First team WRs: Mahoungou, Anthrop, Phillips. Second team: Holmes, Catlett, Zico.

— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) August 21, 2017

I saw this yesterday on my drive home.

Last weekend, Coach Brohm held his team scrimmage. If you have read anything, he said the offense was underwhelming and the defense was pretty solid. It isn’t time to sound the alarm by any means here.

A lot of the times, defenses are way ahead of offenses at this time. But, with Coach Brohm, I feel safe in saying the offense will get up to speed.

But, what Tom tweeted out yesterday is interesting. This came from the first practice after the scrimmage. Generally starting line ups are starting to shake out, as the first game is less than 2 weeks away.

There are a couple of surprises that ran with the ones here. These being Anthony Mahoungou and Jackson Anthrop. For one, I really thought that Zico would come in and secure a starting spot, that isn’t to say he still can’t, but he hasn’t grabbed it yet.

Another, Corey Holmes is with the 2’s. He just recently got here, but his speed will get him on the field. Where is Terry Wright? Our other JuCo transfer seems to be nursing a shoulder injury that nagged him last season as well. If he is not healthy, he could be headed to a redshirt I would suppose.

What sticks out here is Jackson Anthrop. Coach Brohm has praised him many times for his hard work and attention to detail. Things some of the stay overs from the last staff lacked these qualities. Jackson would appear to be a slot guy, similar to how Danny was. I love the move of having Jackson there. I would guess he and Catlett are the top dogs there.

Mahoungou surprises me here. I read over the summer that he lacks some athletic ability. But, his big frame of 6’3”, 220 pounds, probably appeals to Coach Brohm. He is a senior now and we need him to make plays, along with Phillips, who is a captain as well.

Now, nothing is in cement, but with less than two weeks to go before our show down at Lucas Oil against Louisville, you would think Coach is starting to come to grips with who he wants where.

Now, we just need QB1 David Blough to get healthy. I am ready for the season. Boiler Up.

David Blough – Jr.

Carrollton, TX (Creekview HS)

6’1”, 205 pounds

Quarterback

2017 Projection: Starter at Quarterback

Is David Blough the next player in The Cradle? After years of uncertainty at the quarterback position Blough is in line to be the first player to start consecutive season openers at quarterbacks since Curtis Painter from 2006-08. Robert Marve did start two season openers in there, but they were not consecutive.

With two years remaining Blough already is all over the Purdue record book. He has had 6 300-yard passing games (Kyle Orton only had 7). He is 10^th in school history in total offense, and with a pedestrian season he can move as high as 5^th in that category. His 35 career touchdowns have him 8^th in school history, with the potential to easily move to 4^th by the end of the season. His 4,926 yards passing is also 10^th in school history, and with another 3,000 season he can move to 5^th and be in line for the all-time record of 11,792.

Bear in mind, these numbers came under a pretty weak offense, especially since he had John Shoop to start his career. Now with his third offensive coordinator, and a head coach known for developing quarterbacks, Blough could explode over the next two seasons. He has been slowed by a shoulder strain that has caused him to miss the last few practices, but as long as he returns 100% it could be a big year for him.

Antoine Miles – Sr. (5)

Canton, OH (McKinely HS)

6’2”, 250 pounds

Defensive End

2017 Projection: Starter at Defensive End

Among the boneheaded decision by the previous regime (and there were many) the benching of Antoine Miles has to be up there. Purdue needed more of a pass rush last season. It was non-negotiable. Miles had played in all 12 games as a sophomore in 2015, started 6 of them, and led the team in sacks with four. He also had 28 tackles, a modest amount for a defensive end.

Instead of using a player to build on a decent sophomore year (which was his debut) Darrell Hazell & co. benched him. He didn’t play a single snap in 2016 for reasons unknown. He spent it with the scout team.

Fortunately for him, the new coaching staff has realized that a decent player can be used on a defense to help the team get better. Miles is expected to start at one of the defensive end spots, and hopefully he plays like a rage monster after the previous staff robbed him of a year of playing time. I know I would play pissed off.

