First Look: Purdue Boilermakers

In this week’s First Look, the Purdue Boilermakers offer up a unique situation. With a departing coach in Joe Tiller, a dynamite quarterback in Curtis Painter, and more question marks than answers, the boys from West Lafayette could surprise more than a few around the Big Ten in 2008. Following the first losing season in more than a decade, the Boilermakers rebounded with consecutive eight-win seasons, yet managed to be far less than impressive along the way. Can this team overcome some major obstacles and send Tiller out on a high note? I’m not sure it will be a season to remember, but there’s no reason Purdue couldn’t go bowling this Christmas.

1. Win one for the Tiller -- Teams do funny things when faced with its coach’s swan song. Joe Tiller took this program from the Big Ten basement to respectability, seemingly overnight with his “Basketball on Grass” philosophy. In one of my all-time favorite quotes, Tiller responded to doubts about his spread attack working in the Big Ten, “Maybe they didn’t know what November was like in Wyoming.” The funny thing about Tiller is that he never gets the credit he’s due when it comes to molding quarterbacks. Drew Brees and Kyle Orton had what it took, and now Curtis Painter is looking to be yet another Purdue signal-caller to go down in the Big Ten record books, all thanks to Tiller’s tutelage.

2. And speaking of quarterbacks -- If there’s one player taking the snaps this fall every team should fear, it’s Curtis Painter. Not only does he have the arm to chuck it around all day (3846 yds ’07), he can take off is he needs to (164 yds ’07). The problem for Painter this season is that Purdue loses four of its top five receivers from 2007 (Greg Orton returns, 752 yds). The running game should be even better, as Kory Sheets (859 yds ’07) and Jaycen Taylor (560 yds ’07) both come back, but their production depends on an offensive line which has the talent for big things this year. None of that matters, though, if the defense can’t stop anyone. This is a unit which loses five of its top six tacklers from 2007, and first-round NFL Draft pick Cliff Avril (8.5 sks ’07). The Boilermaker defense had enough trouble in 2007 (26.5 ppg/389.2 ypg), and I don’t see things looking up for 2008.

3. Make or break early on -- The 2008 Purdue football team will know right away just how good they are with a ton of rough games early on. A very good Oregon team comes to town in the second week, followed by a trip to South Bend, where the Irish are looking to revenge last year’s loss. Then the schedule really gets difficult. Penn State (first team to shut out Tiller-led team, 12-0 ’06) is in West Lafayette, then trips to Columbus to take on a stacked Buckeye team and Evanston where Northwestern might not give in so easy after Purdue scored 21 unanswered 4Q points last year (W 35-17). Purdue has also had trouble down the stretch in recent seasons, and with games against Michigan, at Iowa and Michigan State, and wrapping up hosting Indiana, it will take a bit of Tiller magic to turn around the November slump.

I’ll be traveling back to PA today, so I’ll try to have something up by Wednesday.

Next week’s First Look: Wisconsin Badgers

-First Look: Illinois Fighting Illini
-First Look: Temple Owls
-First Look: Syracuse Orange(men)
-First Look: Oregon State Beavers
-First Look: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers