2016 Positive Purdue Football Thread...
- Thread starter New Pal Boiler
- Start date
Markell Jones is REALLY REALLY REALLY good.
OL is a huge question mark. Will losing Kugler hurt? How bad? Depth is not our strong suit with injuries having taken their toll ending a few careers (Prince). (Cermin too>?)
Will one of our 2 star WRs we have been hoarding over the past 3 years step up and be at least serviceable?
D looks to be the strength with everybody but Watson and the CBs returning. I think we can cobble something at CB together to be find. DL will be deeper this year, but 2017 will be a big drop off with Replogle, Howard and Panfil gone.
LBs should be a strength will all of the starters just now being upperclassmen. Bailey getting hurt last year hurt our depth there too.
If the D can play aggressive instead of reactive, we should be at least better. Last year we were too scared to get burnt by the big play so we let teams just string together 12-16 play drives instead. At least it burnt the clock and meant most of our games were over before 3pm.
Still some talent left on this team but in year 4, it's hard to believe that the coaching talent is there to get us over the hump.
OL is a huge question mark. Will losing Kugler hurt? How bad? Depth is not our strong suit with injuries having taken their toll ending a few careers (Prince). (Cermin too>?)
Will one of our 2 star WRs we have been hoarding over the past 3 years step up and be at least serviceable?
D looks to be the strength with everybody but Watson and the CBs returning. I think we can cobble something at CB together to be find. DL will be deeper this year, but 2017 will be a big drop off with Replogle, Howard and Panfil gone.
LBs should be a strength will all of the starters just now being upperclassmen. Bailey getting hurt last year hurt our depth there too.
If the D can play aggressive instead of reactive, we should be at least better. Last year we were too scared to get burnt by the big play so we let teams just string together 12-16 play drives instead. At least it burnt the clock and meant most of our games were over before 3pm.
Still some talent left on this team but in year 4, it's hard to believe that the coaching talent is there to get us over the hump.
We're pretty thin on the dl Watson gone. Howard? Rouse gone. Right now all we have is replogle and Wilson in the middle and we still don't have a pass rush
We need Howard to come back for sure. That's still possible, right?
I'm interested to see if we have a kicking game next year.
My biggest question is the offensive scheme and play calling and how it changes.
Finally, I really, really do not want a QB controversy. Hopefully one player - don't really care which - separates himself in practice and stays healthy.
yeah I would like to see Howard come back too, but looks like he hasn't been working out with the team, wonder what is going on , I hope the guy realizes he isn't this young and has a chance to play football forever.
The kicking game will be questionable at best. The punter had six shanks last year averaging 15-22 yards per shank. He boomed a couple but lacks consistency and has no directional ability. Several times last year the gunners were on one side of the field while the ball landed on the opposite side. To his benefit: he will definitely be the starter since he holds the endowed punter scholarship.
Paul Griggs was a 50% field goal kicker in high school and continued that trend through college. In every kicking competition spring or fall, he was beaten by another kicker on the team. Coach Hazell could not replace him because he could not remove the holder of the endowed kicking scholarship from the field. Hazell stated on multiple occasions that he had no other options even though everyone knew that he did. It appears the next endowed scholarship kicker will follow the same path. As long as Purdue athletics puts no coaching effort into improving their special teams, we will stay at a mediocre level.
Anyone with a passing game will hang 40 on us. We have no pass rush, no proven corners, and mediocre at best safeties.
Luckily a lot of teams graduated their starting QB, so that will help some.
Hmmm, positives. Well we are going at a Cleveland Brownisan pace by starting potentially our 5th? QB in 4 years?
Home schedule really has no marquee matchups. Mighty EKU, Cincinnati, Nevada. I guess Cincinnati is coached by Tommy Tuberville who once coached in the SEC. That is cool. Rose Bowl Wipeout Iowa. 1990s great Penn State. Northwestern, the team we should beat but cannot. Wisconsin so we can see what Morgan picked over Danny Hope but had to go with Danny Hope when the mighty succession plan backfired.
