SB Nation - Joey Elliott

Wrapping up the 2009 Season

BoilerTMill — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:04:41 -0000

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope everyone out there has a safe and happy holiday. The posting will likely be scaled back slightly over the next few weeks before Christmas. The recent temp job I accepted is going to need me for some extra hours so that will cut into some of my writing time. I do have press access for the Wake Forest game next week, however, so that should be fun. If anyone finds any worthwhile news during the day feel free to post it via fanshot and I'll get it to the front page as soon as I can. Also, if you feel like doing a post of your own you can do it via Fanpost on the right. I haven't pushed these features too much in the past, but they are great ways to expand the community here. Now on with the football wrap up.

I am not quite sure what to think about this. When seeing some preseason predictions of 2-10, 1-11, 3-9 with maybe a pair of Big Ten wins, the 2009 Purdue football season looks pretty good. When you actually sat down and watched all 12 games, as I did (minus Northwestern) it is hard not to think that 10-2 was possible. That leaves me with mixed feelings. We were much better than advertised, but not as good as we could have been. Ultimately, 5-7 is probably about right based on the amount of inexperience we had on offense. Even then, those players overachieved.

That is what makes this season wrap up so hard. How do I put it in proper perspective? I guess we can look at each game individually.

Toledo W 52-31

This was the only game that one of the guys over at the Rivalry, Esq. Gave us coming into the season. It was with good reason too, as the Boilers were never seriously threatened and Ralph Bolden had a field day. The only major concern was poor tackling and poor coverage over the middle against Toledo's short drop passing attack. The tackling would be hit or miss all year long. Joey Elliott threw three interceptions, but two were tipped balls as we had the foreshadowing of turnovers. All told it was a good opener. We were in control throughout and never let Toledo get within two scores.

At Oregon L 36-38

And you thought the Ducks visit to Ross-Ade was letting one get away. Essentially, we handed Oregon 19 points in their home stadium. I called this as an upset Purdue win while everyone else predicted blowout and I was damn near right. We had a Duck team that would go on to steamroll USC beaten in their own house. An early interception deep in our own territory led to a field goal. Oregon later returned an interception and a bad snap for a score. We also had an extra point blocked, forcing us into a failed two point conversion attempt in the final minute. Still, this team didn't die when giving them those 19 points. We earned the respect of Oregon fans everyone, as they knew they were lucky to escape this one with a win. I know the guys over at Addicted to Quack have been big fans of Purdue all season because of this game. Unfortunately, "We had it," would become a theme for the season.

Northern Illinois L 21-28

Just an ugly game. If we played them 12 more times I would absolutely pick us 12 times. We had zero business losing this game and we know it, especially when Toledo would later beat Northern Illinois. Purdue got outclassed and outplayed in every phase, yet NIU still needed a late fake punt to hold us off. I am fully confident that we would have scored to tie if they had actually punted there. We should have never been in that position in the first place. Two fumbled punts and a penalty for roughing the kicker only allowed seven points, but they allowed NIU to dominate the time of possession. The offense never got on track until late in the third quarter. I said before the season that if we lost this game we had no business going to a bowl and I was right. It is the difference between a bowl and nothing right now. If we played this game today we win by three touchdowns, easy.

Notre Dame L 21-24

Another missed opportunity. After Jaycen Taylor gave us a late 21-17 lead we let Notre Dame drive down the field, converting a 3^rd and long and a 4^th and goal. The timeout called by Danny Hope before a late 3^rd and goal is unforgiveable. Even if they don't spike it they are running plays in the hurry-up. That means they are less likely to convert. I'll give Jimmy Montana credit though. His winning TD pass to Kyle Rudolph was a good one.

Northwestern L 21-27

This is the second worst game next to the Northern Illinois debacle. If we simply take a knee deep in our own territory late in the first half we save 13 points and three turnovers. Even with the mistakes we had a chance t win late but a pair of incompletions inside the 10 cost us the game. I am glad I was in Miami for this one. I thought ESPN's gametracker was stuck on repeat with all the fumbles. At least Northwestern had quite a season after this one.

At Minnesota L 20-35

This game was almost as bad as the Oregon game. Minnesota's offense was horrible all year, agaisnt us they barely tried to pass. One big pass completed to Eric Decker set up a game changing touchdown. From there the floodgates opened with more turnovers. This was capped by a backbreaking blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. It was almost identical to the figgie Chris Summers had blocked in 2007, only Minnesota actually held on to the ball for a score. This is yet another game I wih we could have back. If we could replay every loss I would predict wins in this order, from most likely to least likely:

Northern Illinois
Minnesota
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Michigan State
Oregon
Wisconsin

And of those, the only one I am sure we would lose is Wisconsin. I might pick Oregon, given how hot they can be. In the other five I would pick us right now.

Ohio State W 26-18

Quite simply, this is the biggest win the program has had in nine years since beating the Buckeyes in 2000. This was a better Ohio State team, but that win essentially sent us to the Rose Bowl, so it is bigger. Considering that three of our four Big Ten losses easily could have been wins, This could have sent us to the Rose Bowl as well, giving us a rematch with Oregon. With the way Ohio State has finished the season I am still shocked by this win. Without it, they would still be on a record Big Ten road winning streak. They would also be hoping for a miracle in the last two weeks for an outside shot at the national title. It was one of the most memorable games in Ross-Ade Stadium because it was completely unexpected. It also proved another preseason prediction of mine true: that we would end the losing streak against ranked teams. Ohio State was the only team that was ranked at the time we played them. Compare that to last year, where Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Iowa were all ranked at game time. If we win a conference championship in the next three years it will be because of this game.

Again, one of the happiest moments ever at Ross-Ade

Illinois W 24-14

This was kind of a boring game in retrospect. Everyone was still buzzing about the OSU upset. Illinois was awful before looking like a real football team the following two weeks. I would call this game the most dull of the season. We built a big lead and sat on it. That's what good teams do. It was nice not to have to hang on until the final seconds in a Big Ten win too.

Wisconsin L 0-37

Wisconsin Jumped Around all over us...

