put him in a position known to sustain blinding hits and require lots of sudden cutbacks.

Hope referred to both Henry volunteering to do this as well as QB Robert Gregory moving to RB as examples of guys "volunteering for active duty" and being "enlisted." I guess with a Big Ten opening schedule of Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State, it might well feel like an infantry assignment.

Carmin wraps up his article with a sneaky Gary Nord quote under the heading "Clip and Save."

“With the experience at the quarterback spot, we’re going to go out and lay our ears back and do what we want to do when we want to do it instead of them dictating what we need to do.”

Carmin either means we should save that quote to see if Nord actually does open things up a bit this year....or maybe, like me, Mike noticed that Nord chose to go with the far lesser known "lay" our ears back rather than "pin" them back.

Yeah, I need football back soon, too, so I stop spending time on things like that.

BS Readers Weigh In On Purdue QB Situation

A week or two back, B-dowd put up a poll asking you to give your pick for QB this fall in the black and old gold. The results are in and in our unscientific poll, it's clear -- we've swayed you all with our Marve-lous propaganda.

Robert Marve -- 60%
Rob Henry -- 27%
Caleb Terbush -- 12%

This might seem particularly unfair to Mr. TerBush, who -- let's be fair -- was the primary signal-caller in a season that saw the Boilermakers return to middling bowl game prominence.

Previous to that Rob Henry had captured the hearts and minds of the Boilermaker faithful as he gutted his way to victories despite being beat up along the way and having somewhat limited potential as a downfield passer.

And so here we are, a few months from entering the 2012 season and the public opinion has swayed to a guy who has repeatedly shown he wants nothing more than to play football for Purdue. It looks like he will finally, truly be healthy and let's hope he stays that way, regardless of how he plays. Or, knowing this coaching staff, if he plays.

A Quick Look Ahead at the QB Log Jam of 2012

Danny Hope seems to be loyal and legitimately loves the guys he coaches.  But, he also struggles mightily with making difficult personnel decisions-

"Should Carson or Cody punt here?"
"Who will play QB today...and for how long?"
"Who is going to return kicks & punts?"
"Who will be the featured RB?"
"How can I find a way to play 30 receivers in today's game?"

When it gets right down to it, making tough decisions might be one of the most-important roles of a head coach in college football...and these tough decisions are clearly Hope's achilles heel- from timeouts, play-calling after time-outs, adjustments at halftime and who to play, Purdue's third-year head coach struggles when making large decisions.

Next year, Hope might have his hardest personnel decisions while at Purdue in front of him, depending on a few variables.

At quarterback, many believe Robert Marve will be granted a sixth year by the NCAA (I'm not in agreement with that assessment). If that's the case, the stable will be absolutely busting at the seams with horses.

A completely healthy Robert Marve, Caleb TerBush and Sean Robinson would all be available for the Spring game in this scenario...and in the fall, it gets more confusing.

Former starters and fellow Seniors, Marve and TerBush will both be available and chomping at the bit to play. RS Sophomores and former starters, Sean Robinson and Rob Henry will both be available...and let's not forget, Henry was called the future at QB and was a team captain, prior to going down to a busted ACL.  On top of four good, experienced options, Austin Appleby will be coming in.  Appleby seems to be the best true drop-back option of all of them.  Sure, Appleby should be a no-brainer redshirt candidate.

But...

If Marve isn't granted the extra year of eligibility and Henry's knee has minor setbacks, I can definitely see a scenario in which Appleby burns his redshirt early in the season as Hope gets nervous about being in the situation he was in back in 2010.

One would think this is the best problem to have.  But if the adage of having two quarterbacks really meaning you have zero.  What does it mean to have three...or four that play???

I think every coach in the nation wants this type of problem. But, my fear is that without choosing one starter, the quality of play will be watered down. As a result, Hope's Boilers might once again be left with an offense, that while balanced, is not great nor overpowering in any one aspect of the game.  And if the past few defenses are any indicator, Purdue's offense will need to put up points to be anything more than a soundly-mediocre program.

Handsome Hour Season Preview 8/24/11

The Handsome Duo was going to have a half hour preview show...until we heard of Rob Henry's injury. So, we instead, we take a look at the season, how the loss of Henry affects the team and what might be in store for Danny Hope's boys.
Listen...NOW!!!

Listen to internet radio with Boiled Sports on Blog Talk Radio

Bucket Predicto

After a rip-roaring 3-0 out of conference start, the Hoosier faithful were once again excited about their Hoosiers. Ben Chappell's offense was humming as they averaged 40+ per game and Lynch's squad was feasting on tasty cupcakes that would've made Joe T. blush. But, the BT schedule has not been kind...so, a lousy IU team heads to Ross-Ade to play a banged up Boiler squad.

If you're not in Indiana or an alum of Purdue or IU, you probably don't care...but the players will.

What will happen tomorrow at high-noon?