1. “Purdue needs more of a pass rush!”

2. “Player X (Often Ryan Russell, Gelen Robinson, Evan Panfil, or someone like that) is poised to really break out this season!”

Instead, the pass rush has sucked. The Den of Defensive Ends has been in hibernation. Teams have passed with impunity on third downs because opposing quarterbacks have all day to set down their coffee and scan the field for an open receiver on third and long.

Purdue has not had a player with more than four sacks in a season since Kawann Short in 2012. It has not had a double-digit sack season from a player since Ryan Kerrigan won Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. That’s beyond sad for a school that prides itself on producing elite pass rushers.

It is not like the talent has been missing, either. Russell got his way to the NFL as the most recent member of the Den. Gelen Robinson entered as a highly touted pass rusher. What Purdue has at the position has been greatly misused, and last season’s terrible run defense was also an indictment on the poor state of the defensive line. That all could change this year because of one person, however.

Randy Melvin is back

Melvin is, in essence, the godfather of the Den of Defensive Ends. He served as the defensive line coach for the first three years under Tiller and developed a line that unleashed terror on opposing quarterbacks. Let’s ask former Heisman runner-up Michael Bishop what he thinks of Melvin:

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That’s Rosevelt Colvin and Chike Okeafor reeking bloody havoc on one of the best players in the country at the time. Their position coach is now back at Purdue with some talent to work with.

Jake Replogle – Sr. – DT – Purdue does not have many all-Big Ten candidates on the roster, but Replogle is one of the few. The 6’5” 289 pound defensive tackle had three older brothers play in the Big Ten at Indiana, but Jake might be the best after getting picked on by said older brothers growing up. Last season he was 4^th on the team in overall tackles with 60 and he was the only player with double digit tackles for loss at 14. He has 24 consecutive starts in his career and is one of the unquestioned team leaders. Basically, Purdue absolutely needs him to be an all-Big Ten level type of player, and he is capable.

Evan Panfil – Sr. – DE – Panfil seems to be on the Ryan Russell plan at Purdue. It always seems like he is poised to break out and be dominant, but it has yet to happen. Last season he had 30 tackles and four sacks for his best season as a Boilermaker. We need more though. He is a big, strong end that GBI has said is benefitting greatly from Melvin:

Often last season, Panfil would rely on power to bull-rush offensive tackles and get into the backfield. That was, really, his pass rush go-to.

Until Randy Melvin came along.

Melvin wanted Panfil to show more variety, not just barrel down the middle of tackles. Not surprisingly, then, Panfil’s point of emphasis over the last six months or so has been developing more pass rush moves. Especially knowing how desperately Purdue’s defensive front needs to generate pressure on the quarterback.

Sounds like basic coaching that Melvin’s predecessor completely failed at. “You mean bull-rushing a 320 pound offensive tackle isn’t working? Well, try it again!”

Shayne Henley – Sr. – DE – Henley was brought in last season as a stopgap JuCo transfer to give Purdue another experienced player on the end. He finished with nine tackles and a sack. Most of that work came early on in the season, so it would seem like he is stuck at the “quality reserve” level.

Langston Newton – Sr. – DE – Newton is officially listed as an end but in some sets so far he is lining up as a tackle. That could be good for him. The he played early last season and even forced a big fumble at Marshall, but has not done a lot since transferring from Kentucky in 2014.

Gelen Robinson – Jr. – DE – Look, I am just going to be blunt here: Robinson needs to remove his head from his ass and play football. He is ridiculously talented as a player, but all we have heard for two years now it off the field incidents (two arrests) and “he has problems with his motor”. We already saw some of it when he started fall camp on the third team. This guy has all-Big Ten talent, but he needs a firm boot up his ass to get him motivated. In two years he has 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks, but when you see him you know he can do so much more. As a four-star recruit more is expected of him, too. Hopefully Melvin gets through to him because a fully motivated Robinson could be dangerous.

