SB Nation - Torri Williams

The Bucket Stays: A Bloomington Road Trip

BoilerTMill — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:27:40 -0000

As regular readers know, I love going to see Purdue on the road. Unfortunately, my road record is not the best. In fact, coming into today I had not seen Purdue win a game away from Ross-Ade Stadium since going to Illinois in 2006. Since then I have seen us lose at Hawaii, Michigan, Indiana, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Like many other streaks this season, my five game road losing streak is now done. As always, we have the road trip diary, even though it was just an hour in the opposite direction.

A belated thank you to Purdue football broadcaster Joe McConnell. Joe called his final Purdue game today, retiring because of failing eyesight after being the voice of the Boilers for the better part of the last two decades. McConnell is a class act who helped grow this young Boilermaker's fandom while in high school. Thank you, Joe. You will be missed.

I am a pilgrim in an unholy land

12:09pm - Indianapolis - Instead of enjoying at least half of the Miami-Duke game before leaving, we're forced to leave now because of the notoriously bad Bloomington game day traffic. I hope we make kickoff. I text Chris Summers' dad (a former co-worker). He responds; "Traffic is already bad." Crap.

12:25pm - We decide to hit the Pita Pit in downtown Indy. Unfortunately, no quick off the street parking can be found. Not the best start to the journey, as I was craving a pita with teriyaki sauce.

12:45pm - Chick-fil-a will do.

1:39pm - Eschewing the clusterf*** that State road 37 becomes on game day, we decided to go towards Nashville, IN and make the turn to Bloomington in Beanblossom. Beanblossom is the home of Bluegrass legend Bill Monroe's Museum. There isn't much else there, but this town goes apeshit over him.

2:11pm - Though state road 45 is the curviest road in the state of Indiana, we avoid all the traffic and we are tucked behind the centerfield wall of IU's baseball stadium. I rule. For good measure, we're parked next to a fellow Boiler, meaning the giant Purdue tire cover on my Jeep has company.

2:14pm - Walking out onto 17^th street we see the insanity confirmed. Once again, I rule. Time to look for tickets

2:24pm - Walking up to the stadium we have the completion of a joke made six years ago. When I took Mrs. T-Mill to Bloomington for the first time in 2003 I pointed to the stadium at the top of the hill. Her response: "Where's the rest of it?" As we see IU's new addition (very nice, by the way) we finally see the rest of it.

Nice of IU to finally finish their stadium.

2:57pm - This is becoming an odyssey. Each scalper is trying to charge $60 per ticket. We can walk over and buy them for $50 from the ticket office. one guy asked for all the cash we had. As Mrs. T-Mill said, "That's called a stick-up." Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have each of us wearing Purdue jerseys.

3:21pm - We resign ourselves to waiting until after kickoff for a better deal. This is especially true after some jackanapes, when we turned down $75 per ticket, said, "This is IU, we pay to get into games. I thought you were a good program." We have bathroom break at Assembly Hall. It is my first time entering the building. I feel dirty.

3:40pm - Success! Just as we're about to give up and walk back to the car we hear Jaycen Taylor's first TD. We also find a guy with two seats not together for $35 each. We grab his last two and hightail it to the stadium to sit in an empty corner. Patience is a virtue.

7:47 1^st quarter - We're finally settled into the open seats in the Northwest corner of the stadium, just in time to see David Pender block a field goal attempt. He is one of many seniors that played very well today.

6:04 1st - Jaycen Taylor is officially playing like a man possessed.

5:04 1^st - Dan Dierking finishes the drive with a nice catch, his first TD of the year. Boilers up 14-0 (first time I have seen a lead on the road since Hawaii). Is a blowout in order?

4:56 1^st - Nope. Our piss poor kickoff coverage returns as my grandmother could have had the same length of return that Tandon Doss just had. 1. She died last September. 2. She got around in a motorized scooter the last five years of her life.

3:02 1^st - It means nothing as the D forces a 3 and out. What follows is the ugliest punt sequence you will ever see. IU has a bad snap. Chris Hagerup bops it around against no rush before finally getting it off. It is partially blocked by a very late rush, Purdue touches downfield, but recovers. This is why both teams are 4-7.

14:23 2^nd - Darius Willis just gashed us on a play that looked exactly like Marcus Thigpen in 2007. ugh.

12:30 2^nd - The D holds, forces a field goal, which IU misses. Meanwhile, the four drunk IU students behind us have been obnoxious, stepped on Mrs. T-Mill's coat, derided their players by name, called West Lafayette a cesspool, and stated, "We need to come to games more often." This is all in the last 15 minutes. We were told Wisconsin had awful fans but they were great. Indiana actually stopped tailgating to show up and they were obnoxious.

Spelling is a graduate level course at IU.

6:46 2^nd - Easy pick by Torri Williams. It is awesome that he ended his career on a very high note.

2:03 2^nd - Taylor keeps running hard. He sets up a nice TD pass to Jared Crank (his first). It should be noted that with this TD, Elliott threw his 22 touchdowns to eight different receivers this year. We're getting outgained in yardage, but we're up 21-0. Meanwhile, the IU jackasses behind us keep talking trash as we ignore them. I plan to just point to the scoreboard if they call me out.

1:58 2^nd - The word GIBBONEY is written down as we give up a big return again. Most teams get better at coverage as the year goes on. We got worse. This is after being one of the best in the nation before he came.

0:40 2^nd - They feature this sign on the scoreboard. Okay, we'll take it. Thanks!

Thanks! We will. It's ours anyway...

0:35 2^nd - A coverage scramble leads to a near TD (called back on review) it sets up IU's first score. Stuff like this can't happen next year. At least we're up 21-7 despite getting outgained.

15:00 3^rd - Dierking is deep on returns? This is new.

14:49 3^rd - ATM! ATM! ATM! ATM! MONEY! MONEY! (Translation: I am very happy that Al-Terek McBurse just returned the 2^nd half kickoff for a touchdown. These are my shouts as he runs.) After this, I say that if we're truly Purdue we give it right back to Doss.

13:23 3^rd - A good three and out here. I continue to cross myself every time Aaron Valentin is back to return punts. As previously stated, I am not Catholic.

9:25 3^rd - More drunk fans behind us keep saying, "IU Fuck Purdue." This is in addition to the dozens of Puck Furdue shirts we saw walking around. Again, this is a classy place.

7:11 3^rd - More poor tackling. Even though we're up 28-7 I am still worried.

6:39 3^rd - Shades of Wisconsin as we bite on the reverse.

4:28 3^rd - Indiana shows that it has a hairy scrotum by going for it on 4^th and five down three scores. It pays off with a TD to Mitchell Evans. The jackanapes behind me celebrate like IU just won the Big Ten. I feel like reminding them that 14 is a smaller number than 28.

Counting: Another graduate level course at IU.

2:41 3^rd - Keith Smith plays pinball wizard with a big catch over the middle. We're already in scoring position again.

1:51 3^rd - "IU Fuck Purdue! IU Fuck Purdue! IU Fuck Purdue! IU Fuck Purdue!..."

1:30 3^rd - Carson Wiggs bangs home a Figgie. Up 31-14. We should have this.