I think it could be like mid-90s Boilers with a talented RB. Maybe we should bring back the Jim Colletto Victory Garden.
Hoping with the El Nino we have some nice fall weather.
Home schedule really has no marquee matchups. Mighty EKU, Cincinnati, Nevada. I guess Cincinnati is coached by Tommy Tuberville who once coached in the SEC. That is cool. Rose Bowl Wipeout Iowa. 1990s great Penn State. Northwestern, the team we should beat but cannot. Wisconsin so we can see what Morgan picked over Danny Hope but had to go with Danny Hope when the mighty succession plan backfired.
I think it could be like mid-90s Boilers with a talented RB. Maybe we should bring back the Jim Colletto Victory Garden.
Hoping with the El Nino we have some nice fall weather.
I recieved a phone call from the athletic department yesterday thanking me for repurchasing my two season tickets. Very nice young lady actually and I was impressed.
That's how bad things have gotten up there.
Anyway, if any of you get a call, be nice and dont shoot the messenger. I have to believe even the school recognizes what a mess they have created under such gifted leaders as Cordova, Burghoff and Burke? Add Beering to that list as well even though he didnt actually precede Cordova as he was another one who had no clue.
FWIW, that $60M is only the beginning of what it is going to take to to even approach respectable competitiveness!
That's how bad things have gotten up there.
Anyway, if any of you get a call, be nice and dont shoot the messenger. I have to believe even the school recognizes what a mess they have created under such gifted leaders as Cordova, Burghoff and Burke? Add Beering to that list as well even though he didnt actually precede Cordova as he was another one who had no clue.
FWIW, that $60M is only the beginning of what it is going to take to to even approach respectable competitiveness!
I have just one football player in my class this semester, so my sample is small this time around, but he is very enthusiastic about the new coaches that have come aboard.
that's good he is positive about the new coaches, I have felt that there was no way Purdue was that bad, just needed a new attitude and decent coaches
I am looking forward to seeing the development of some young guys to see if there is a basis for the program moving forward. I am still skeptical about Hazell but I am intrigued to see what the new coordinators can do. As I have sat and thought more and more about the state of the program, I keep thinking that Hazell has the qualities you want in a coach that is rebuilding (patient, focused, intense, loyal) but that some of the those same qualities have led to the poor showings and poor coaches that he stuck with for too long. As with other posters here, I have heard nothing but positives from people around the program about the new schemes and simplifying things. I think it was very telling that Hudson and Shoop were not picked up by other programs.
This is also a very positive sign from the coaches, specifically the new OL coach, Funk,
From Stacey:
Though Funk wants his group to have an intense physicality, he said he's been impressed by the players' collective athleticism, which could be important if the Boilermakers end up pulling more up front.
King and Barron especially are athletic, but Roos may be one of the most flexible players up front, too.
"These guys can run and get out in space," Funk said. "They’ve done a nice job that way. As far as the overall skill sets of these guys, I think they’re very well-rounded kids. You have old guys, young guys ... some of the young guys have to get stronger, some of the older guys are pretty strong, they just need to learn exactly what I want and the nuances of what I like as far as the coaching. But I think the athleticism is good, the re-direction, these guys can run. I’m happy with that."
What does this say to me...that Bridge and Funk see that the offensive lineman are better suited to certain schemes which will mean the offensive scheme will be tailored more to what the players do well...round peg, round hole...instead of what truly appeared to be square peg, round hole that last few seasons. I am going to the kick scrimmage Saturday and then trying to get to a practice next week. I'll let you all know what I see from a fan's perspective who likes to think I know a fair amount (heck, I have coached a bit in my time as well).
From Stacey:
Though Funk wants his group to have an intense physicality, he said he's been impressed by the players' collective athleticism, which could be important if the Boilermakers end up pulling more up front.
King and Barron especially are athletic, but Roos may be one of the most flexible players up front, too.