Austin Larkin - Jr. - DE - Larkin has taken a circuitous route to Purdue. He originally played as a special teams player when he walked on at Notre Dame in the footsteps as his dad. He then transferred to San Francisco City College, where he played well enough to earn a scholarship at Purdue. As for those all high and mighty about “accepting Notre Dame’s castoffs” relax. This kid earned playing time as a walk-on true freshman at a program that is light years ahead of us right now. Get over yourselves.

Larkin has already been on campus awhile, going through spring practice. he has earned a potential starting job and should be, at minimum, a contributor. Considering his cousin is current NBA player Shane Larkin, his dad played at Notre Dame, and his uncle is MLB Hall of Famer Barry Larkin I am going to say he has the genes to be a good athlete.

Eddy Wilson – So. – DT – Today’s featured player, Wilson is expected to be a starter in the middle alongside Replogle and he looks like a good one. He definitely has the size to be a monster defensive tackle in this league. We just need him to be productive against the run. Let Replogle and the ends get to the quarterback. Just hold down the middle, Eddy.

Keiwan Jones – So. – DT – Jones tore his ACL last season but has reportedly come on well in camp so far. He is battling Wilson to start next to Replogle, which is good. We can definitely use the depth because no one is proven beyond Replogle. The harder Jones pushes, the better, because it means he will play as a reserve at minimum.

Will Colmery – So. – DT – Colmery had a freaking brain tumor removed in the offseason, so his status is up in the air at best. He is trying to work his way back to football, however, so if he plays he deserves a standing ovation.

Mike Zeigler – So. – DE – Zeigler is a walk-on transfer from Southern Illinois that went 29-0 in high school as part of a two-time 5A state champion. His dad is a former Purdue player and he will have to sit this season as a transfer.

Tim Faison – Fr. (RS) – DE – Faison has missed the last few practices battling a concussion but has been getting some looks as a reserve defensive end. He has actually switched positions from linebacker to defensive end, so he is still learning the position, too.

Wyatt Cook – Fr. (RS) – DE – Cook is pretty much in the same boat as Faison. He has moved to DE from linebacker during his redshirt season and has a little ways to go before seeing the field.

Fred Brown – Fr. (RS) – DT – Brown is coming out of a redshirt year and is one of several players battling for time at defensive tackle. He may have to hold off a couple of true freshmen. In his senior season he had an impressive 83 tackles, 10 sacks, four blocked field goals, and four forced fumbles.

Rob Simmons – Fr. – DE – We’re still not sure Simmons is even coming. An incredibly lean 215 pounds for an end, he did well at Valley forge Military Academy but he still “has a project to complete” academically. Regardless, he has redshirt written all over him.

Lorenzo Neal – Fr. – DT – The son of a long-time NFL fullback for the Chargers, Neal comes to Purdue with a massive 6’2” 345 pounds frame that might have him play immediately as a reserve. As long as he has some conditioning we can expect to see him as a big body in the middle.

Anthony Watts – Fr. – DT – Watts and Neal, both from Houston, have reportedly bonded well off the field and formed a great friendship. That should go a long way towards helping Purdue up front, as Watts is another true freshman looking for playing time at defensive tackle.

Alex Criddle – Fr. – DT – Our third true freshman that might play is Criddle. He is another big boy, this time from Oklahoma. He brought in a number of awards from his final season as one of the best defensive linemen in his state, so we could see him on the field early.

Left Tackle:

Martesse Patterson: RS SO – 6’3 – 340

Martesse Patterson is Purdue’s best offensive linemen. The big man from Columbus, Ohio moves his feet incredibly well for someone who weighs well over 300 pounds. I think he will end up making quite a bit of money in the NFL once his playing days at Purdue are over. The issue, however, is probably one someone of Patterson’s stature has rarely heard; he’s a bit short for the position. Patterson has ideal size for an interior lineman, but on the outside, you mostly see taller guys with long arms. If you’ll notice, most of the players Purdue recruits to play tackle are 6’5 and taller. That being said, you put your best linemen at left tackle, and that is Patterson. He will be a beast in run blocking, as he will often be lined up against smaller, quicker defensive ends. He should have no problem ploughing them out of the way, and paving the way for Markel Jones off the left side of the line.