0:11 3^rd - It looks even more in hand as we force a three and out again. Pete heads to the Bloomington Mall to have the new P engraved at Things Remembered.

Between 3^rd and 4^th quarter - Wisconsin has Jump Around, which is awesome. Purdue has Shout, which is okay. IU has John Mellancamp as the students sing Jack & Diane. No wonder they can't hold fourth quarter leads. This lulls them to sleep. Maybe they can recruit Jack because he was gonna be a football star. It might help.

13:34 4^th - Savvy move here. We put in Frank the Tank Halliburton to punish them for a few plays. He has some nice runs, but it only leads to a missed field goal. At least we took 5 minutes off the clock.

9:47 4^th - In the timeout after the missed field goal we have trivia FAIL. They ask, "What was the year the Bucket was first awarded?" The correct answer, 1925, isn't even a choice. They say 1930. For the record, that is the first year IU won it.

9:15 4^th - We give up a big pass (shit)

8:47 4^th - Chappell gets a big run (more expletives)

8:04 4^th - Demarlo Belcher touchdown. My butthole officially tightened. An IU basketball commercial follows. I loudly comment that it is nice they are deciding to field a team this year.

7:53 4^th - Why are we throwing the ball?

6:59 4^th - Three and out. We didn't even take a minute off the clock. The stadium is alive again.

6:09 4^th - Kawann Short finds the plug with a huge interception. When is the last time we had a defensive tackle with two interceptions on the year?

4:07 4^th - Elliott is sacked. It is a good sack, as we take 2:05 off the clock, move field position, and force them to use a timeout. Summers' final punt is a good one downed inside the ten. Thank you, Chris!

3:46 4^th - Belcher makes a circus catch, but is ruled out of bounds on the review. That is why these officials are great! The girlies behind us, who have no concept of football, shout advice like "Throw the Hail Mary!" and "get an interception" (even when we run the ball). They are swearing like sailors against Purdue with little to no knowledge of the game. The students from India in front of us know more.

2:41 4^th - The defense gets a big stop. It's our Bucket now.

2:14 4^th - After IU uses its last two timeouts to set up 3^rd and long and have one final chance Keith Smith breaks a big TD. He basically says, "Oh you want this ball back? Well, I am done with it now. You can have it."

Keith Smith does his best Mariano Rivera impression.

0:00 4^th - The Bucket stays where it belongs. The one day it is seen in Bloomington every two years is over.

I know I will have a more complete entry to wrap up the season, but this was a great dominating effort today. The senior class was outstanding. Boilerdowd texted me during the game and said Mike Neal was playing like it was his last game. He might have broken a hand, but he came back. He and Kawann Short had a dominating day in the middle. Pender had a blocked field goal. Elliott went over 3,000 yards. Chris Summers averaged over 46 yards per punt. Jaycen Taylor went out with maybe the best game of his career. Torri Williams had a pick. This game was for the seniors, and they came ready to play.

I don't think I have loved a group of seniors more than this one. They went out with a 5-7 record. They didn't go to a bowl game their last two years, but they have instilled an attitude of never quitting. They could have rolled over and died at 1-5 with Ohio State coming to town, but they didn't. If there is a group that ever deserved the Bucket, it is them. I will miss them.

On the other side of the coin, we got key contributions from some guys that will be here awhile. Kawann Short (redshirt freshman) had a fumble recovery and an interception. ATM (true freshman) had his huge kick return that looked easy. Keith Smith will be back. Jeff Lindsay and Kyle Adams will be back. Jared Crank threw some nice blocks and got his first career touchdown. All three linebackers had a good game and will be back.

The future is bright for Purdue. Next year will not be a bowl-less season as we have a lot to look forward to.

Our trip to Notre Dame is on September 4^th. I am so excited I am considering a lift of my vow to never go there.

The Bucket makes a rare appearance in Bloomington.

Welcome to the Fold: Michael Eargle

BoilerTMill — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:42:35 -0000

This is the last week we will have everyone in our secondary. David Pender, Bandon King, Dwight McLean, and Torri Williams will all finish their Purdue careers Saturday evening, so that opens the door for competition next year. That competition just got a little stiffer with today's edition of JuCo transfer Michael Eargle.

Eargle is roughly my size at 6' 165. He comes from the same community college that gave us Keith Carlos this season. Hopefully one of his classes facebook communication and how to demand the ball. Then again, if he demands the ball and he is more sure handed than Carlos it could mean a lot of interceptions. He also has good speed reported at 4.4. I did manage to find his original Rivals profile out of high school from Elizabeth, New Jersey and his speed numbers were not quite the same.

I can see him contributing on the same level as Terrell Vinson did two years ago. Vinson was another JuCo transfer that had a great season in 2007 before getting abused in the Motor City Bowl. He was originally an Oklahoma State signee last season before an academic issue sent him to junior college for a year. Auburn also showed some interest recently.

His JuCo credentials are quite impressive. He was named the 2008 MVP of a Lackawanna team that played in the National Junior College championship game. According to the following he actually played some quarterback for Lackawanna, so he is a naturally gifted athlete. Contrary to what Google tells us, his nickname is not Black Lavender, though we should start calling him that because it is an awesome nickname.

Black Lavender at Quarterback (#10)

This is a good pickup for us because we are going to need some experience in the secondary. Right now Charlton Williams at cornerback is the only other player with significant game experience. Josh Johnson should also compete for time after playing some nickel packages and special teams this year. At safety, Albert Evans is expected to step in after some spot duty this year and more special teams time. I ran into Albert at the Black & Gold Mine after Saturday's game and he is a legit 6'2" or 6'3", so it is nice to have a big safety back there.

The rest of the unit will be very green. I tend to like E.J. Johnson from this year's recruiting classes because he is an interception machine. Jhonny Faustin looks to be a very good player who can play immediately. We can't forget about Ricardo Allen from the Mainland trio. Still, this is a very young group that needs some veteran leadership. Eargle can fill that role.

Show up for the Seniors: Beat State!

BoilerTMill — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:07:14 -0000

(Hat tip/fist bump to to NJ Boiler83 for the slogan)

I have been working with Bleacher Report blogger Tim Cary and the guys over at Boiled Sports on some kind of slogan for Saturday. We all want to push for a sellout this week against Michigan State. This team has fought hard, especially the seniors, and they deserve a proper send off. As I stated late Saturday night, we need to pack the house and support this team in order to make a push for a bowl game. We can start by creating a rowdy atmosphere this weekend for Michigan State. We can keep it going next week when we venture to Ross-Ade South for the Bucket game.

This game against Michigan State has the potential to be a program changer. Win it, and we can go to a bowl when absolutely no one expected it after the 1-5 start. That will set the tone for future classes just like the NCAA berth in 2007 did for basketball. If you're within 3 hours of West Lafayette, come to the game. Bring three friends and get in for just $25 each. If you come, stand up and be loud. Don't sit on your hands alumni. Get back to your student roots and get loud and crazy. Let's send the following seniors off right.

#2 Torri Williams - S -It seems like Torri has been here forever. He played as a true freshman on special teams in 2004, making him the last player left from The Fumble. It is therefore fitting that he is around for what could be the rebirth. A broken leg cost him 2005. A shredded knee cost him 2006. A torn achilles tendon cost him half of 2007. Legal issues nearly pushed him off the team. After a pair of redshirt years (one due to medical reasons) he is finally at the end of his Purdue career. If not for the injuries, he could have been one of Purdue's best DB's. Instead, he has provided leadership and versatility moving between safety and corner these past two seasons. Thank you, Torri.

#4 Dwight McLean - S - McLean came to us as a late JuCo transfer before last season. He is known as a hard hitter, but he had some critical interceptions in his career. A few weeks ago he had a big pick to stop a key Illinois drive in the first half. He also sealed last year's Central Michigan game with a late pick. He seems to be involved in every play, and we will miss his hustle.

#7 Brandon King - CB - If we make a bowl game this year it will be because of Brandon King. He had two critical interceptions against Ohio State and his forced fumble against Michigan turned that game around. I love Brandon because he never gave up both on and off the field. Academics cost him a year, but he did not become a Brandon Irwin. Instead, he got eligible, got back on the field and made a difference. We need more guys with his heart.

#9 David Pender - CB - Pender has really grown as a player. His tackling is still frustrating, but no one has more pass break ups in the last four years than Pender. Forced to start as a freshman in 2006, you won't find a more experienced corner int eh conference. He will have the distinction of batting away Ohio State's final pass to seal this year's huge upset. This is the first of three seniors graduating in which I won his jersey, and one of my favorites because every number I wear when competing in sports is #9.

#10 Royce Adams - WR - Adams' senior year has not turned out the way he expected. He has been hurt most of the year, hasn't contributed as much as we hoped on offense, and has had to move back to defense for some action. Still, he has never voiced his frustration. He has been the consummate team player throughout his career, playing where he was asked to play and quietly doing his job. He has been a cornerback, punt returner, and wideout.

#12 Chris Bennett - QB - It is likely that his career stats will read just one rush for 6 yards. That came at Michigan State last season when Bennett was forced to play because Justin Siller was shaken up for a few plays. The former walk-on 4^th string scout team quarterback saw the only action of his career for three plays, then headed back to the bench after his short keeper. We'll only likely see him on the field again if an absolute disaster happens to Elliott and TerBush or if we have a big lead against Indiana or MSU and Hope rewards him with some garbage time minutes. Still, his contributions in practice will not go unnoticed. Thank you, Chris.

#13 Chris Summers - P - Has anyone had a more up and down career than Chris. As a freshman walk-on he struggled to hit 8 of 20 field goals. Coming back as sophomore he wont he job with few other options, yet had a great season. He hit on 18 of 22 attempts (one miss was blocked) and will always have the game winner in the Motor City bowl on his resume. He struggled again last year with both placekicking and punting, and has struggled this year with just punting duties. When he is good, he can be very good. This past week he had several nice kicks and got a good one off inside his own end zone facing a heavy rush. The final rugby-style punt maybe have been one of his best this season. Over the course of his career Chris has done everything asked of him and has performed above some pretty low expectations at times. You can't ask for more than that.

#14 Joey Elliott - QB - I know I am probably not alone in wondering how different things would have turned out if Elliott had become a starter earlier in his career. We came into this season asking for his best Billy Dicken impression and he has been fairly close. While he certainly would like some throws back, I have been most impressed by the element of mobility he has given us. We haven't had that at the quarterback position since Brandon kirsch, and Elliott seems to be almost as heady as Brees as far as knowing the right moment to tuck and run. If anyone deserves to lead this team to a bowl game, it is Elliott.

#17 Aaron Valentin - WR - Valentin is another brief JuCo transfer that has emerged as our most dangerous player after the catch. He has even gotten over the fumbling issues that plagued him earlier this season. Coming into the season we needed our few experienced receiver to step up and give us an actual passing game. Valentin did just that. He leads the team in TD receptions and still has an outside shot at a 1,000 yard season with a bowl game. We can't ask for more than that.

#24 Jason Werner - LB - This could be a short stay for Werner on this list. The back injuries that cost him 2006 and 2008 could allow him to receive a 6^th year of eligibility next season like Torri Williams. Now that he has finally had a chance to play he has been exactly what we expected of him. He has become our best linebacker at a position that has had severe issues for several seasons. If he does come back next year linebacker will become a major position of strength for the first time since 2003.

#26 Adam Wolf - WR - Wolf is another former walk-on that has become a special teams ace. Like Frank Duong before him, he is a kamikaze special teams guy that looks to make a play on every kick. His work paid off as he was awarded a scholarship prior to this season.

#33 Jaycen Taylor - RB - If you're looking for the team leader in heart, there is no question it is Jaycen Taylor. Last season he was gone with a torn ACL and it seemed like something was missing all year. Injuries have limited him somewhat this year much like in 2007, but he has still played an integral role in our success. He has always been there to spell Ralph Bolden, and I respect him for accepting a backup role when many expected him to be the starter in the offseason. I met him once at Tippecanoe Mall after he broke his arm against Central Michigan in 2007. He's a nice kid and I will miss his leadership.

#44 Frank Halliburton - FB - I know this guy is one of Boilerdowd's favorites. It seems like he always should have played more than he actually has. I know injuries have slowed him this year when he was expected to play more, but he is another player that is known simply as a great guy and a great teammate. He has always been one of the more positive personalities on the team and has been a fan favorite for his dancing to Shout. I hope we get to see that one more time on Saturday. If you read this, Frank, don't disappoint me.

#47 Jarrod Shaw - FB - I admit I don't know much about Shaw. He was awarded a scholarship as a former walk-on before the season like Wolf, but I don't remember ever seeing him on the field. I could be confused on special teams, as I know he does share #47 with starting linebacker Chris Carlino. His efforts have certainly paid off in practice though. You don't get awarded a scholarship as a walk-on without contributing there.

#50 Eric Hedstrom - OG - Hedstrom has yet to play this season after offseason shoulder surgery, thus making him another candidate for a medical redshirt. He has been a critical starting offensive linesman in the past, however. If he is able to return next season he will provide much needed depth on a line that must replace three starters. He is also versatile in that he can play almost any position on the line.

#54 Jared Zwilling - C - A former defensive lineman, Zwilling switched over to offense and has had few problems in his first year as a starting center. His one bad snap was unfortunately returned for a TD at Oregon, but otherwise he has been rock solid in the middle of the line. He is yet another case of a guy performing in a variety of positions and doing everything we have asked of him.

#61 Zach Jones - OT - Another versatile lineman that has had to play everywhere in his career, Jones was one of the guys I saw enjoying the Ohio State upset the most on the field. It has been nice to put him at tackle this season and not have to worry about the right side of the line. Just a nice guy who is enjoying a fine senior season.

#62 Andy Huffman - LS - Can you name the last time long snapping has been an issue? The 1998 Alamo Bowl, probably. Purdue has turned long-snapping into an art, and Huffman was a solid snapper for three seasons before this year. It won him a scholarship for this season, but injuries have given the position to John finch. Still, Huffman was more than able in the three seasons before this one.

#75 Zach Reckman - OG - Reckman has been the center of controversy this week thanks to the completely stupid pissing contest between Danny hope and Rich Rodriguez. It's unfortunate too. If you take away his NIU incident he has been exactly what we have needed: a solid offensive guard doing his job. Not bad for a two-star guy expected to do very little in his career.

