Purdue Boilermakers Team Preview
By: Colin Utley
Friday, August 27, 2004
Overview
There are two kinds of Purdue fans for this upcoming fall: There are those who see an explosive offense, a favorable schedule, plenty of motivation and a tested leader. The others shutter at painful 2003 memories, a nasty month-long stretch straddling Halloween and Election Day, and the knowledge that this past April they witnessed a crushing defensive exodus. Heisman trophy candidate Kyle Orton should remind Boilermaker fans of a certain Texas-bred gunslinger that tore up the Big Ten record books, but fans are also worried that the defense will give away the yardage as quickly as Orton has gained it. The defense lost eight starters -- three of whom were drafted in the third round of the NFL draft in successive order -- from a unit that lead the league in yardage allowed.
The Schedule
The Big Ten schedule makers give Purdue huge breaks in the even numbered years. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State have to travel to West Lafayette, as they did in '02 and the Rose Bowl season of '00, while the road schedule looks manageable with visits to Happy Valley, Champaign, South Bend, Evanston, and Iowa City. Of those games, the November 6th meeting against the Hawkeyes should determine the Boilermakers' travel plans after the Christmas holiday. Remember though: The Boilers were surprised by an upstart Bowling Green team in the season opener last year. They can ill afford a similar stumble this season.
Offense
This is the Boilermakers' strength and coach Joe Tiller's bread-and-butter. Orton leads a unit returning eight starters, including the explosive Jerod Void in the backfield to balance Purdue's aerial assault. The converted fullback rushed for just under 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. The line opening up holes for Void is anchored by two
tackles, senior Tyler Moore and junior Matt Turner. Tiller had Turner slated to be the team's starting center, but redshirt freshman Robbie Powell impressed Tiller during spring drills and allowed for Turner to stay at his natural position. Tight end Charles Davis is primarily a blocker, catching only six passes during the 2003 season. Orton, who is
experienced (two year starter) and accurate (a completion percentage upwards of 60), has not posted huge yardage and touchdown totals. For
Purdue to be successful this season, Orton must build upon his 15
touchdown passes of a year ago. His receivers are a solid group,
starting with possession wideout Taylor Stubblefield, who is only a
handful of catches away from being the Big Ten's all-time leader in
receptions. Across from him is Kyle Ingraham, whose 6' 9'' frame
should create sickening match-up problems for conference
coordinators. The rest of the receivers are untested.
Defense
Tiller has succeeded with true freshmen in the past and may have to
again this season as the 2003 defense was pillaged by both graduation
and the NFL Draft. The only proven defensive playmaker is
cornerback Antwaun Rogers. Purdue lost all three of their
linebackers, but George Hall and Bobby Iwuchaukwu (good luck whoever
has the play-by-play assignment for the Oct. 30th game in Evanston)
have made names for themselves as a hard hitting fullback and as a
major defensive
contributor during the 2003 Capital One Bowl, respectively. The
D-line is quick and athletic, but with only one returning starter and
the shoes of Shaun Phillips and Craig Terrill to fill, there is a lot
of pressure.
Special Teams
Placekicker Ben Jones was a finalist for Kicker of the Year and nailed
9 of 10 from outside of 40 yards, but is perhaps best remembered for
blowing two kicks against Ohio State that kept Purdue from
the Rose Bowl. Stubblefield is an above-average kick returner.
Colin can be reached at c-utley@northwestern.edu
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A Closer Look
Season Expectations
Close losses last season to Bowling Green, Ohio State, and Georgia in the Capital One Bowl destroyed Purdue's otherwise successful 2003. Purdue fans, who now think of a bowl birth as a pre-season given after seven straight, should be looking to return to New Year's Day for the third time in five seasons. For all of Tiller's success at Purdue, a ten win season has been elusive. Due to the explosive offense and favorable schedule, this may be his best chance at double digit victories yet, a feat not accomplished by the Boilermakers since 1979.
Best situation: Purdue stumbles once, either v. Michigan or at
Iowa, while the rest of the Big Ten beats up on each other.
Purdue returns to Pasadena only to find either a) an angry USC team
that has been shut out of the BCS Championship Game for the second
straight year or b) a Cal team that is just happy making its first Rose
Bowl appearance since 1959.
Worst situation: Purdue stumbles out of the gate again (v. Syracuse)
and never recovers. The defense is more porous than expected and
the offense experiences wide receiver injuries, where there is little
depth. They
finish the season a disappointing 6-5 and return to the Alamo Bowl.
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