Did we show up in Madison? This was the worst game only surpassed by the NIU debacle. Yes, we were physically dominated in both games. At least you can expect it with Wisconsin. The Badgers played essentially a perfect game and we did not. There were absolutely no positives from this game, which made the next one that much more surprising.

Michigan W 38-36

Boiled Sports called the Ohio State game a sharpie loss. They were wrong. I called this a sharpie loss. I was wrong. The game will mostly be remembered for the simmering Danny Hope-Rich Rodriguez fued at the end, but I will remember it as HOLY CRAP WE JUST WON IN ANN ARBOR!!!! I don't care that it was over the first Michigan team to finish last in the Big Ten in over 45 years. Knowing our history since 1966 I thought we had no chance. It was stunning because we kept making big play after big play. We overcame yet another 14 point deficit to the Wolverines, and now we have a two game winning streak in a series where we have just 14 wins total. An alert reader is sending me a DVD copy of this game. They are awesome for that.

Michigan State L 37-40

This is the game where our bowl hopes officially died. It is probably about four games later than most people expected them to die. The play they died on was Michigan State's long TD pass after we had gone up 11. If the defense can force even a long scoring drive there the game is pretty secure. Instead, we gave up a long TD, had a figgie blocked, gave up another TD, got a figgie to tie, then promptly gave it back with a long kickoff return. This doesn't even account for the fact that we gave them seven points on the game's first play. It's a tough loss, but we had plenty of chances to make sure this one didn't matter in terms of getting to a bowl.

Indiana W 38-21

An important win because we shared the same record with IU coming in for the second straight year, but dominated the game. We showed that despite similar records, there is still a gap between Indiana and Purdue. It is now up to us to make sure it gets larger and not smaller.

There are tons of positives coming out of this year. We finished at .500 in the league after two straight seasons below. We were 4-2 in the last six games after being 1-5 in the previous six. We won a road game for the first time since 2007, and now have a two game road winning streak. We beat a ranked team for the first time since 2003. the next step is combining the two and beating a ranked team on the road. That is something we haven't done since winning at Wisconsin in 2003, and something we didn't do much under Tiller.

Offensively, we lose our quarterback, but we gain an experienced one in Robert Marve. If you go strictly by recruiting rankings, we can line up four star talent next year at guard (Ken Plue), running back (Al-Terek McBurse), receiver (O.J. Ross), Tight End (Jeff Lindsay, though he was a 4-star linebacker), and quarterback (Marve). Defensively we have to replace the entire secondary, but Josh Johnson, Chris Quinn, and Charlton Williams all have some playing experience. I think there is a certain guard on the basketball team that might be interested in a one year gridiron curtain call. At the very least, Kramer could provide much needed depth. It is safe to say he would be a fan favorite as well.

Just to show I am completely delusional, I think a 6-0 start next year is entirely possible. It is possible, maybe even likely, that Charlie Weis will be gone and Jimmy Montana and Golden Tate will both go pro. That evens the playing field in the season opener quite a bit. We have no excuse whatsoever for losing to Ball State, Western Illinois, and Toledo in the non-conference season. In conference play I believe we can beat Minnesota, Northwestern (our first two Big Ten games), Michigan (ignore this if they field a defense next year), and Indiana. Three of those games are at home, so they need to be wins (a sidebar, it absolutely sucks we beat the league champ, but still went 3-4 at Ross-Ade. WTF?). That leaves Ohio State (tough at home), Wisconsin (They tend to dominate us physically), Michigan State (toss-up road game), and Illinois (a wild card with their sheer talent) as tricky games. Notice three of those four are on the road. Michigan State should be better, while no one know what to expect from Illinois anymore. The Illini could just as easily win the entire Big Ten as they could finish dead last.

So what should we expect? In a down Big Ten everyone is looking to improve. I think we showed the most improvement over anyone as the season went along. If we keep it going into next year, I expect at least an 8 win season. We will return to a bowl unless we crap the bed in one of those three easy non-conference games. With a few breaks we might even challenge for the Big Ten title.

Yes, I have lost my mind.

Hoosier Headlines for November 23, 2009: Bucket postgame and Puerto Rico coverage.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:25:01 -0000

More photos » by Ricardo Arduengo - AP

about 1 month ago: Indiana*s Maurice Creek, right, goes up for a shot against George Mason*s Louis Birdsong during their college basketball game at the Puerto Rico Tip-off tournament in San Juan, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

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I'll look back at the George Mason game later today.

Taylor rushes for 110 yards; Boilers keep trophy (Post-Tribune)
Purdue beats IU 38-21 for Old Oaken Bucket (The Courier-Journal)
Boilers beat Hoosiers to bring Bucket home (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.)
"It was a big win for us. I’ll be able to go back to Evansville and live comfortably during the break," said Elliott, who threw for 205 yards and four touchdowns in his first starting role against the Hoosiers. "I won’t have anybody giving me a hassle – because I always get Christmas cards, birthday cards saying, ‘Go Hoosiers.’ "
What we learned in the Big Ten: Week 12 (ESPN)
"It's likely that all 11 Big Ten head coaches will be back next fall. But four of them -- Illinois' Ron Zook, Indiana's Bill Lynch, Michigan's Rich Rodriguez and Minnesota's Tim Brewster -- will certainly be feeling the heat."
IU football has a long way to go (Post-Tribune)
"Coach Bill Lynch should bear much of the blame for a 4-8 season, which could have been more like 7-5. His passion shouldn't be confused with expertise. Watching him race up and down the sidelines and waving his fist like a man possessed doesn't impress me. Who's making the decisions while he's acting more like a ranting cheerleader than a coach?"

Purdue ensures Bucket is going nowhere (Journal and Courier)

Bucket game is as much about the future as it is the present(The Indianapolis Star)
"And yet, it wouldn't surprise me if we're here one year from now -- certainly two years from now -- and both of these teams are playing the Bucket game with eyes on bowl berths." I'm sorry to say that it would surprise me.