I do have two concerns though: pass blocking and conditioning. When Purdue throws the ball, will Patterson be able to handle the speed rush off the corner. If I’m coaching the other defense, I’m sending my speed rusher off the corner on any passing down. No bull rush, no spin move, just straight up speed around the corner. Can Patterson move his massive, but somewhat squatty, frame fast enough to cut off the corner? It’s a question that might determine the fate of the Boilermaker offense this year, and subsequently, the jobs of the Purdue coaching staff. I also worry a little about Patterson’s conditioning. Is he going to be in good enough shape to continue to cut off defensive ends in the 4^th quarter? The next guy on the preview might provide the answer.

Cameron Cermin: RS SR - 6’5 – 325

I think everyone had Cermin, from my current stomping grounds of College Station, Texas, penciled into a starting spot this year. Cermin started 5 games at left tackle and 3 at right tackle as a sophomore, and started all 12 games at right tackle last season. Unfortunately, Cermin ended the season with a bad shoulder, got it fixed in the offseason, and has been slow to recover. He’s back and practicing now, but appears to be more of a super sub than a starter at this juncture. He’s worked at left tackle, guard, and center in fall camp, and will probably be the first reserve at all those positions. Ironically, the one position he hasn’t played is right tackle, and it appears that’s also the one position he won’t be backing up this season.

I expect to see Cermin play a good bit this season. My hope is that he can spell Patterson at the left tackle position every game, allowing Patterson to remain fresh in the 4^th quarter. I look at Purdue’s roster, and he is the only option behind Patterson unless Purdue plans on throwing some seriously young players on the field. That being said, if you’re only going to have two functional left tackles on the roster, it’s nice to have a back up with Cermin’s vast experience. Cermin might not be a starter this year, but behind Patterson, he might be the most important lineman…if the shoulder holds up.

Grant Hermanns: FR – 6’7 – 265

Grant has the look of several former Boilermakers during the Tiller era that came in tall and skinny, and ended up as beastly left tackles. Hermanns is a great athlete, not just for someone his size, but in general. He managed to win a state wrestling championship in New Mexico at 6’7. That takes an incredible amount of strength, quickness, flexibility, and stamina, all attributes of a great left tackle. If you’re looking for Grant this year, check the weight room and the training table, because he’s a certain redshirt. I personally think he ends up being the steal of the 2016 recruiting class, and the long term solution for Purdue at left tackle.

Right Tackle:

Matt McCann: RS FR – 6’6 – 315

McCann was one of the highest ranked players in Purdue’s 2015 class, and for good reason, he is a monster at right tackle. Coming out of Bishop Chatard in Indianapolis, McCann spearheaded an almost run only Chatard offense. I watched quite a bit of his high school film, and he has a nasty attitude on the field. He doesn’t just want to block the opposition, he wants to destroy them. He plays until the echo of the whistle, and wants nothing more than to stand over his dispatched foe at the end of every play. McCann’s only issue is in pass protection, mainly because I’ve never seen him do it. I’m sure Chatard occasionally passed the ball, but those occasions were few and far between. When he signed, I said that the next time he pass protects might be the first time he pass protects, and that remains true. Right tackle doesn’t have the same pass blocking responsibilities as right tackle, but in the Big10, if you can’t get out and pass block, regardless if you’re on the right or the left, your quarterback is going to get murdered. McCann appears to have the inside track to the starting right tackle position this year. He has the size and he has the attitude. If he is serviceable in pass protection, he might be the starting right tackle for the next four years.

Jalen Neal: JuCo JR – 6’7 – 300

Purdue needed to add a game ready tackle in the 2016 recruiting class, and went out and signed Jalen Neal from Scottsdale, AZ. Neal has the size to play in the Big10 right away and is currently fighting it out with McCann for the starting job. Neal is a little behind because he didn’t manage to make it to West Lafayette for Spring practice, but his physical skills are undeniable. He has good feet, long arms, and while he isn’t the grinder that McCann is in the run game, he is probably a better overall athlete and pass protector. Neal is a determined guy that didn’t sign with Purdue to sit on the bench. I think McCann gets the nod at starting right tackle, but I also expect to see Neal on the field, especially against pass rushing strong side ends.