J says
If you're a pessimist or think the team is cooked, then I can't fault you for worrying about this game. A loss here would be a really terrible way to finish the season. Not just because it's IU, but because this is an 0-7 in conference IU team. They're really bad. So is Purdue, sure, but I think Purdue's still got better athletes. That plus being at home plus Danny Hope's ability to get them up for certain games... like this one... and I think it's enough.

Purdue's defense was able to severely slow down Michigan's vaunted offense as well as Wisconsin's, so I reason that they'll be able to handle IU's offense. On the other side of the ball, that's where it could be hideous. Purdue's offense is just terrible right now and IU's defense is... perhaps even more terrible. Ah, but what about last week? For three quarters, Purdue's offense actually moved the ball effectively....and against a team that in any other year would be in the national title discussion right now. IU can make no such claim.

If THAT offense (from the MSU game) shows up tomorrow, then this will be another Purdue blowout and likely, one would think, the end of Bill Lynch's time at IU. If the typical Purdue offense shows up, then it'll be a closer game, but one that I would still expect the Boilers to win. When was the last time they played this game at home and didn't come out fired up?

Purdue hasn't lost a home Bucket Game since the Wabash was clean, Boilerdowd was young and Tim had hair.

Sorry, that's just me being silly.... the Wabash wasn't clean.

Purdue 35
IU 21

"Hey ladies...did you know we have a football team?"

boilerdowd says
If you like statistical rankings, this intro will be as delicious as Thanksgiving leftovers:

Weakness v. Weakness:
The worst scoring offense in the BT (Purdue) plays the worst scoring defense in the BT (IU).
The worst pass offense in the BT (Purdue) plays the second-worst pass defense in the league (IU).

I could go on as IU's defense is the worst or in the bottom three in nearly every category. At the same time, we have reason to believe that Purdue's offense has figured out its identity, finally, as the rash of injuries has settled down and Rob Henry's finger seems to be healing each week.

Offensively for the Hoosiers, Chappell is a very good quarterback with some very good receivers. Purdue has a few pretty good DBs, a great DB and the best pass rusher in the league...possibly the best we've seen in a Purdue uniform in the last 20 years (that says a lot). Kerrigan should make that official on Saturday by passing Colvin's all-time sack mark (he needs 1.5 to tie).

As we've seen time and time again, Bill Lynch teams get worse as the season progresses and Purdue has been able to benefit from this a couple times. They will again. Without a rushing attack, look for Kerrigan to get three sacks...and at the same time for Henry to give us a lil' something to look forward to in '11.

Purdue 33
IU 17

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some quick observations from the day:

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

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

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

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

Hope Playing Poker with Lightning's Digit

Earlier in the week, we took umbrage as Adam Rittenberg, or one of his interns called out Purdue for not making the quarterbacks available to the media via their Twitter feed. Honestly, we weren't angry with that sentiment, but the idea that Purdue should genuflect at the altar of EsPN and other media outlets all in the name of coverage for lil' tiny Purdue.

Before we dive into that, let me make something clear. As Purdue fans and alums, we absolutely have the right to be pissed when a member of the media condescends about our alma mater. Furthermore, don't we as people have the right be angry about whatever we want? As long as our anger doesn't manifest itself in a way that hurts anyone, how is it their business to tell us how to react to anything, especially something that is "ours"? Regardless of their opinion of what happened earlier in the week, I really don't care. I've lived much of my life with a chip on my shoulder, and I likes it that way.

But the root of the disagreement comes from Danny Hope's choice of not having a quarterback available at the Tuesday presser. I'm not a big fan of the way he controls info...but if it helps him prepare for an opponent in an effective manner, I think that's OK.

The latest from Hope and Co. is that Henry might be able to go, but the trainers and Henry are trying to keep the wound from becoming infected as that would only prolong the recovery. Who knows, other than Rob and the team, what's really going on. But, since there are no NFL-like rules in place, I think it's good for the Coach to play this close to the vest. This game is critical for both teams, so you take every possible advantage at hand.

As many of you have noted, Henry's throwing hand had little to do with the defense's poor play...and I'd surmise that if the defense plays anything like it did versus Ohio State or Toledo in the first half, the offense becomes all but a moot point. Will Lucas was one of the only bright points versus the Bucks. And while he's on the two-deeps, he might be on the field more than some of the starters due to the way he was finishing plays and getting to the ball.

Linebacker and Safety play must be leagues better this week in order for Purdue to expect victory...heck, so must the front four and corner play. You have to go back two decades as a Purdue fan to recall a half of football like what we saw in Columbus for our Boilers. Just as Toledo served as a wake-up call, hopefully the last contest will do the same...it simply must.

I'm not positive if a week is enough to make Sean Robinson comfortable as a starting quarterback or if a laceration to a throwing hand can heal in a matter of 6 days...but Hope, Nord and Landholm must find a way to bring a large amount of improvement and consistency into Purdue's play in order to gameplan in the coming weeks for their opponents. Regardless of the reason for poor play- whether it be injury, youth, lack of depth or poor execution, I think everyone agrees that if a bowl is still a goal, Purdue still has a ton of work left to do.