#92 Mike Neal - DT - Possibly the strongest guy on the team, Neal has drawn the attention of every team we have faced. Part of the reason Ryan Kerrigan is performing like a beast is because Mike Neal is drawing so much attention at defensive tackle. He is a damn good defensive tackle that will soon be drafted. He makes everyone around him better because he is so good and draws so much attention.

#95 Keyon Brown - DE - The hero of the 2007 Motor City Bowl with three sacks of Dan LeFevour, Brown hasn't had as dominating of a game since. He has still provided key depth at defensive end for Kerrigan and Gerald Gooden. It is always good to have a solid third defensive end. One has to think Brown has one great game left in him as well.

These 21 seniors have given us everything they have for the last four years. We owe them everything we have as a crowd on Saturday. Let's send them off right. Show up for the Seniors. Sell Out Ross-Ade. Beat State.

An Odd Feeling

BoilerTMill — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:33:45 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

about 1 month ago: Purdue quarterback Joey Elliott is congratulated by fans after Purdue defeated Illinois 24-14 in an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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I don't feel like I am about to be punched in the stomach.

My heart rate is actually rather normal.

I am not questioning why I continue to follow this team.

That all makes for a good Saturday.

If you have followed Purdue much in the past five weeks, you know this is an odd feeling. Today was a pretty dull game in retrospect. Illinois got a lead (which was a stunner in and of itself). Purdue came back, built a bigger lead, then was able to cruise the rest of the way. Our offense didn't light up the scoreboard, but it didn't need it to. We ground the game out with the running game (and when was the last time we did that?). The defense seemed to be in control on all but two drives. The consistent ineptitude of Illinois' offense meant there wasn't much of a threat of them overcoming the deficit. All told, it was a business-like win.

I will take that.

You see, that is the mark of a good team: when you win a game where you don't have to play your best in order to win. This was a rather mediocre effort from us, yet it was enough for a comfortable win. That is a far cry from where we have been, as this effort would have resulted in a loss a few weeks ago. We simply did what needed to be done. Nothing more, nothing less.

Positives from the Illinois game:

No turnovers - If we are going to win three of our next four in order to qualify for a bowl game we must continue to have days like to day where we do not turn the ball over. The closest we came to a turnover is when inexplicably did not run away from a punt that was bouncing around on the ground. It is refreshing that we didn't put our defense in a bad position all day.

The Defense - The massive amount of sacks we all expected did not come at first, but we patiently waited and eventually got to both quarterbacks. I have absolutely no idea what kind of game plan Ron Zook had going. His QB substitutions had no rhyme or reason. We were getting gashed on the read option, yet he went away from it. I don't think our defense was lights out today, but we had some very nice plays to end drives.

David Pender, Brandon King, Dwight McLean, Torri Williams - I single out the secondary because they all had great games. They played solid coverage, didn't allow much after the catch, and batted down passes all day. Considering we were getting gashed through the air earlier this year, giving up just 142 yards is a very good thing. These guys were even tackling well.

Joey Elliott, Ralph Bolden, Jaycen Taylor - Elliott's touchdown was a thing of beauty. The way he saw the opening, tucked it, and ran reminded be of Drew Brees and his innate ability to do the same. Bolden and Taylor were great all day. Taylor had another big play, while Bolden worked some tough yards on the ground. We finally ran the ball until someone stopped us, and Illinois never truly did.

Al-Terek McBurse - ATM just looks like he is going to break a big return before the season starts. I can't wait to see him get more time. He looks like he is moving at a different speed than anyone else on the field.

Negatives from the Illinois game:

Run defense - Seriously guys? We've seen the read option before. Ohio State, Northern Illinois, and especially Oregon run some variant of it. If it wasn't for Illinois running it today well they would not have scored. We have to be better at reading this, at least at the level we were against Oregon, in two weeks against Michigan.

Blocking in the back - If you see the guy's name, don't block him. It is that simple.

Final Analysis:

I honestly don't have much else to say about this one. We got the win. It was never in doubt. That is good enough to show me it is a major step forward. We avoided a let down that would have caused serious damage to the program. Now we don't have to worry about a last place finish in conference play as Illinois is essentially done. As a result, the Cannon stays where it belongs.

A Friday Preview of Homecoming on Campus - Purdue v. Minnesota, October 10, 2009

JG2112 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:49:58 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

Danny Hope: "No, this train cannot be stopped, ref." Ref: "Let's go to Valleyfair."

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It's Homecoming weekend at the University of Minnesota, and I frankly have no idea what to think. This morning I spent much of my BodyPump session at the Y, along with the usual assortment of cougars and retirees, pondering the right way to approach tomorrow's Purdue-Minnesota tilt. Purdue, per football cliche, is one of the best 1-4 teams in recent memory. It fell in the last minute on the road to what we now know is a darn good Oregon team, it lost in the last minute to a decent Notre Dame team due to a Bielema-esque time out call by coach Danny Hope, and, after taking a 21-3 lead on Northwestern, it proceeded to turn the ball over six times to lose 27-21.

On the other hand, the Gophers. While they haven't been blown out of any game, the wins haven't been overly impressive either (Syracuse, Air Force and Northwestern are proving themselves mediocre). Also, after five games, the loss to Cal is looking less than a "moral victory" the further we move away from it.

I toyed with the statistics. Purdue has lost its 4 games by a total of 18 points. Purdue QB Joey Elliott leads the Big Ten in passing average (255.2 ypg), total passing yards (1,276), and total offense (270.8 ypg). Somewhat impressive. He also completes 62 percent of his passes and has thrown for 10 TDs. RB Ralph Bolden is tenth nationally in rushing, averaging 108 ypg, and has 4 TDs. Interestingly, coming into last week, his stats were equivalent to those of Wisconsin RB John Clay. However, he only had 53 yards on 18 carries against Northwestern.

Purdue also has 5 WRs with more than 10 catches, led by Keith Smith, who has tallied 35 receptions for 459 yards and 3 TDs. Aaron Valentin has contributed 21 receptions for 276 yards and 4 TDs, of which one was for 67 yards. Smith and Valentin, at 6'2" and 6'1" respectively, could create a small height issue for our undersized corners. Our defensive backfield members with size, Rallis and Dandridge, are either injured or suspended due to stupidity.

Purdue's defense? Meh. They give up over 29 points per game, despite having experience on defense. Purdue has two senior DBs (David Pender and Dwight McLean), one fifth year senior (Brandon King), and a SIXTH year senior (Torri Williams). Linebacker Jason Werner leads the team with 32 tackles, 8 TFL and 3 sacks. The other recognizable name is DE Ryan Kerrigan, who has 16 tackles, 5.5 TFL and 2 sacks.

The Boilermakers are giving up 159.4 ypg on the ground and 240 ypg in the air. Despite last week, their turnover ratio is about even, they lose the time of possession battle by about 6 minutes a game, and they aren't heavily penalized.

As for the Gophers. We know what we're getting. Basic, pro-set offense with a heavy dose of Bennett and Decker. On defense, solid (hopefully) run stopping and adequate-to-cover your eyes pass defense.