What a way to finish | RANDY BEARD COLUMN (Evansville Courier & Press)

Boiler Bucket: Joey Elliott’s career-high 4 TD passes lead Purdue past Indiana (Terre Haute Tribune Star)

IU loses third straight on Long's bank shot (South Bend Tribune)

Crean still confident after 0-3 trip (The Indianapolis Star)
"There was a ton to learn from this tournament,'' Crean said. "There's disappointment, no question about that, but I hope the fans and the university and everybody stays with me on this and that's that there's no reason to be discouraged. We're going to get a lot better."

Hoosiers finish last in Puerto Rico (The Indianapolis Star)

Former IU coach, player speaks at Andrean fundraiser (NWI Times)
"People have a tendency to have short memories (with last year's 6-25 record)," Dakich said. "But as a former player and a former coach, I know what was left when Tom (Crean) got there, and I think he's going to do a great job. But it's going to take a little time."

IU falls again in Puerto Rico (Evansville Courier & Press)

Hoosiers gradually on way back (Indiana Daily Student)

Good, Bad and Ugly: George Mason (Inside the Hall)

Purdue Boilermakers 38, Indiana Hoosiers: Indiana finally falls victim to turnovers.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:52:37 -0000

by Tom Strattman - AP

The story of the day.

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In most of the first eleven games, IU used one of the nation's best turnover ratios to compete against more talented teams. Yesterday, the tide turned, and IU lost the turnover battle 4-0 and Purdue won pretty comfortably. IU's offense moved the ball reasonably well: IU ran for 196 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry to Purdue's 124/3.8. Ben Chappell threw for 266 yards and IU averaged 6.8 yards per pass play. Purdue's Joey Elliott threw for 205 yards and 7.1 yards per attempt. Overall, IU gained 462 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per play and Purdue gained 329 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per offensive play. Of course, net yardage numbers are deceiving in a game like this, where one team is +4 on turnovers and when that team scores a special teams TD, as Purdue did by returning the second half kickoff for a touchdown, it's further exaggerated. Still, IU's per play averages seem to suggest that this would have been a competitive game if IU had been able to hold onto the ball. Certainly, much of the credit should go to the Purdue defense, which sacked Chappell three times, forced a fumble on IU's first possession that led to an easy touchdown, and had him on the run for much of the game. Still, the two interceptions were inexcusably bad throws, and will raise questions about whether Chappell, who looks so good at times and is only a junior, can be a winning quarterback at this level.

Are there any positives to take from this game? Well, I did the math as I stewed in the Stadium when IU was down 28-7 and figured out that at that point, after taking a 24-3 lead in the 2007 Bucket game, IU had been outscored by Purdue 111-20. It's sad that IU's primary rivarly game has reached a point where I fully expected IU to roll over and die and lose by about 40. I don't necessarily want to give credit for what should be a given, but IU did continue to play hard and at least put the game in some doubt in the fourth quarter. Again, that's faint comfort in a rivalry game at home against a not-very-good Purdue team, but it beats 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, and 2008. Sigh.

Individual performances:

Darius Willis played a solid game, running for 142 yards on 19 carries.
Mitchell Evans caught 10 passes for 112 yards and a TD.
On defense, Matt Mayberry (2 sacks) and Jammie Kirlew (1 sack) played well in their final game as Hoosiers.

Once the basketball season slows down a bit after today, I will do a bit of a post-mortem on the season. As for the Bucket game, the last five years have been a missed opportunity for IU. In three of the last five games, IU and Purdue have entered the game with identical records, and Purdue won all three games comfortably. I know it's politically correct to long for the days when the Bucket game means something nationally. I say screw that. Other than isolated seasons such as 1967 and 1979, it's been very rare for IU and Purdue to have good teams at the same time. I'm not sure Indiana is populous or has enough football talent for IU and Purdue to be good at the same time. Purdue is IU's adversary on the field and in recruiting, and getting the upper hand requires, at the very least, competing in Bucket games that should be competitive. IU has failed at that in recent years, for the most part, and it has to change.

Preview: Michigan State vs. Penn State

LVS — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:20:02 -0000

More photos » by Al Goldis - AP

about 1 month ago: Michigan State's Keshawn Martin (82) scores a touchdown on a 48-yard pass reception during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Western Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 49-14. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

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Your MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS vs. the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

SPARTAN STADIUM, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN

3:30 (ET), ABC (coverage map)

WEATHER: 52 DEGREES AT KICKOFF, TEMPERATURE FALLING AFTER DUSK.

Hey, a game that's not the most important of the season! Your Spartans obviously did the heavy lifting last week against Purdue; in all likelihood, this game is not about whether MSU will make a bowl, but rather, about whether we're going to San Antonio or Orlando or, of course, rollin' down Woodward to Ford Field (!). Penn State, after a season that has to be characterized as quite disappointing, amazingly still has a shot at a BCS berth. You know the backstory: last season, PSU absolutely demolished us; the season before, however, was good times:

It appears that the play-by-play guy attended the Joe Buck school of announcing excitement. Also, I miss Devin Thomas.

So, here cometh TEH GREATEST RIVALRY GAME IN ALL TEH LAND, and the opportunity to beat a team with a pulse for the first time this season. (Says the guy whose team's best win is against Temple. w00t.) The 8-million member PSU blogosphere and commentariat seems surprisingly reticent about this game. But, after last week's defensive fiasco I'm simply not comfortable picking us to win against teams with competent offenses. Penn State is such a team. I'd love to be proven wrong.

More, after the jump.

Big game plz, Colin.

WHEN MICHIGAN STATE IS ON DEFENSE: At this point, I think the secondary is probably going to suck no matter what we do, so we might as well stack the box to try to stop the run and get as much pressure on Darryl Clark as possible. Indeed, as RUTS told us, this is what you want to do with Clark:

He's like about any other good, but not great, quarterback. If he has a clean pocket and can set his feet, he's as good as anyone in the country. If he gets hit too much, he gets rattled and starts making bad decisions with the ball. In that sense, he can be knocked back into looking like a talented quarterback in his second or third start -- he thinks he can make throws that he can't actually pull off.

Clark struggled mightily in the Iowa and Ohio State games--and even in the Illinois game--because he was under pressure (ding ding ding da da ding ding). Pressuring him may allow Clark some opportunities to scramble (as Brian said earlier this year, he's "not Michael Vick but isn't John Navarre, either."), but it's probably the best chance to contain the PSU offense. PSU partisans seem to think that our defensive line will have success against their offensive line, and pressure Clark heavily; I'm not so certain. Many anticipated that Penn State's offensive line was going to be the downfall of the team this year, as it was the most inexperienced group in the conference. PSU has allowed only 12 sacks on the season, although it looked overmatched against Adrian Clayborn and Cameron Heyward, among others. But, uh, we don't have Clayborn or Heyward; we've got a defensive line which failed to pressure Joey Elliott (until the last play, of course), and hasn't proven the ability to apply pressure on its own. My suspicion is that, if PSU is content to throw from three-step drops, they'll have a lot of success: we won't have the ability to get to Clark that quickly, and our secondary is obviously vulnerable. Bottom line: stack the box, try to get pressure, hope for the best.

And, about those guys Clark will be throwing to: RUTS sez . . .

Starting WR Chaz Powell is out for the game with a shoulder injury. In his place, you'll see a rotating group including the very tall Brett Brackett and the very quick Curtis Drake. Maybe true freshman Justin Brown gets in the game, but I doubt it. Graham Zug had a nightmare game against Indiana last week, but that was mostly due to fumbling punts. He runs good routes and gets open against passive zone coverages. Really, that goes for the whole group -- if you can press and bump them, they become ineffective quickly. [ . . . ]

Derek Moye is probably our best receiver, but he was totally shut out by Ohio State's press coverage and only had two catches for 28 yards against Indiana. Because of that, I suspect PSU will make an effort to get him involved quickly.

Moye is indeed good: 41 catches for 676 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. He's 6'5", 195 pounds . . . and if you're thinking, "holy hell, he's Mike Floyd in disguise," well, yeah, me too. He's not quite there, talent-wise, but, erm, I wouldn't want to be fighting for a jump ball against him. I suspect that our cornerbacks wouldn't want to be, either. And, yeah, about that Quarless guy: he reminds me a lot of Kellen Davis in that he's ludicrous athletically, but the results don't quite meet the expectations. But, the same could be said of Garrett Graham, and that didn't end so well for us earlier this year.

This is probably Evan Royster's last regular season game for Penn State, as most expect him to jump to the NFL.
Last year, he only carried the ball 12 times against MSU, but those carries were relatively successful, as he averaged 6.6 yards per game. This season, he's been a bit up-and-down: he had big games against Northwestern and Minnesota, but not-so-good efforts against Iowa and Ohio State. MSU's rush defense has been mostly a positive this season, although last week was a bit of a regression. I suspect that Royster will approach 100 yards but not be the deciding factor in this game. His backup, Stephfon Green, has intermittently battled injuries and hasn't played much or well since the Illinois game much earlier this season.

Safe to say at this point: one of my all-time favorite Spartan football players.

WHEN MICHIGAN STATE IS ON OFFENSE: . . . we need for Kirk Cousins to have the best game of his career. As a preliminary matter, let's stipulate that we're going to get basically nothing against Penn State on the ground: the Lions are 8th nationally against the run, and our rushing offense is not good. The goal in this game should be to do just enough to semi-effectively set up play action.

Ah, so the main event: MSU's passing offense vs. Penn State's pass defense. It starts wtih the offensive line, obviously. Penn State doesn't have Tamba Hali or Courtney Brown or anyone of similar fear-producing ability, but the stats are certainly there: they lead the conference in sacks, and while Brian noted that:

[t]he numbers are impressive—PSU is 11th nationally with three sacks per game—but there is the whole schedule thing to take into account. Jack Crawford has four sacks, all of which come against the Akrons and Temples on the schedule. In Penn State's three real-ish games, they acquired one sack (Odrick) against Minnesota, three (Crawford, Latimore, Stanley) against Illinois, and two (Hull and Crawford/Lynn) against Iowa.

. . . Penn State sacked Forcier/Robinson 5 times, and then, the next week, sacked Mike Kafka 6 times. Since then, things have cooled down a bit: they weren't able to sack Terrelle Pryor (although Pryor is surely one of the most difficult sacks in the country), and were only able to get to Ben Chappell twice last week. Nonetheless, this is an impressive line; they're led by scary beast Jared Odrick, who has 6 sacks, and the aforementioned Jack Crawford, who now has 5.5. RUTS says that:

Penn State loves to just send the defensive line if they can get away with it. The defensive scheme actually depends on it, but PSU's defensive ends have been several notches below their predecessors. There's no Aaron Maybin, Maurice Evans, or Tamba Hali on this defensive line, so they'll send linebackers on occasion, and maybe mix in a corner blitz once or twice per game, but that's it.

We can't let them get tons of pressure from the front four alone. I know it's tempting disaster to say that I *want* Navorro Bowman, Sean Lee, and the corners to blitz, but Penn State blitzing and leaving the secondary exposed is how Cousins will be able to throw for lots of yards.

Penn State's defense is statistically impressive against the pass: 16th nationally in pass efficiency defense, and 17th nationally in pass defense. Once again, I'll let RUTS write my preview for me:

Penn State can be thrown on, but they do their best to protect any obvious liabilities in the secondary. Free Safety Nick Sukay has steadily improved throughout the year. Drew Astorino (#28) plays the other safety position, and it's no secret that he's trying to fight through a shoulder injury. CB A.J. Wallace sustained a concussion last week, he's listed as "possible" for Sparty. So there may be opportunities for you in the passing game.

So, PSU is good, but they're not scary in the way that Iowa is: this season, the Lions have allowed 252 yards passing to Northwestern, 263 to Illinois (!), and 298 last week to Indiana. (Note that they won all three of those games, however.) Quite frankly, our passing offense is better than any of those teams'. I think Cousins has a big day, and throws for at least 250 yards; look for B.J. Cunningham to play the Devin Thomas role this time around. If he's able to deliver, Cousins stands in line for first team all-conference honors, so there should be some personal motivation, too.