Bearooz Yacoobi: RS SO – 6’5 – 295

Yacoobi seems like a guy that has made a push in Spring practice the last two years, only to fizzle out. He has good size for the position, and came into Purdue from Dearborn, MI as a solid 3* recruit, but he has yet to put it all together and get on the field. Yacoobi looks to provide some depth at the right tackle position, and could be called into action with a few injuries, but at this time, I just don’t see him getting on the field. He’s still a guy with some upside that needs to keep grinding, but he needs to make a move before he finds himself completely buried on the depth chart by younger players.

Tanner Hawthorne: FR – 6’6 – 275

Hawthorne, like Hermanns, is a developmental tackle prospect from the 2016 recruiting class. Hailing from Glendale, AZ, Hawthorne brings prototypical size to the tackle position for Purdue. He could potentially move to the left side of the line, or move inside, but at this time, I think I probably lands at right tackle. He is another guy that will spend most of his freshman year in the weight room and the training table, getting bigger and preparing to compete for a position next year. I don’t see Hawthorne playing this year unless an epic health disaster hits the Boiler offensive line, but he is another guy with intriguing potential for the future.

Purdue surprises many by landing the current athletic director at Georgia Tech to replace Morgan Burke.

Danny Anthrop: 6’0-195-Rookie-Purdue

The Danny Anthrop we saw last year was probably at 70%. In true Anthrop fashion, Danny didn’t make excuses and grinded out the season on 1 1/2 legs. He is now almost 2 years out from his gruesome knee injury, and probably as close to 100% as he is ever going to get. He will be fighting it out with a gaggle of other receivers for a coveted roster spot, or at least, a spot on the practice squad. Anthrop was a great special teams player for Purdue his Freshman and Sophomore year, and will have to channel that iteration of his playing career if he is going to make the roster. If Anthrop can return to his kick covering demon ways, he’s got a real shot to make the roster.

Here is the competition:

Josh Boyce: 5’11 - 205 - 2nd Year - TCU

Boyce set the all-time record for career receiving touchdowns at TCU and was a 4th round pick by the Patriots in 2013. The speedy Boyce (4.38 combine 40) recorded 9 receptions for New England in 2013 before finding a spot on injured reserved list for the rest of the season. He was either on the New England practice squad or inactive in 2014, and was waived in August of 2015 by the Patriots. Boyce is a player Anthrop will be going head to head with for a roster spot, as they both project to be slot receivers. Boyce obviously has talent, but hasn’t been able to put it together in the NFL.

Quan Bray: 5’10 - 185 - 2nd Year - Auburn

Bray was mostly a punt return specialist at Auburn, and is the only player in Auburn history to score a rushing, return, and receiving touchdown in the same season. Bray went undrafted, but was picked up by the Colts and managed to find his way onto the practice squad after an impressive camp. Bray spent some time on the active roster last year, but didn’t record a catch. Bray is another guy Anthrop will be competing against, because he is also a slot receiver. The Colts have invested some time in Bray, and his ability to return kicks will be hard to beat out, but certainly not impossible.

Andre Debose: 6’0 - 190 - 2nd Year - Florida

Debose has the all-time University of Florida record for kick returns, and is tied for the all-time S.E.C. record. He was drafted by the Raiders in the 7th round of the 2015 draft and was cut in 2016. Debose is another guy Anthrop will need to beat out for a roster spot. Debose has the advantage of being a great kick returner, but Anthrop should be a better overall receiver. The Colts are kicking the tires on Debose to see if he can help in the return game, but he’s a guy Anthrop might be able to beat out.