What are the keys tomorrow? I think I figured it out as I drove south on Lexington Avenue from the YMCA, and passed (I only wished I was kidding) Tiller Lane. I read an amazing article yesterday about the mindset of Tampa Bay's rookie coach Raheem Morris as he considered what to do on fourth and goal at Washington's 4 yard line last week. Should he pass, or should he run? Here's the devastating breakdown of his decision and the mindset of pro football coaches.

Why is this important? Isn't it clear that this is how Jedd Fisch plays football? Conservative as heck, don't push the envelope, completely by the numbers, standard NFL stuff? I think against Purdue it can work. I don't think Danny Hope is settled in as coach (he has the whiff of 2007 Brewster to him - not vintage yet and should be put back in the cellar for ripening). Fisch just needs to play the statistics, the angles, the mix of rushing and Decker, and get to 27 points. Ultimately, Purdue will screw up in some facet of the game - to not do so would belie their performances the last month. The Gophers have comparable talent to Purdue - they should be able to wait out Purdue's mistakes and plod to an unconvincing win, which fortunately counts just as much as a curb-stomping.

Other keys:

(1) Get Decker 10 catches and 150 yards, and try and remind Hayo Carpenter that his Rivals page says he runs a 4.37 40. Getting caught from behind by a D-lineman can never happen, again, okay?

(2) Is Triplett healthy? If not, will Keanon Cooper or someone else play effectively in his place? Will Elliott recognize this and pick on the replacement in the short passing game with Bolden and Jaycen Taylor?

(3) Can McKinley and Tow-Arnett be adequately replaced? McKinley's absence led to The John Clay Experience last week, and as another team in the Big Ten who I can no longer mention on this blog can attest, losing your starting center can throw a serious wrench in your rushing game. Hopefully Trey Davis can be an adequate replacement.

(4) When Weber gets pressure, will he either take the sack and protect the ball or throw it away?

(5) At what point does the question get asked to Ronnie Lee (besides me, of course) - you're a defensive backfield specialist. Why the heck can't this team defend in pass coverage with any consistency?

Alright, we're at this point again. Homecoming outside in the cold (first cold home game for our team in decades - will they be ready?)

Bang your head positively if .............. Decker gets his, Weber doesn't spike himself, and the defense is passable.

Bang your head negatively if ............. Purdue eliminates turnovers, Danny Hope doesn't "interject" in the game, and Joey Elliott continues his conference-leading performance at QB.

Prediction: This is a game that Minnesota should win. If Minnesota executes and plays within itself, that should happen. This game is a critical get - in addition to Brewster's 0-7 record in rivalry games, he's 0-2 on Homecoming. Further, if the Gophers cannot win tomorrow, it would not be inconceivable that the Gophers' only remaining chance at victory is on November 14th against South Dakota State (yes, I do think Illinois > Purdue, but only just). For that reason, a victory tomorrow is way more critical than we may think to this team's season and ultimately, Tim Brewster's future. This is a game he simply has to win if he wants to take this team to play USC in 2011.

Minnesota 27 - Purdue 23.

Boilermakings for 9/8

BoilerTMill — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:53:19 -0000

Now that football season is in full swing, it means other fall sports are in swing as well. As a result, We get a Boilermakings Tuesday before turning our thoughts toward Oregon.

Ralph Bolden is the toast of the nation - I suppose that being the nation's top running back after week one will do that. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg recently praised Ralph, He was featured in The Sporting News today, and he was of course named as the Big Ten's co-offensive player of the week. I don't expect him to put up the same numbers against Oregon, but if he does I have a hard time seeing us losing. Credit also needs to be given to the O-line and fullbacks Jared Crank and Dan Dierking for freeing him.

Plenty of Ralph Bolden to see here

Katie Douglas is up for WNBA MVP - This is a great honor for the Purdue grad, as she tried to lead the Fever to the WNBA title. Indiana has the best record in the East heading toward the playoffs, and before the season many people expected that the only thing that would keep them in Indianapolis is a WNBA title. Fortunately, Katie Douglas has not been seen shooting up the 8 Seconds Saloon over on the west side unlike some of her co-tenants at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Women's soccer climbs in the polls - The women's soccer team used its upset of #6 Texas A&M to achieve a #14 ranking in last week's top 25. With wins over Valparaiso (1-0) and Ball State (6-1) this past weekend Purdue should have little trouble maintaining its ranking. A trip to #4 Stanford looms on Friday, followed by a game at #22 Santa Clara on Sunday.

Volleyball goes 2-1 at Baylor Classic - The ladies' volleyball team may have fallen out of the top 25, but they were able to notch wins over Texas-San Antonio and Central Florida before losing 3-2 to host Baylor. Next up is the Kansas State invitational against Portland, Kentucky, and #21 Kansas State.

Final Four or Bust for the men's basketball team - Credit to the guys at Boiled Sports for finding this, but the basketball blog Rush The Court has come out with their Purdue preview. I agree with its assessment as well: Final Four or Failure.

Only one segment left of Livin' Large to enjoy - And Basketbawful has been a truly artful story teller for this entire series. I knew those guys from Kokomo were alright.

Painter makes the Colts' roster - He received lots of good news on a day when many former Boilers did not.

Tim Cary has us all covered - Tim posted some fine work from his visit to Ross-Ade last weekend. He has a great conversation with Curtis Painter, a feature on Jason Werner and Torri Williams, and a discussion with Carson Wiggs about his 59-yard field goal on Saturday.

Go Duck yourself - Addicted to Quack is beginning to move on and look forward to the Purdue game. We'll have more from them later this week as I work to set up another podcast tomorrow night.

The ranked losing streak will continue - No matter what happens, our wait to beat a ranked team will continue as Oregon fell out of both top 25's after their loss at Boise State. Personally, I think they should have held on to #25 based on defense alone, but I am wrong.

Suddenly not so bad - The Rivalry, Esq. sums things up best. We have gone from "Surely putrid" to "mildly intriguing" with our week one perfomance. This is all the more reaqson that an upset at Autzen would be very good for our program. I am thinking this is becoming almost as pivotal of a swing game as last year's was. A win in Autzen would be just as positive as us choking away last year's game was negative. Bring on the Ducks!

Truly a work in progress

BoilerTMill — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:40:52 -0000

Highlights can be found here, courtesy of Big Ten Network

Coming into today, no one really knew what to expect. Danny Hope was playing close to the chest with his offense while the Big Ten Network cameras were in town. The media generally assumed the offense would struggle with so many new parts. They also assumed our defense was awful as always. The first look, however, gave us some different impressions.

The offense looked good. Yes, it was only against Toledo, but remember: people thought we were going to struggle against Toledo. One comment I had was that it wasn't good that we gave up a sack to the worst pass rush in America last year on the second play of the game. Then Ralph Bolden broke a 78 yard TD run to completely erase it. To me, the only mistakes on offense were minor. They can be easily fixed. Interception one was on Royce Adams, as it went off his shoulder pad. Interceptions #2 and #3 were tipped just past the line of scrimmage. Since Holland's interception came two plays after one of them it erased it. We had dropped pass, but both Carlos and Edison, who had the most egregious drops, followed them up with touchdowns on their next passes. The running game was more than perfect.