"These guys can run and get out in space," Funk said. "They’ve done a nice job that way. As far as the overall skill sets of these guys, I think they’re very well-rounded kids. You have old guys, young guys ... some of the young guys have to get stronger, some of the older guys are pretty strong, they just need to learn exactly what I want and the nuances of what I like as far as the coaching. But I think the athleticism is good, the re-direction, these guys can run. I’m happy with that."
What does this say to me...that Bridge and Funk see that the offensive lineman are better suited to certain schemes which will mean the offensive scheme will be tailored more to what the players do well...round peg, round hole...instead of what truly appeared to be square peg, round hole that last few seasons. I am going to the kick scrimmage Saturday and then trying to get to a practice next week. I'll let you all know what I see from a fan's perspective who likes to think I know a fair amount (heck, I have coached a bit in my time as well).
We are currently tied for first place! And will be for the next 5 months!!
I'm not going to comment on the away games until I review the google maps.
A colleague of mine officiates 1AA (FCS) and regularly does B1G spring games, including Purdue, as prep for his (hopefully) eventual move up to B1G. Anyway, he says we should stick with Hazell -- that DH2 is a class act and is doing things the right way with high quality kids. Problem is, no matter how fundamentally good a coach is, he only gets so many chances to prove it at this level, and DH2 is down to his last strike. Too bad, the Shoop hire, and the refusal to fire him sooner, may end up consigning DH2 to a career as an assistant.
The more and more I sit and think about Hazell and his time in the program, the more I am beginning to think since he gave Shoop and Hudson three years, he may need to be given two years with these new assistants to see if improvement can come. In all honesty, if Hazell gets 4 wins this season and 6 the next year, is that enough improvement in wins and losses to be given a 6th year?
If he really is "doing things the right way", when will that eventually manifest itself in results?
Hard for me to believe that's true after witnessing the Minnesota debacle in person. They just quit.
I think 6, like Danny Hope, is the ceiling. If you want 6 as the "good" season then whatever. Because a FCS ref is impressed with DH because of his pleases and thank yous, and he is polite, I don't put much stock in that.
I'm not saying I disagree at all and definitely don't want to just get a participation trophy win season and claim a success. However, if Hazell can get to 6 wins, do you you think AD makes a change when there is a bit of momentum in the program or potentially allow a slide back to 2-3 wins before making the move?
He is not bringing in enough talent to win. Doing things the "right way" is fine. The roster is void of B1G caliber players. His recruiting is getting worse, not better.
We'd be recruiting better though if we were winning. Much better I'd say. I still think we'd potentially have enough talent this year to win 6, but after this year it will get tougher for sure.
And yes, I do realize that the losing is DHs fault. I just think the offense HAS to be better under somebody not named Shoop.
It's a vicious circle. He won't get out from under barring a miracle
At this point, it doesn't bug me. I think he deserved to be fired after last year....but did we really want Burke hiring ANOTHER FB coach?
Hopefully, we get the new AD in place in plenty of time to make the new hire come NOV/DEC so he can have his guy in place.
Also, Hazell's first full class will be seniors and his 2nd class will all be upperclassmen. Time to crap or get off the pot.
NO excuse to keep him around for year 5 if there is no clear momentum forward.
Yea, I don't want Burke hiring another. Going to be a wasted year which is unfair to the players and fans
I think we'll see one important thing.....did Shoop hold the team back or did we just really suck?
I can't think of a good offense he's ever coached so evidence points hard to the fact that Shoop just sucks at coordinating offense.
With Malone in place, we have a veteran guy who's schemed for a winning team before. Hopefully that moves the needle for our offense a bit. If Markell Jones doesn't touch the ball 25 times a game, Malone should be fired immediately.
6 wins in 2016? I guess that would be marked progress and enough to give a small (2 year extension). Then in 2017 if it is anything less than 5, he would have to go.
Lets say the original, 4 win prediction is given. True a high water mark for DH, but 10-38 4 year run. He couldn't survive that unless an AD still is not in place.
This team is all about hyping themselves up until the games start. Has Stacy started with the stories about how hard the team is working and how much better they look yet?