Marcus Leak: 6’0-210-Rookie-Maryland

Leak is another guy coming from a downtrodden Big10 program (it still feels weird that Maryland is in the Big10) looking to make an NFL roster as an undrafted free-agent. Leak’s best season at Maryland was in 2013, when he put up 393 yards and 3 touchdowns, and is far behind Anthrop’s best Purdue season. Leak did suffer from playing on a bad team, with a bad coach, and bad quarterbacks, but so did Anthrop, and he put up significantly better numbers. Anthrop should be better than Leak.

Chester Rogers: 6’1-180-Rookie-Grambling State

Rogers is a tough player from a small school looking to make the Colts as an undrafted free agent. He runs somewhere between a 4.4-4.5, so that’s a plus, but he didn’t put up big numbers at Grambling against lesser competition, catching 30 passes for 465 yards and 4 touchdowns last year. I don’t know about the quarterback situation at Grambling, but I’m fairly certain Danny Anthrop would have put up better numbers if you dropped him onto the Grambling State roster. Rogers is another guy Anthrop is going to have to beat out, but he should be able to do so.

Josh Stangby: 5’11-185-1 Year-Ottawa College

The fact that Josh Stangby is on any roster is a miracle, after playing for tiny faith based Ottawa College in Kansas. I couldn’t find much on Stangby because Ottawa isn’t much known for their football. He was signed and then quickly waved by the Falcons in 2015 and played for the Portland Steel of the Arena Football League last season. I have no idea about Stangby’s ability, but he plays the same slot position as Anthrop, and subsequently, Anthrop is going to have to beat him out and send him back to the Arena League.

Others Of Note:

The following players are WR’s but don’t really play the same WR as Danny.

MeKale McKay - 6’5-210-Rookie-Cincinnati

TeVaughn Smith-6’2-205-Rookie-Iowa

Bottom Line:

The Colts have a wide open depth chart after Phillip Dorsett, T.Y. Hilton, and Donte Moncrief. Danny has about as good of a shot to make the squad as any undrafted rookie. If he makes the squad, it’s going to be because he plays well on special teams and shows of the athleticism that made him a legit threat for the Boilermakers as a Junior.

Not bad considering where the program is now.

Really guys? Come on!

The beginning of August is usually an exciting time even for Purdue fans because it means that season tickets will start arriving in mailboxes across the country. Today was that day for me. I came outside to see the familiar gold envelope in my mailbox just has it been every year since 1987 for me (minus 1994 when my sister got married and the family sacrificed tickets to save for the wedding). They were right there, all seven games of hope that maybe there is a miraculous turnaround in the cards.

We Purdue season tickets holders are at least loyal in that regard. It may look bleak, but there are at least a few of us that keep believing even now.

As usual, the tickets came with various promotional materials, including the slick ad for each game's promo:

I don't think Purdue thought this through... @SBNationCFB pic.twitter.com/pBvcMtKMo6

— Hammer & Rails (@HammerAndRails) August 1, 2016

Yes. Purdue made THE PENN STATE GAME the game to promote its KID'S CLUB. With the Sandusky scandal still making waves even several years later it is not like it has been long forgotten. Sure, it is a home game and the current incarnation of the coaching staff had nothing to do with it, but come on! This is incredibly tone deaf at best!

Even worse: It is not like Penn State comes to Ross-Ade Stadium that often. Being in the East Division this might be their only trip to West Lafayette for 5-6 years.

I just... wow.

Surprisingly, Wisconsin did not rush for 350 yards against Purdue last season.

A funny thing happened in 2015. As Purdue fans, we're used to getting thumped by Wisconsin whenever football is involved. Last year was different, however. Purdue went to Madison and lost 24-7 in a game that was much closer than expected. The Boilers only trailed 10-7 at halftime and the defense played well until giving up two late scores.

Unfortunately, the game played out like many others dur9ing the Hazell era. Purdue had an excellent game plan defensively and played well enough to win, but the offensive playcalling left a ton to be desired. Purdue's lone scoring drive was a mere 29 yards, set up by a long interception return from Leroy Clark. Trailing just 10-7 at halftime the genius of John Shoop gained 12 yards in 11 plays over the next three possessions, all with a chance to take the lead. Purdue gained 191 yards total on the day, but in a first they held Wisconsin's legendary ground game to less than 100 yards.