FINAL PREDICTION: Cut and paste, for starters:

Clark picked our defense apart last year, and while you don't have Derrick Williams anymore, our pass defense is even worse this time around. Also, I have distressing visions of Jared Odrick pwning whoever's blocking him and not giving Cousins enough time to be comfortable.

More generally, Dantonio has done a lot of good things during his time at MSU, but beating teams with appreciably more talent certainly hasn't been one of those things. So, I'll remain skeptical until we finally win one of these games. It's at home, which is good, and I could definitely see the special teams stats ending up very lopsided in our favor. But PSU is the better team, and you're playing for more: a win for us would upgrade our bowl game slightly, but a win for PSU might send you guys to the BCS. So, an upset isn't out of the possibility, but I'm not particularly optimistic.

I wrote that yesterday morning, and honestly, I'm a bit more optimistic now. Penn State fans seem quite worried about this game, and one columnist even questions whether Penn State's players even have their hearts into the game anymore. Which, like, what? Even if that's true, you're playing for the BCS! I'd dismiss it out of hand if the sentiment didn't seem to be a common one across the PSU internets.

One thing that doesn't fit into my normal preview format: if you've been reading previews of this game anywhere else, you'll know that PSU's special teams have been an unmitigated disaster this year, and ours have been very good. I'm normally skeptical that special teams play has any predictive value, but here the discrepancy between the teams seems so great that it may indeed be relevant this week. Keshawn Martin, Brett Swenson, Aaron Bates: keep on doing what you do so well. kthx.

Nonetheless, this is a pretty talented football team we're playing. PSU is excellent on defense, and the offense -- with many of the same players -- ripped us apart last year. It seems that I'm saying this every week now, but truly, our defense will determine whether we win this game. If they show up, we have a chance. If they play like they did last week, we don't. It's awfully tempting to say that MSU wins this game on the strength of the passing game and special teams play. But, visions of Quarless and Zug running rampant across the middle of the field prevent me from tempting fate, for now. Penn State 31, Michigan State 27.

Your thoughts welcome, of course.

Game 12: Indiana Hoosiers v. Purdue Boilermakers (preview).

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:17 -0000

More photos » by Paul Battaglia - AP

Let's hope that Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew can re-enact this scene a few times tomorrow.

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Purdue Boilermakers

2009 record: 4-7 (3-4)

2008 record: 4-8

2008 Sagarin: 78

2009 Sagarin: 78 (IU is 91)

Coach: Danny Hope (first year, 4-7)

Series: Purdue leads 69-36-6

TV: 3: 30 p.m., Big Ten Network

Blogs: Hammer and Rails, Boiled Sports

IU and Purdue renew their annual rivalry in Bloomington tomorrow. As I noted earlier in the week, Purdue dominated the series during the Tiller era. While IU never beat Tiller in West Lafayette and played only one competitive game there (a 28-19 loss in 2006), the series was more respectable in Bloomington. Four of the last last five Bucket games played in Bloomington have been competitive (IU wins in 2001 and 2007, Purdue wins in 1999 and 2003). Purdue comfortably won the 2005 game. Of course, last year, IU lost 62-10. The IU players have talked about it quite a bit, as have Purdue fans, who seem to think that a blowout win last year somehow innoculates them from defeat this season (don't tell them what happened after IU's 45 point win in 1988, or after Purdue's 37 point win in 1995).

Ultimately, history will not decide this game. How do the 2009 teams measure up?

INDIANA	category	PURDUE
356 (74)	total offense	397 (51)
407 (94)	total defense	369 (70)
24 (87)	scoring offense	27 (65)
29 (87)	scoring defense	30 (92)
124.7 (76)	pass efficiency	125 (72)
135 (86)	pass efficiency defense	114 (32)
246 (35)	pass offense	259 (30)
245 (95)	pass defense	197 (37)
109 (83)	run offense	137 (73)
162 (82)	run defense	171 (92)
1 (8)	turnover margin	-.8 (107)
1.9 (60)	sacks	2.64 (24)
1.2 (25)	sacks allowed	1.45 (42)

It's very striking how statistically similar the teams are. Both teams rely heavily on their passing games for yards, but neither pass offense is a model of efficiency. Really, the only categories that differ markedly are pass defense/pass efficiency defense (Purdue's is good, IU's isn't), and turnovers (IU has been one of the most turnover-blessed teams in the country, and Purdue has been one of the most cursed). While not in the table, Purdue's rushing offense has been better than IU's on a per-play basis (4.3 to 3.6). According to Sagarin, Purdue has the #31 schedule in Division I-A and IU is #59.

Who are the individuals to watch?

Purdue QB Joey Elliott has been a big part of Purdue's offense, and he is averaging 256 yards per game and has thrown 18 touchdowns. On the other hand, he has thrown 13 interceptions and is completing 60.2 percent of his passes, a solid but not overwhelming number. His numbers are pretty similar to Ben Chappell's (Chappell has is completing 63 percent of his passes and has 15/13 TD/INT).
Ralph Bolden has been Purdue's primary rushing threat. He has run for 931 yards and 9 TD and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
~~Freshman~~ junior receiver Keith Smith (the details of my cluelessness is outlined in the comments) has been a pleasant surprise for Purdue, catching 86 passes for 1015 yards.

"Throw out the records" is the cliche thrown around regarding rivalry games, but that's not necessary this year. These teams are in the same ballpark. Certainly, Purdue has modestly better statistics against a tougher schedule, and the win over Ohio State far exceeds anything IU has accomplished. Aside from that game, however, their profiles are pretty similar, and I can't say that any result would surprise me.

It's not going to rain tomorrow. We didn't gain an unfair motivational advantage from the death of our coach. In other words, unlike in our two wins over Tiller, if IU wins tomorrow, Purdue might have to admit that it counts.