The defense, however, is a concern. Honestly, I think they were just worn out from the no huddle, the heat, and 67 passing attempts from Opelt. Notice, Toledo got 17 points in the final 20 minutes. This was when Kawann Short, Mike Neal, and Nickaro Golding all had to head to the locker room for fluids. Our entire D-line was gassed and getting no rush, so Opelt had plenty of time.

I'll have more on that in a moment, but there are still more positives than negatives to take from this.

Ralph Bolden is still running

Positives from the Toledo game:

Ralph Bolden - I know it was only again Toledo, a team that was terrible against the run last year, but holy crap! The third best rushing game in school history and best since Mike Alstott's final game! 234 yards, 2 scores, and better than 11 yards per carry. He wasn't a one man show like Kory was last year (side note, Mr. Sheets was cut today). I think I can safely say we had fewer than ten games in the entire Tiller Era where we had more than 234 as a team. Oregon's defense impressed me on Thursday, keeping the Ducks in the game. If Bolden does half as well against the Ducks we're going to have an excellent chance of winning that game.

Carson Wiggs - Said to the people next to us after his 59-yard field goal, "I didn't even drive that far to get to the game." He already owned the school record by three yards. Now he has shattered it. He was solid on kickoffs, had a great tackle on a return, and 7 of 7 on extra points. We now know we can consider points any time we cross the 50 as well. That thing could have been good from 65.

Jaycen Taylor - JT added 81 yards and a pair of scores in his first game since the Motor City Bowl. One of the key things I noticed, however, is that the first person to congratulate him after his long TD run was Ralph Bolden. There is absolutely no ill will between the two, and that makes me very happy because both are more committed to the success of the team than their personal stats.

Keith Smith - He showed he can be the big target we need downfield. Elliott was much more willing to throw downfield than Painter was. Smith made them pay too by making several tough catches and being a general irritant to the Toledo secondary.

Joey Elliott - I felt his play was critical, as well as the receivers, because they made the passing game a factor. We don't need a Drew Brees, throwing 65 times per game for 450 yards. Our offensive line proved the running game can work. We just need a passing game that is good enough to keep defenses honest. I felt Elliott had just two major mistakes, those being his last two interceptions. Even then, they were tipped passes that went up in the air and Toledo ran under them. He looked downfield, completed passes two eight different receivers, and showed he can dump off to the tight end/running back as well as find his receivers. It wasn't a perfect game, but it was not the inept offense everyone expected. If you erase the two interceptions that were not followed by us getting the ball right back (Holland's INT) we have at least two more scoring drives. These are things that can be fixed, I think. Considering it was his first career start, I would consider it a success because our passing game didn't entirely disappear. It was much better than the one game I attended at the old Orange Bowl in Miami two years ago. In that game, Kirby Freeman completed one pass and threw three interceptions. By the end of the game, Miami didn't even bother to try passing. This effort was far from that.

Forcing turnovers - I could see Donn Landholm's emphasis on turnovers come through a bit. Both Torri Williams and David Pender broke on balls that should have been pick sixes. In fact, Pender's third quarter non-interception caused me to raise a question. If you can challenge a catch to see if it incomplete, why can't you challenge it the other way? That was key too, as it was an interception and it eventually led to a Toledo touchdown. Both of our actual interceptions were exactly like Toledo's. Holland's pick went off a receiver's hands and should have been caught by Morgan Williams, while Short's INT was a tip from Neal.

Offensive line - Someone had to pave the way for Taylor and Bolden. These guys did a fantastic job all day. Elliott only had true pressure on the game's second play as well. If they keep it up we will be much improved.

Negatives from the Toledo game:

Pass defense - This goes without saying. I was impressed with the run defense. Normally, we let even bad teams run wild. When Toledo did run, we stopped them. Unfortunately, they ran 22 times versus 68 passes. I wondered why we didn't double Williams, who had a field day, but Opelt was spreading the ball around well. He knew our weakness. We still cannot prevent wide receivers from roaming wide open over the middle of the field. There was some poor tackling too. Any time Opelt needed to make a throw someone was open over the middle. He knew our safeties had to come over to cover in the spread, and our linebackers were awful in pass coverage. I have no idea what the solution is, either. Toledo had good receivers, but they were open on seemingly every play. Honestly, I think the defense got tired. The line was exhausted and couldn't generate pressure in the second half at all. Opelt got rid of the ball quickly and the Toledo receivers ran great routes. Jeremiah Masoli had an awful night throwing the ball against Boise State, but we have to be much better against the pass in week two while facing a much better running team.

Conditioning - Seeing Neal, Short, Golding, and Gooden all leave the field because of cramps was very troubling. It was a much warmer day than expected, but the line simply couldn't stay on the field in the second half. Next week should be easier. It is a night kickoff in the cooler Pacific Northwest, but it was still a concern. We need these guys to be able to generate pressure by themselves. If they can do that, the linebackers can cover the middle of the field and fix some of the pass defense issues we had today.

The drops - I don't think this is as bad of an issue because we have struggled with it even the past two years when we have had more success in the passing game. Edison and Carlos both made up for their big drops with touchdown catches too. This is a minor tweak, and will get better with time. Royce Adams' drop led to a pick.

Kickoff coverage - Ugh, let's move on.

Aaron Valentin - I list this only because he was carrying the ball like a loaf of bread and looked like he was about to fumble about five times. Even though he didn't fumble, he needs to work on ball security.

Final Thoughts:

I feel like I can breathe a lot easier for many reasons today. The offense did not struggle except for a few minor issues (like the botched play on the 4^th down attempt). We were still able to score at will on a bad MAC defense. That is reassuring because people doubted if we could even do that. I am also encouraged because Illinois and Minnesota, two teams I think we need to beat if we're going to go bowling, looked awfully bad today. In my mind, we're several steps closer to those allegedly in front of us in the Big Ten than those behind us. The games are still out there to win, but I think that with our offensive performance today people can see that it is not so ludicrous that we can at least compete and win some games other than against MAC teams and Indiana.

We are still a work in progress, but I am encouraged that it is work that can be done this season instead of over several seasons. That is the huge difference between us and Indiana, our alleged fellow basement dwellers, right now. The Hoosiers struggled to run the ball at home against a 1-AA team that is naturally overmatched against a Big Ten team. This is with them being a run-oriented team. We are still a pass oriented team, yet we ran with ease against probably a better defense. We seem much closer to being able to compete right now than Indiana, and that is how you get to the point of winning football games.

Our first shot has been fired. The rest of the conference has seen that we can still score at will against bad defenses. That is critical because they didn't think we could even do that. We now need just five more wins to reach a bowl game, which is still a reasonable goal for this team. More importantly, it is a more reasonable goal than it seemed to be before kickoff today. Finally, we are not satisfied with a relatively easy three touchdown win.

Believe

BoilerTMill — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:00:35 -0000

I believe in this team.

No one else does. Ken Gordon, Tim May and Bob Baptist of the Columbus Post-Dispatch were the latest to chime in and say we have no chance, so why bother to compete? Several Big Ten bloggers are also saying the same things. The most kind are giving us wins over Toledo, Northern Illinois, Indiana, and one other Big Ten opponent. Most people are giving us even less respect.