It was a frustrating game because it wasn't so much that Wisconsin was a brick wall defensively. Overall the offensive playcalling was quite callow, never taking even the most remote of chances. Purdue completed one pass to a receiver longer than 10 yards, and the two longest pass plays were running backs breaking dump offs for 20 and 21 yards. It was almost like Hazell, Shoop, and company didn't even try to test Wisconsin's defense when the Purdue defense was doing a very good job for three quarters. It was a rare chance to end the streak of dominance Wisconsin has over Purdue, which is now at 10 straight, the longest active streak of any opponent over the Boilers:

2004: Wisconsin 20, Purdue 17 (a.k.a., the Fumble)

2005: Wisconsin 31, Purdue 20

2006: Wisconsin 24, Purdue 3

2009: Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0

2010: Wisconsin 34, Purdue 13

2011: Wisconsin 62, Purdue 17

2012: Wisconsin 38, Purdue 14

2013: Wisconsin 41, Purdue 10

2014: Wisconsin 34, Purdue 16

2015: Wisconsin 24, Purdue 7

So what is in store for when the Badgers come to Ross-Ade? Is it finally the year when Purdue turns the tables on their nemesis from Madison? Wisconsin is not as strong as in the past, and if this Purdue gets some confidence from the early season schedule maybe, just maybe, the long streak of Badger dominance will end.

2015 Record: 10-3, 6-2 Big Ten

Bowl Result: beat USC 23-21 in Holiday Bowl

Blog Representation: Bucky's 5^th Quarter

Series With Purdue: Wisconsin leads 45-29-8

Last Purdue win 10/18/2003 at Wisconsin 26-23

Last Wisconsin win: 10/17/2015 at Wisconsin 24-7

Last Season for the Badgers:

Last year the Badgers were good, but not quite good enough. Any chance to make an early name for themselves in the eyes of the Playoff Committee ended in week 1 with a 35-17 loss to Alabama. A 10-6 loss to Iowa and 13-7 loss to Northwestern cost them a chance at returning to the Big Ten title game. The rest of the time, they were all business. Against Miami (Oh), Troy, Hawaii, and Purdue they gave up a total of 10 points. They mostly beat exactly who they were supposed to beat and struggled against the good teams on their schedule. Their best victory came over USC.

This year's schedule is, in a word, brutal, and that could benefit Purdue. This is going to be a beaten and bruised team by the time it gets to West Lafayette. They open the season in a neutral site game at Lambeau field against LSU. I am not sure which deity they angered, but the opening Big Ten slate is as tough as is humanly possible with road trips to Michigan State and Michigan followed by a home game against Ohio State. They then go to Iowa, who was only undefeated in the regular season last year.

There is real potential for a 2-5 start in the first 7 games, which is unheard of for the Badger program. Something tells me they will be ready though. This is Wisconsin. They are always pretty damn good.

Wisconsin Offense

Perhaps the strangest thing about last year's win over Purdue in Madison is that it did not come primarily on the ground. Impressively, Purdue held them under 100 yards rushing as a team, which is almost unheard of. Usually Purdue struggles to keep them under 300 yards on the ground. All three touchdowns were scored on the ground, but Joel Stave was 30 for 39 for 322 yards and was intercepted once.

Stave, who started his career under Barry Alvarez in 1991, is gone, and Wisconsin is going to need someone to step in and do more than hand the ball off to the latest hot running back behind a massive offensive line. There is no definite starter, either. Bart Houston had 281 yards and three touchdowns in mop up duty last year, but the senior has not played a lot in his career. He still has more experience than Alex Hornibrook or Kare Lyles. I do not envy Wisconsin having to play that early schedule with their inexperience at quarterback.