Keeping the Bucket where it belongs

BoilerTMill — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:13:12 -0000

62-10

That is all we keep hearing all week. Indiana is attempting to use it as a rallying cry. Crimson Quarry called it the worst loss in the history of Indiana's football program. Mike Carmin talks about how Indiana players remember it by putting it up in their lockers. I find it interesting that they remember a game they were not at, as Indiana certainly did not show up last year. There would have been more honor in a forfeit.

Really, that is what it boils down to. Indiana should be embarrassed by last year's "effort." They didn't even try to defend the Bucket, and we took it back by force. They now get another shot to play for only pride against us. I agree that this Hoosier team is much better than last year's edition, but 62-10 still looms from the last time we saw these teams play.

It is still our Bucket. Come and get it.

A common sight

2008 Record: 3-9, 1-7 Big Ten

2009 Record: 4-7, 1-6 Big Ten

Bowl Result: none

Blog Representation: Crimson Quarry

Series with Purdue: Purdue leads 69-36-6 (Purdue leads Old Oaken Bucket portion 55-26-3)

Last Purdue win: 11/22/2008 at Purdue 62-10

Last Indiana win: 11/17/2007 at Indiana 27-24

Indiana offense:

Indiana wanted to establish a downhill running game with its new pistol offense, but instead has developed a pretty good passing attack. Our pass defense has been hit or miss at times this year, the same as our run defense. Let's hope we don't see a repeat of our last visit to Bloomington where the Hoosiers had a terrible running game, but we let Marcus Thigpen run draw after draw like we had never seen the play before.

The offense centers around quarterback Ben Chappell. He has completed 635 of his passes for 2,675 yards and 15 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He really should have 16 touchdowns after that horrible call in the Iowa game, but we won't get into that. Chappell has also rushed for two scores, but he has not been the runner that Joey Elliott has been with -23 yards rushing. Indiana's offense prides itself on taking care of the ball, but interceptions have been a problem of late with 6 in the last three games.

Chappell does a good job of spreading the ball around to some talented receivers. Tandon Doss is deserving of some all Big Ten recognition with 73 catches for 911 yards and five scores. Doss is only a sophomore, and he does have 92 yards rushing and another score. This is from the Wildcat formation I believe, which I still don't understand why it is so hard to stop when you're basically screaming the guy won't pass. Damarlo Belcher (57-706-4) is another quality receiver we will face. Tarrance Turner (42-413-1), Mitchell Evans (23-254-2), and Max Dedmond (17-132-1) will also likely get in on the action. Indiana is at its best when they can spread the field and get everyone involved.

The running game is not very strong, but has the potential for a big day if we let them. Darius Willis has rushed for just 465 yards and six scores, but he is a big play threat. He had 153 yards and two scores at Michigan and also cracked the century mark against Northwestern. He left the Wisconsin game with an injury, however, and did not play at Penn State last week. Demetrius McCray (290-1) is second on the team in rushing, but he has done little since a 134 yard day against Western Michigan in game 2. Indiana went primarily with Bryan Payton (148-1) last week against Penn State, but their running game should be severely lacking if Willis does not play.

Indiana's offensive line has been strong all year in pass protection, giving up just 13 sacks. Part of that is the design of the offense, which prefers quick passes much like Toledo used in the opener. Coach Terry Hoeppner made recruiting solid linemen a priority in his short time in Bloomington. It is paying off. Rodger Saffold and Pete Saxon are the senior anchors of the line at tackle and guard respectively. James Brewer is a big junior tackle at 6'8" 331lbs. Center Will matte may be the weak link. He is the smallest player on the line at 6'2" 285 lbs. He is also only a redshirt freshman. Expect Mike Neal and Kawann Short to try and take advantage of this up the middle. Saxon and sophomore guard Justin Pagan will be there to help out.

Indiana defense:

I am not worried about moving the ball on Indiana's defense. I am worried about keeping it against a defense that has produced 29 turnover in 11 games. Ball security has not been our strong suit all year. We cannot afford to hand over defensive touchdowns like we did against Oregon and Michigan State.

Linebacker Matt Mayberry leads that turnover parade with a team high 99 tackles, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery. He is a well-rounded linebacker with 3.5 sacks as well. The 5^th year senior will definitely want to have a huge impact in his final collegiate game, as he will very likely be playing on Sundays next year. Will Patterson and Tyler Replogle are second and third in tackles with 63 and 75, respectively. This is a veteran linebacking group that has done very well all year long.

Senior safety Austin Thomas leads the Hoosiers with four interceptions and is fourth on the team with 62 tackles. We must be aware of his presence over the middle, as he has 115 return yards on picks. He is joined in the secondary by safety Nick Polk, as well as corners Donnell Jones and Adrian Burks. Indiana has been hurt with some injuries in its secondary. The highly touted Jeremy Finch has been limited all year long. Projected starter Chris Adkins has missed five games. Wide receiver turned corner Ray Fisher has also been out recently.

There should be room to run on Indiana because the defensive line is great at getting to the quarterback, but struggles to stop the run. Indiana gives up 162 yards rushing per game, so Ralph Bolden should have room to run. Edns Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton are dangerous pass rushers that we must contain on the edge. Middleton has not played to his All-American form of 2007, but the dude was still an All-American at one time. Kirlew leads the team with 5.5 sacks. While Middleton and Kirlew are experienced seniors, Larry Black Jr. and Adam Replogle (Tyler's brother) are freshmen defensive tackles. We simply must attack them.

Indiana Special Teams:

If there is a great equalizer in this game it is our crappy special teams coverage against their excellent returners. Coverage killed us last week. It may not get better as Doss is a speedy returner with Fisher averages 37 yards per kick return with two scores. McCray is also very capable of returning kicks. Doss and Fisher are also very good at returning punts, while Indiana's coverage units are a little shoddy themselves. The Hoosiers have given up a punt return for a score.

Nick Freeland is a bit of a liability at kicker, making just 14 of 23 attempts on the season with a long of only 38. it will be a difference from last week, when Michigan State made two very big 52-yard field goals. Chris Hagerup is an excellent punter averaging almost 41 yards per kick.

Intangibles:

Again, 62-10.

