Welcome to Kinnick Stadium, one of the most intimate—and intimidating—settings in the Big Ten. It's a beautiful day for football!
Purdue faces a tall order today facing the No. 2 Hawkeyes. And the Boilermakers’ task is complicated by a running back unit that lacks depth.
Purdue is OK with its top two backs: King Doerue and Dylan Downing. After that? The staff has walk-ons. Maybe a wideout like Jackson Anthrop will get some carries.
Some story lines to monitor …
• Will this be the day Purdue finally gets some takeaways? The defense has none in the last three games and just two on the season, which ranks last in America. Oh, and how about some sacks? Purdue has seven in fives, last in the Big Ten (1.4 pg).
• Speaking of pass rushers, will George Karlaftis FINALLY draw a holding penalty? It has almost become a running joke.
• Can Purdue hit some passes down field? That has been the crux of the Boilermakers’ three wins vs. the Hawkeyes under Jeff Brohm.
• Can tight end Payne Durham make his presence felt as he comes back from concussion protocol?
• Can the offense generate ANY type of a ground game? Hello? (See above)
• How will the offense do in the red zone? It has been analyzed and discussed to death. Purdue needs more touchdowns and fewer field goals in the red zone. Any new wrinkles today? Maybe we will see more of reserve quarterback Austin Burton, whose run-pass ability could be an X-factor. I sure hope so.
• Will “Leo” DaMarcus Mitchell make an impact? He has yet to get on track in 2021 for various reasons.
• Can punter Jack Ansell match kicks with fellow Aussie Tory Taylor? This could be a battle of field position, with punters looming large. I know … exciting.
• Will Purdue score on some big plays? It sure would help to avoid the red zone altogether by just scoring on, say, a 50-yard pass.
• Will David Bell feast on Iowa for a third season in a row? He needs to. Bell has 26 catches for 318 yards and four TDs the last two games vs. the Hawkeyes.
What will you be looking for today?
Purdue faces a tall order today facing the No. 2 Hawkeyes. And the Boilermakers’ task is complicated by a running back unit that lacks depth.
Purdue is OK with its top two backs: King Doerue and Dylan Downing. After that? The staff has walk-ons. Maybe a wideout like Jackson Anthrop will get some carries.
Some story lines to monitor …
• Will this be the day Purdue finally gets some takeaways? The defense has none in the last three games and just two on the season, which ranks last in America. Oh, and how about some sacks? Purdue has seven in fives, last in the Big Ten (1.4 pg).
• Speaking of pass rushers, will George Karlaftis FINALLY draw a holding penalty? It has almost become a running joke.
• Can Purdue hit some passes down field? That has been the crux of the Boilermakers’ three wins vs. the Hawkeyes under Jeff Brohm.
• Can tight end Payne Durham make his presence felt as he comes back from concussion protocol?
• Can the offense generate ANY type of a ground game? Hello? (See above)
• How will the offense do in the red zone? It has been analyzed and discussed to death. Purdue needs more touchdowns and fewer field goals in the red zone. Any new wrinkles today? Maybe we will see more of reserve quarterback Austin Burton, whose run-pass ability could be an X-factor. I sure hope so.
• Will “Leo” DaMarcus Mitchell make an impact? He has yet to get on track in 2021 for various reasons.
• Can punter Jack Ansell match kicks with fellow Aussie Tory Taylor? This could be a battle of field position, with punters looming large. I know … exciting.
• Will Purdue score on some big plays? It sure would help to avoid the red zone altogether by just scoring on, say, a 50-yard pass.
• Will David Bell feast on Iowa for a third season in a row? He needs to. Bell has 26 catches for 318 yards and four TDs the last two games vs. the Hawkeyes.
What will you be looking for today?