Things look better at running back, but most years it seems like Wisconsin could put an amputee at running back and they would rush for 1,000 yards and 15 TDs. Corey Clement was banged up for most of last season and should return as the primary back. If he stays healthy he could be the best in the Big Ten. Dare Ogunbowale (819 yards, 7 TDs) and Taiwan deal (503 yards, 6 TDs) provide plenty of depth, while Alec Ingold is the bruising goal line fullback that can get 2-3 yards every carry. He only had 131 yards last season, but he added 6 touchdowns, including two against Purdue.

There is some promise at receiver for when Wisconsin has to throw the ball. Robert Wheelright brings good experience and size to the position. Tony Fumagalli is the latest huge Wisconsin tight end that is tough to cover. Jazz Peavy should contribute quite a bit too.

Then there is that famous offensive line. I am always impressed that Wisconsin seems to have a simply massive offensive line across all five spots. In some years it feel like they have Wun-Wun the Giant at left tackle and four of his brothers at the other spots. Ryan Ramczyk should move in to the left tackle spot left open by Tyler Marz. Dan Voltz is one of the better guards in the conference with 27 career starts too. Michael Deiter and Micah Kapoi also have double-digit starts in their careers, so the line will be fine. Jacob Maxwell at 6'6" 319 will likely anchor the right tackle spot.

Wisconsin Defense

Last season the Wisconsin defense was pretty strong overall. Even in the losses to Iowa and Northwestern it only gave up 23 total points. The 35 points to Alabama can be forgiven because, well, it is Alabama. Alabama's scout team is made up of players that would start immediately at Purdue.

There is a lot of returning experience to count on all over the defense. Chikwe Obasih and Conor Sheehy both played extensively on the ends last year. Olice Sagapolu will likely get the start at nose tackle too. There were not a lot of sacks from the line because Wisconsin runs the 3-4 where its linebackers are the ones getting into the backfield.

Those linebackers are good at it, too. Vince Biegel had 8 sacks and 48.5 tackles last season. T.J. Edwards and Jack Cichy should also serve the badgers well on the inside. Coming off of the other end T.J. Watt (Yes, J.J.'s brother) could have an impressive season.

The secondary is somewhat depleted with the top three performers all gone from last season. That leaves cornerback Derrick Tindal as the most experienced player. He only had 25 tackles and five pass breakups, however. D'Cote Dixon and Leo Musso should get the first looks at the safety spots, while there is plenty of experienced depth to start at corner.

Wisconsin Special Teams

Rafael Gaglianone was decent as a placekicker last season. He was a perfect 40 for 40 on PATS and hit on 18 of 27 field goals. The Badgers will need to find a new punter after the departure of Drew Meyer.

In the return game Natrell Jamerson is dangerous on kickoffs. He returned one for a touchdown last season and averaged 22.4 yards per return. Sojourn Shelton should handle punt return duties.

Game Outlook

If Purdue is going to break the hex against Wisconsin anytime soon, this is the year. They are deeply inexperienced at quarterback and the brutal schedule could take its toll on them long before they get to West Lafayette. Purdue somehow contained the ground game last season and if the defense can do it a second year in a row it will help. Purdue's weak earlier schedule can help it too. I think a big reason for Purdue's struggles last season was that the losses to Marshall and Bowling Green pretty much broke the team's confidence. A couple of early season wins could do the opposite this year.

This is the Wisconsin game though. I know the Badgers are more than capable of coming into Ross-Ade and steamrolling Purdue for three hours as Corey Clement goes for 350 yards and 4 TDs. Even after last season's unexpected competitiveness I am conditioned to think Wisconsin will run at will on Purdue. It what seems to happen every time these two play.

There is a positive, however: This game will most likely be Morgan Burke's final home football game at Purdue!

Way Too Early Prediction

It is Wisconsin. Someday, maybe, Purdue is going to beat them again, but I just don't trust Hazell. Not after they essentially punted away a winnable game last year. Wisconsin 27, Purdue 10

An ode to fathers.

Tijuan Mason, a fast rising prospect from Tennessee powerhouse Trezevant High School (Memphis) committed Purdue today. This is a big pickup for Purdue.