But I believe in this team, and so should you.

Aaron Lewis says it all.

Believe in Joey Elliott. The man has patiently waited for his chance to play, even after a shoulder injury last season put that chance in jeopardy. He is a natural leader, something this team sorely needs. If you're going to have someone new taking over, don't you want someone who knows the system? This works for Wisconsin almost every year as they regularly thrive on 5^th year guys as first time starters. Why can't it work for us?

Believe in the parallels to 1997. They are many: Opening against Toledo, new coach, 5^th year senior coming off of a shoulder injury as a first time starter at quarterback, low expectations, etc. I think I would gladly take a loss tomorrow if it meant six straight wins after it like it did in 1997. We even have a ranked heavy favorite lined up in game #2

Believe in Danny Hope. Though we have yet to see him coach a game, he has changed the attitude of this entire team. The effort and tenacity is back. He will absolutely have this team believing it can win any game.

Believe in the freshmen. Just because they are young does not mean they are awful. Sure, the likelihood is that they will take time to be impact players, but there are true freshmen every year that surprise. Gary Bush and Antavian Edison look to be those guys, and they are at the right spots we need them to be.

Believe in the power of disrespect. They have us losing to Indiana for crying out loud, just because it is at Indiana. It's not like they have a great home field advantage and we all remember 62-10. This is the same Indiana that struggled mightily with a 1-AA team last night.

Believe in this defense. It has experience at the right spots and could be sneaky good. For once we have hope of stopping the run. We have the most experienced secondary in the Big Ten. We have a defensive coordinator that knows it is legal to make in-game adjustments. We have actual depth at linebacker and defensive tackle. This defense is more than good enough to steal a game or two, especially against teams that don't have strong, proven offenses.

Believe in the running game. When was the last time we had this much depth at running back? When a 4-star true freshman stud is relegated to fifth on the depth chart it is a good sign. Running games eat up the clock and prevent other teams from scoring. They can't score if they don't have the ball, after all.

Believe in the coordinators. Gary Nord has received high praise everywhere he has been for his work with quarterbacks. Donn Landholm stresses creating turnovers. There will be creativity again on offense, and getting turnovers gives them the ball to use that creativity.

Believe in the power of hard work. They may be new, but this entire team has been busting its ass all summer in preparation for the season. We had record numbers of players on campus all summer working out and pushing each other.

Believe in Torri Williams. The last remaining player from The Fumble deserves a better ending.

Believe in the mediocrity of the Big Ten. I have yet to hear one reason other than inexperience as to why we cannot beat anyone other than Indiana in our own conference. Everyone has major question marks, and only Ohio State and Penn State are supposedly light years ahead of everyone else. Minnesota? They struggled mightily last year. Wisconsin? Quarterback issues and general blah feeling. Illinois? Turnovers and underachievement. Indiana? They are Indiana. Michigan? I don't have 2,000 more words to go off on what's wrong with them. Favorites Penn State and Iowa? Not on the schedule, so it doesn't matter. Michigan State? Good, but they must replace a lot on offense to complement a nasty defense. That leaves just Ohio State. The formula is simple. Beat Toledo and Northern Illinois. Get two of three from Northwestern, Michigan State, and Illinois. Split with Minnesota and Wisconsin, beat Indiana. That's your six wins right there.

Believe upsets can happen again. Yes, it has been since 2003 since we beat a ranked team, but a new attitude and everyone thinking we are a doormat can change that. We will beat a ranked team again. Why not now? Oregon, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are ranked, so you never know.

Believe we can win in Ann Arbor. Michigan's season appears to be headed toward being an absolute train wreck. It may even be worse than last year. We could be 24 hours from an apocalypse when an experienced and very good Western Michigan team beats them in the Big House. We have to win there again sometime, and I feel like if it doesn't happen this year it may never happen again.

Believe in the offensive line. It is nice when they are healthy and can form a cohesive unit.

Believe in the dominance over the MAC. Because even last year, in our worst season since the Colletto years, we still beat the best the MAC had to offer.

Believe because you can. Right now the scoreboard sits at 0-0 before every game on our schedule. It did the same when #12 Notre Dame came to West Lafayette in September of 1997. It did when we faced #4 Kansas State in December of 1998. It also did for Appalachian State when they went to Michigan in 2007.

Believe because Indiana won at Oregon. Under Gerry DiNardo. Surely we can do something Indiana did in football.

Believe because no one else does. This team is the only thing that can change that.

Finally, believe because the season is new. You never know what is going to happen with freak injuries, suspensions, weather, and anything else that can level the playing field against teams we have supposedly no chance against. They still keep score, so we might as well go out there and try to win the damn thing.

I will see you at Ross-Ade tomorrow.

A look at the depth chart

BoilerTMill — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:39:18 -0000

With a little more than a week to go we have a good idea of how the depth chart will be when we kick off against Toledo in nine days. Honestly, there haven't been many surprises. We know some of the freshmen have been doing well, but we will truly have no idea until we take the field against Toledo. In the meantime, this is what the current depth chart looks like:

I have Delusions of grandeur for this team, but those are the best delusions to have. This handy poster also works for Notre Dame's National title hopes.

Quarterbacks:

1. Joey Elliott, Sr. (5)

2. Caleb TerBush, Fr. (RS)

There is no real surprise here, although the rhetoric from coach Hope is that Elliott will now be the primary guy and TerBush will only play mop up duty. This is a change from before camp, when it was thought there might be a platoon system. I like this. I would much rather settle on one guy and go with him rather than constantly rotate guys. I am sure Robert Marve would have something to say about that too. Rob Henry also seems to have emerged as the third string guy if needed. I think he will play only if necessary early in the year, but we may eventually reach a point where he will redshirt if he hasn't played at all. that would leave us with 5th year senior Chris Bennett as the #3 guy. If that is the case, expect a major battle for the starting job next year.

Running backs:

1. Ralph Bolden, So.

2. Jaycen Taylor, Sr. (5)

This position is very interesting, as Bolden seems to be hanging on to the number 1 spot. It may be semantics, as we know that Taylor will play plenty. The big mover seems to have been Frank Halliburton. Halliburton gives us a bigger option back there, and I would not be averse to some two running back sets. Dan Dierking will also see some time. The most interesting question will be Al-Terek McBurse. In Tuesday's practice report McBurse was not mentioned as one of the true freshmen likely to play this year. This may be our deepest position on the field right now. McBurse may be getting squeezed by the number of experienced backs in front of him. I doubt he will redshirt, but you never know.

Wide receivers:

1. Royce Adams, Sr.; Keith Smith, Jr.; Aaron Valentin, Sr.

2. Keith Carlos, Jr.; Gary Bush, Fr.; Antavian Edison, Fr.

This is an interesting dichotomy of experience vs. youth. Smith and Valentin are by far the most experienced players, so it is no surprise they are starters. Adams is a transfer from the defense, but has been here for three years. At least with Adams we have the option of switching him back to defense if depth becomes an issue. Edison has drawn rave reviews since camp opened, so I expect him to see the field a lot. Bush and Carlos were slightly late bloomers, but they have separated themselves from the other freshmen and from others like Waynelle Gravesande that have been here awhile. Everything I hear about Carlos is that he is electric with the ball in his hands, but he has a tendency have the drops at times. I would still prefer to have Smith as an outside receiver since he gives us the most size by far.