Indiana can use that for as much motivation as they want, but Purdue has players that remember it too. Purdue has to be confident that its defense did what it wanted to, when it wanted to against Indiana last year. Three of the ten points only came about from a big Marcus Thigpen return. The rest was against the second string long after the game was decided. Offensively our weapons have changed, but aside from the turnover issues I think we are a better offensive team this year. We have more balance in the running game and the pass. We have to be confident that this Indiana team is not drastically different from the one we thrashed last season.

That said, the Hoosiers are much better than last year, and honestly are in the same position we are. They have only four wins, but they have to be thinking that at least three more got away. Both teams have only themselves to blame for this game not meaning more, with Indiana having a valid beef against Big Ten officials for losses at Iowa and Michigan.

Even though we have dominated the rivalry over the past decade the games in Bloomington have been much closer affairs. Both of Indiana's wins have come there, while the 1999 and 2003 games were close ones. Indiana has expanded its student section for this game, and they have been drawing better crowds this season. This won't be your typical apathetic crowd in Bloomington, but it won't be the raucous atmosphere of two years ago.

As I said yesterday, the winner of this game will likely be the 2010 "Big Ten team that will surprise" when the next season's predictions come out. For Purdue, a 4-4 Big Ten record after the disastrous start would be huge. We also want to prove that even though we are rebuilding, we are still decidedly better than Indiana. For Indiana, getting the Bucket would be a huge confidence boost for a program always in need of one. If they get it, something may be brewing in Bloomington for the future.

I will be heading down to Bloomington for this one. It will make my 10^th straight Bucket game attended. I am concerned that we will lose if "bad Purdue" shows up, but I am still buoyed by the confidence of 62-10. I hope are players are as well.

Keys to the Game for Purdue:

Play infinitely better against the run than the 2007 game
Avoid turnovers
Establish Ralph Bolden and Jaycen Taylor early
Remember that you are Purdue and you dominate this rivalry
Weather the early Indiana storm as they always start well
Dare Indiana to run the football

Hoosier Headlines for November 18, 2009.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:03:25 -0000

City native reflects on Hoosiers career (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.)
"That’s probably the story of my career, having to be ready," Payton said Tuesday at Memorial Stadium. "When I watched the film, I was like ‘Is that me?’ It was strange and surreal, but it was something I knew I could do. But I hadn’t done it up until that point."
These rivals don't talk trash (Evansville Courier & Press)
"Other than that, you may as well just flip a coin trying to figure out which should have the edge when the Purdue University football team travels to Bloomington for Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game against Indiana. Both are 4-7 going into the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket, one of the nation's oldest football rivalry prizes."

IU will look to Purdue as its bowl game. (Indiana Daily Student)
Ugh.
In the huddle: Purdue (The Indianapolis Star)
"If you're an Indiana coach and you don't know who coach Lynch is, you're not very well-connected in the coaching family," said Joey Elliott, born in 1986. "Anytime I see him, he always comes up and embraces me." [Hopefully Middleton and Kirlew will be doing the embracing on Saturday.]

Minnesota, Indiana try to avenge defeats (ESPN)

Football game attendance highest since 1992 (Indiana Daily Student)
"With more than 40,000 tickets already sold for this week’s Old Oaken Bucket game against Purdue, IU will exceed a 40,000 average game attendance for the first time since 1992."

Double-double not enough for Indiana's Watford (The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN)
"Christian Watford and Tom Crean are on the same page. This is good. Neither are satisfied with his double-double season average of 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. This is better."

It’s official – Sheehey signs Letter of Intent (Hoosier Hype | Indiana Daily Student)
"Now, it’s official. IU men’s basketball recruit Will Sheehey, No. 131 in the Class of 2010, signed a letter of intent to play hoops for the Hoosiers next year. Sheehey confirmed that information in a text message to IDS reporter Justin Albers just minutes ago."

I am stripped of all but pride

BoilerTMill — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:14:04 -0000

by Tom Strattman - AP

about 1 month ago: Michigan State running back Edwin Baker (4) picks up yardage as he tries to get away from Purdue safety Torri Williams (2) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

View full size photo »

The above lyric from Metallica is appropriate. After today's 40-37 loss we have only pride and the Bucket to play for this season. While it is disappointing, it is far from a horrible thing considering where we were going into the Ohio State game. We went from questioning if a 1-11 season was probable to playing for a bowl in the penultimate game of the season. Now we can build for next year with a statement win over Indiana.

That is why I think this season is a success regardless of the outcome of so many games. Yes, games against Oregon, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, and Michigan State would absolutely be wins if not for our own mistakes. Still, this season was not the 1-11 disaster many were picking even before it started. This team has shown more heart than recent Purdue teams. This team has never quit. This team has performed above expectations and has a win over the Big Ten's Rose Bowl representative and a close loss against the likely Pac-10 representative. This is growth from last year.

As for the mistakes that cost us today's game, they were unfortunate, but they can be corrected. That is also a sign of growth. We were 3-8 at this point last season, yet we seemed to have no heart or direction. The eight losses were by 6 (in overtime), 17, 14, 13, 22, 11, 14, and 5. This year, our seven losses were by 2, 7, 4, 3, 6, 15, 37, and 3. To me, that is a huge step forward from where we were. We are now to the point where other teams are not beating us except for our own mistakes. The next step is to correct those mistakes. If we do so, we will become a very good football team.

Positives from the Michigan State game:

Joey Elliott - Can you imagine if he had been a starter earlier in his career? If anyone deserved to lead this team to a bowl it was Elliott. After his TD pass to Cortez Smith you could see the passion as he ran off the field. He has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and I will miss his attitude.

Cortez Smith - Cortez has had a phenomenal two weeks and is putting himself in position to fill Aaron Valentin's role next season. The guy knows how to get open and get first downs. We can always use a guy who can use the chains.

Keith Smith - Keith will be a top target for Robert Marve next season. We have plenty of other options too. This is why I am already excited for next year. We return a bunch of experience at the skill positions and Keith will lead the way.

Jeff Lindsay and Kyle Adams - This was another fine week from our tight ends. They kept the chains moving with several critical catches. It is nice to add these weapons and we need to keep them involved in the offense next year.

Dan Dierking - I've always thought Dierking was undersized as a running back, but he made two huge catches today. That running back continues to be wide open on the wheel route, as Bolden was uncovered several times if we had looked for him.

Michigan State - It is rare that I credit the other team, but dammit if I wasn't impressed by the Spartans today. We truly outplayed them, but they made us pay for every mistake and made some huge plays when they needed to. I thought the game was over after Bolden's second TD. We had an 11 point lead on senior day with under 12 minutes left. The defense was rested, so I thought they would come out fired up. What ensued was a frenzy not seen since The Fumble game. Sparty earned this one today. They won a hard fought game.

Negatives from the Michigan State game:

Special Teams - I want J.B. Gibboney gone. Things were better without him. The past two seasons we were among the top 10 in kickoff coverage without a special teams coach. Today we acted like it was illegal to tackle the returner. The breakdown on the block field goal was huge. I don't mind Carson Wiggs missing the 49 yarder before halftime. You can't hit them all, but the other stuff is getting ridiculous. Chris Summers at least had a good game.

The defense - They had a great effort ruined by just a handful of plays, but they were big plays. They held for field goals after two long returns, but all three offensive touchdowns were the result of big MSU plays. They had a chance to really make a statement when up 11 and it last one damn play. To be fair, MSU provided excellent protection all day, but still. We had breakdowns two plays after we would look great. Just frustrating.

Covering Keshawn Martin - I hope this young man has a comfortable trip home because I don't want to see him again.

Up next:

As I said above, I am still incredibly proud of this team. The season will finish better than people thought, but not as good as it could have been. It is still progress. While I as at the Black & Gold Mine after the game I was listening to the call-in show after the game. Those that are attacking Danny Hope and saying he won't learn or it won't get better than this need to calm down.

Danny Hope did not miss tackles on kickoff coverage. Danny Hope did not miss the block that caused the blocked field goal. Danny Hope did not fail to execute on the field. What we are seeing are things that can be corrected. As long as the coaching staff recognizes this and works to do it for next season we will be fine.

Is it really that bad that we have lost seven games, five by less than a touchdown. We have been much more competitive than anyone expected. It is a base to build on for what can be a breakout year next season. The talent will only get better, while the departing seniors have never once quit on this team. That attitude will hang around. I will only be worried if the same mistakes continue unabated next year.

Keeping the Bucket next week is paramount. Both teams are 4-7, but both teams were 3-8 last year and 62-10 happened. We must exert our will and show that we are still much better than Indiana to gain confidence going into next year.

As for next year, I am expecting a big leap forward. First of all, playing Toledo, Western Illinois, and Ball State should be three easy non-conference wins. As middling as the Big Ten has been this season we should count on at least three conference wins, and if we improve I think we can win five. Are you really going to count us out of any game except maybe Ohio State? We can even make a big statement by ending Notre Dame's national title hopes in week one.

We're playing for next season now. It is this team's choice as to which way it wants to go. If we choose to focus on the positives of what we accomplished while striving to fix small mistakes we will do very well. If we choose to be negative and blame others for our failures we can expect another bowl-less season in 2010.

Boilermakings for 11/10

BoilerTMill — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:48:24 -0000

Let's get right to it:

Show up for the Seniors: beat State - you now have even less of an excuse not to come on Saturday, as the Athletic Ticket Office has announced some more ticket deals. Students can get in for just $10. We have had a great student section all year, but let's get even more out there. If you are a student and you know someone who hasn't been coming, find them and get them to come for $10! Is $10 too steep? How does free sound? All current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forced and their families can get in gratis on Saturday. All United Way agency clients can get in gratis as well.

While you're coming, bring some food as well - As is tradition for the final home game of the season, the Gleaner's food bank will be accepting canned foods and donations around Ross-Ade Stadium. It really is a great Saturday. Pay a low price, see some football, and donate to a good cause all in one.

Basketball wraps up exhibition season - It's not that I am lazy, it's just that I can't get excited about blowing out a division II team. Maybe we need to join the Big East so the games are exciting. I'll get into basketball coverage full swing later this week with the Cal State Northridge preview. I'll let the Boiled Sports guys handle things with their take on this one. Some things to bear in mind from the box score alone:

Mark Wohlford played 11 minutes. He may not play 11 minutes all season.
Ryne Smith played 21 minutes. That likely won't be his average.
Coach Painter seemed content to let the younger guys get some time, which is good.
Rebounding was much better.
Robbie Hummel might be ready to finally contribute a bit as a role player, at least according to basketball expert Terry Hutchens.

Volleyball continues to struggle - After beginning the season in the top 25 the women's volleyball team appears to have fallen off a cliff. Purdue is just 3-10 after a 5-1 start to the season and will need a dramatic turnaround to make the NCAA Tournament. Sits the Michigan schools this weekend after getting swept by Minnesota last week.

Women's soccer makes NCAA Tournament - Thanks to late double overtime wins over Indiana and Iowa the Boilers (12-5-3) are headed back to the NCAA tournament. Their foe in round one will be Central Michigan, with the Notre Dame-IUPUI winner awaiting in round two. Central Michigan is in via the MAC's automatic bid. Purdue carries a #23 ranking into the tournament.

Joey Elliott named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week - Beating OSU and Michigan in the same season will do that. Ryan Kerrigan needs serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the Big Ten with 11 sacks, and his one of Tate Forcier on the 2-point conversion try does not count. Boo for weird statistics.

If you're into torrents, this is for you - MGoBlog was masochistic enough to post a link to a full torrent of Saturday's win in all its 720p glory. Torrent experts, please explain how I can get this badboy working.

The Return of the podcast - Finally, the Hammer & Rails podcast returns tomorrow night, as I will be talking with Ben of the Michigan State SBNation blog The Only Colors. We're going to spend roughly the first half hour talking about football, then the last half hour discussing basketball and how nice the view from the top of the conference looks for both of us. Listen live at the link at 8pm ET/7pm CT/3pm Hawaiian.

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.