Across The Web 2: Purdue

As we continue the Big T1e1n Season, we’re giving tBBC readers the chance to gain insight into the teams and fans that the Buckeyes will be matching up with on Saturday.

This afternoon, we invite Travis Miller from Hammer and Rails over for some tasty cinnamon rolls; check out our responses to him from yesterday:

Name one Purdue offensive and one defensive player that the nation hasn’t heard about but should have. What do they bring to the team that no-one else does?

Cornerback Ricardo Allen has been very impressive for a true freshman, but few have heard of him outside the program. Much was made of us having to replace our entire secondary, but Allen has come in from Daytona Mainland high and has emerged as a very good shutdown corner.

There are some freshman mistakes, but so far he has an interception, a sack, and five pass breakups to go with 30 tackles. He is a guy that is only going to get better over the next few seasons.

On offense I like his high school teammate O.J. Ross (#4). We have lined him up in the backfield a few times, but he has also done well on kick returns and as a receiver. He is a player that we need to get more involved, and he was a deep threat against Minnesota as we finally connected on a long pass with him. He is also a true freshman that will play a bigger role as time goes on.

The Boilermakers have always played the Buckeyes tough- a solid showdown in the ‘Shoe in 2008; last year’s upset victory in West Lafayette… Is there a particular reason that you see Purdue matching up so well with Ohio State?

It honestly baffles me. I know Ryan Kerrigan has been a major factor in that defensively, but last season was the first time we seemed to figure our OSU’s defense. I think that will be the key on Saturday. If our defensive line can repeat its performance last year with Bruce Gaston replacing Mike Neal we have a chance. It doesn’t mean anything unless we can move the ball consistently though. Surprisingly we’re a running team now. We have rushed for over 200 yards in five straight games, something we haven’t done since 1973. We’ve always struggled to run against the Buckeyes, so I really like our chances if we can somehow do the same. You also don’t have to worry about special teams, as we have done nothing in the return game so far.

When your fanbase talks about Coach Danny Hope, what adjectives do they use? How is he perceived on campus and beyond?

It is interesting this year. We were upset with another MAC loss in non-conference play, but it seems like he gets this team to play up to its level of competition. Unfortunately, it seems like they take some of our lesser non-conference games a little too lightly and we get burned like last year against Northern Illinois and this year against Toledo. I’d say the jury is still out, but a 6-4 start to his Big Ten coaching career isn’t bad.

That loss to Toledo must have been a hard pill to swallow. How has the team moved forward from that rough loss? Have any significant changes been made to the team as a result? Any advice you can give us as fans?

I still don’t understand the loss to Toledo. Some may place it on injuries, but it clearly still should have been a win. The defense was disjointed that day and the offense was terrible until making a push in the third quarter. Even then, the decision to settle for a field goal after having the ball 2nd and 1 at the three down seven was a huge mistake. We immediately gave up a huge kick return that set up a clinching TD for Toledo.
I think the team used its bye week to re-evaluate a lot of things though. We’re currently missing our top two receivers, quarterbacks, and really running backs from our beginning of the season depth charts. Only running back Al-Terek McBurse, the # 2 running back, is playing and he is limited by turf toe. We’ve somehow gotten it done with a makeshift lineup, but this is the biggest test yet.

What are your thoughts on conference expansion? Most of the focus in on how this will impact football programs- as a conference basketball power, what pros and cons do you see it having for hoops?

I really hope we’re done with it, and I think there isn’t much of an affect for basketball. Adding Nebraska in basketball is like adding Penn State. Every few years they may be an NCAA team, but they aren’t much of a threat otherwise. In football I like how we now have a Big Ten Championship game, but getting tagged with Iowa as our protected rival means we have to play OSU, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa in the first two seasons of the new Big Ten. That is a tough schedule to swallow.

Speaking (briefly) of basketball- What adjustments will Purdue make with Robbie Hummel’s unfortunate injury?

I think that is best summed up in an entry I did on Monday. The goal is still the same, it will just be a little tougher now.

We have to ask- What does it feel like to have finished Tim Brewster’s career at Minnesota?

I really don’t care either way. It is not like in 2004 when we ended Gerry DiNardo’s career at Indiana. It looked like he was going to get another season, but we beat them 63-20 and probably could have scored 90 if we wanted to in that game. DiNardo ended up getting fired and Indiana got Terry Hoeppner as a result. I think the Brewster thing was going to happen anyway, so I didn’t give it much of a thought.