Tight ends:

1. Kyle Adams, Jr.

2. Jeff Lindsay, Jr.

I think Adams was missed greatly last year. We did not have a consistent safety valve at tight end like we did with Dustin Keller and our offense suffered for it. Adams and Lindsay should pick up that slack. If they can produce on the level of Tim Stratton, Charles Davis, and Keller I will be very happy. Colton McKey is also expected to contribute once his knee is better. Lindsay may be used as a bit of an H-back and is a great blocker.

Offensive Line:

1. Tackles: Dennis Kelly, So.; Zach Jones, Sr.; Guards: Ken Plue, So.; Zach Reckman, Sr.; Center: Jared Zwilling, Sr.

2. Tackles: Ryan Prater, Jr; Peters Drey, Fr. (RS); Guards: Rick Schmeig, Fr. (RS); Justin Pierce, Jr.; Center: Andrew Brewer, Fr.

I think this is where we will see the most improvement this year. If you think about it, we never had any consistency last season along the offensive line. We didn't even have it in spring practice. Injuries prevented that from happening all year. That will pay dividends this year as we have had consistency and plenty of guys have experience. All five starters were starters at some point last season. Prater and Pierce also got some experience, so there is a little bit of depth as well. I like that Drey, Schmeig, and Brewer are freshmen that could be anchors of the line in 2010 or 2011. This is how you improve the team in a hurry. Plue gives us a true road grader to generate tough yards on the ground. By necessity, we will likely run the ball more this year. As long as the line lets us run more I really don't care. I think it will be a benefit in the long run.

I pray our current offensive line does not replicate this picture.

Defensive Ends:

1. Ryan Kerrigan, Jr.; Gerald Gooden, So.

2. Robert Maci, Fr. (RS); Nickaro Golding, So.

I think it is more important for Gooden to have a good year than Kerrigan. Kerrigan is the known commodity. If Gooden can generate a pass rush on his own it will prevent teams from double teaming Kerrigan. Improved play from our defensive tackles is also critical. Among the backups, I am most disappointed in Keyon Brown. He had a fantastic bowl game against Central Michigan, but has done nothing since. As a senior, he got beat out by the redshirt freshman Maci on the two deeps. Golding should be an interesting addition. Kevin Pamphile has shown a ton of promise so far, but since this is just his second year playing football he will probably still redshirt unless he goes completely nuts in practice.

Defensive Tackles:

1. Mike Neal, Sr (5); Kawann Short, Fr. (RS)

2. Adam Brockman, So.; Nick Mondek, So.

Mondek and Short are in a battle for the other tackle spot opposite Neal, but in the end the whole team will win. Both players are going to play this year in a rotation, which will also keep Neal fresh. Neal is supposed to be one of the best tackles in the league, while Short was named to CFN's all-redshirt freshman team this summer. This is not a bad thing, considering how bad our run defense up the middle has been. Right now, we have a total of six guys that we can rotate in and out along the line. I fail to see how this is a bad thing.

Linebackers

1. Jason Werner Sr. (5); Joe Holland, So.; Chris Carlino, So.

2. Antwon Higgs, Fr.; DeVarro Greaves, So.; Dwayne Beckford, Fr.

Depth Depth Depth! We actually have depth at the linebacker position. Beckford and Higgs would have been starting in years past as true freshmen. Instead, they are promising guys that will play, but won't be counted on to be fantastic early with no one behind them. Werner, Holland, and Carlino could all be back next year if Werner applies for a 6^th year of eligibility due to his past injuries. Let's just wrap Werner in bubble wrap now before the opener please. We actually have enough depth to consider some 4-4 sets when facing good running games. This group has to stop the run, especially against teams that can't run like Notre Dame and Indiana. Too often we have been gashed not only by good running teams, but awful ones like Notre Dame's. If this group along with the experienced defensive line cannot stop the run we will not win many games this year. If they do stop the run, our defense alone is good enough to win five or six games.

Defensive Backs

1. Corners: Brandon King, Sr; David Pender, Sr.; Safeties: Torri Williams, Sr. (6); Dwight McLean, Sr.

2. Corners: Josh Johnson, Fr.; Charlton Williams, So.; Safties: Albert Evans, So.; Josh McKinley, Jr.

At first I was very concerned about depth here. All through the summer we heard about how we had our entire secondary back that was the number one pass defense in the conference last year. Then, in camp, we hear about them being gassed all the time and hurt. With no real depth behind them alarms began ringing in my head. Fortunately, some depth has come along. McKinley and Williams have seen the field, just not much last year. Johnson seems to be one of the biggest surprises among the true freshmen. Evans is an interesting commodity that was still recovering from a knee injury much of last year. E.J. Johnson could make an impact next year as a true freshman with McKinley and Evans.

Among the starters, It is fantastic we have so many starts returning with Pender and King. We need those two to produce more interceptions. McLean has the look of a guy that likes to hit people, hard. He is expected to make a big leap after being a littler overmatched last year. He could be the stereotypical guy that makes a big jump from year one to year two out of JuCo. Torri Williams needs to just stay out of trouble off the field. In what I hope is some karmic payback due, he is the last remaining player that played in The Fumble game, so he is due some good news in his career.

Specialists:

1. Kicker: Carson Wiggs, So.; Holder: Joey Elliott, Sr; Punter: Chris Summers, Sr.; Long Snapper: John Finch, Jr.

2. Kicker: Chris Summers, Sr; Holder: Kris Staats, Jr.; Punter: Carson Wiggs, So.; Long Snapper: Andy Huffman, Sr.

I think we were all impressed with Wiggs last year. He set a school record with a 53-yard field goal at Ohio State, so distance is not a problem. If he struggles, we do have an experience (if somewhat streaky) kicker in Summers to back him up. I think Summers will also benefit greatly this year from concentrating solely on punting. It may have been a bit much to ask him to do everything last season. Summers may continue to kick off as well. I am kind of surprised that Elliott is the holder, as Staats did a good job last season when Painter was hurt. I think Painter may have been part of the kicking issues as well, since many of the problems we had on placements went away once Staats took over. Finch may be the starter by default for now. He finished the season there last year, but Huffman was hurt and continues to be bothered by an elbow injury. Huffman just went on scholarship and had started over 30 straight games at long snapper before his injury

Returners:

1. Kickoffs: Aaron Valentin, Sr; Royce Adams, Sr. Punts: Aaron Valentin, Sr.

2. Kickoffs: Punts: Royce Adams, Sr.

Kickoff returns have been a major strength in each of the last two seasons. In 2007 we had three returns for scores. Punt returns have been an afterthought since Anthony Chambers graduated. We have to get more from this area. The same is true when it comes to coverage. We are good on kickoff coverage, but punt return coverage was terrible last year. We gave up returns for scores to Oregon and Michigan, so we have to improve there. Don't forget the blocked punt we had at Ohio State that became a touchdown as well.

We have plenty of speedy freshmen that could emerge here later on. McBurse, Ishmael Aristide, and other have been mentioned as potential returners. Eric Williams, a freshman wide receiver with speed, may find a niche here too.