All of three games are in the books and Purdue's bye week is upon us already.
So we take this opportunity to break down what's happened so far, doing so in super-creative what we learned/what we haven't yet learned format for your reading convenience.
What we have learned
As was hoped to be the case, Purdue's defensive line is good and in large part because of it, Purdue's defense is good.
At this stage of seasons, there's legit legit and there's fake legit (an antonym along the lines of "jumbo shrimp" or "Modest Weis"), fake legit meaning something that looks good against bad competition but will soon be exposed against better competition.
Well, Purdue's defensive line looks legit legit and that won't change, provided every stays healthy.
Kawann Short is great, but that was pretty much a given. He's not making as many plays, but he's making bigger plays and impacting games like you'd expect a player of his presence to.
What's been so important is that other guys are making plays, taking advantage of Short's disruptiveness.
Ryan Russell is going to be terrific, but Bruce Gaston has taken a step as a player, too, and that platoon at the other end ? Jalani Phillips and Ryan Isaac ? seems like it's working out. Phillips has a chance.
That line is the tone-setter for Purdue's entire defense and has gone a long way in filling the Boilermakers' dire need for a pass rush.
Until proven otherwise, you have to think there's some vulnerability up the middle among the new linebackers and new safeties. And on the outside, teams have had success getting the corner.
But there is no question that what we have seen so far is a defense good enough for Purdue to win with.
Not that it was a question, per se, but yes, Purdue is fast. You saw that Saturday when the Boilermakers ran away from Eastern Michigan like it was pushing lotion samples at the mall.
Purdue's offense really has some wheels at the skill positions.
Time will tell if it's truly functional speed. Akeem Hunt is electric in the open field, but against good teams, open field is hard to come by. Raheem Mostert's a rocket, but when you run between the tackles, which is what he mostly does, it can be tough sledding in this league. Gary Bush is fast, but when he finally gets a chance to beat a team deep, he drops the ball. O.J. Ross gets it in the open field against Eastern Michigan and fumbles.
Having speed is one thing. Using it is another.
I'm interested to see the next 10 weeks how Purdue uses its speed.
Purdue has a clear-cut No. 1, alpha male among its corps of wide receivers. Antavian Edison has been tremendous through three games and there's no reason to think that won't continue.
He's been so reliable and so tough and just so good so far.
Purdue spreads the ball around so much that the days of 80-, 90- or hundred-catch seasons around here seem to be over, but that doesn't mean Edison isn't that caliber of player.
In past years, we've viewed Edison as a good player but more of a complementary type, ideally the second- or third-best guy on your team. Not anymore. He's good.
Purdue's corners are terrific, as we expected them to be.
It was probably never fair that Ricardo Allen has always gotten so much more fanfare than Josh Johnson. Not that Allen didn't deserve it, but when you're as highly touted and interesting and determined as Allen was/is ? and you score a bunch of touchdowns ? it's only natural.
But Johnson is having a great season and has emerged, to me anyway, as the second-best pro prospect on that defense. He is playing at an All-Big Ten level and making game-changing plays.
What we haven't yet learned
Is quarterback play really going to be the strength of this time the way we thought it would be based on experience? Obviously the complexion of the situation has changed now with Robert Marve being hurt again, but Purdue can't win like it will want to without high-level quarterback play.
The ball is in Caleb TerBush's hands from here on out ? we'd think anyway ? and he simply must play better than he has the past two weeks, especially after the resounding endorsement he received from his coach prior to the Notre Dame game.
It would have been real interesting to see what would have happened had Marve stayed healthy: I got the sense he was maybe a game or two away from really being on top of his game and finally getting to show what he can do when completely healthy and completely comfortable.
If there's any silver lining here, it's that TerBush can now take ownership of this offense without having to break continuity or look over his shoulder and that Rob Henry ? who'll also rotate in ? offers a stark contrast to the start and now gives Purdue diversity in its rotation.
But I don't know if this is going to be a true two-quarterback system, per se, moving forward.
No matter what you saw in this past Saturday's track meet, Purdue will have to pass effectively to beat good teams. With that in mind, it may only go as far as its quarterbacks can take it.
I don't want to use the term "worry" in relation to Purdue's offensive line. That would be negative. How about "wonder"?
The O-line has had its ups and downs thus far and will be put to far greater tests than those it's been subjected to already. It still seems like there's some fluidity there in terms of who might be playing where and there's got to be some concern over left guard Peters Drey, who's dealt with so much physically in his career, that you wonder how much is left in the tank. Purdue is wisely looking for ways to help him by rotating others in at the position.
Can Purdue kick? That remains to be seen. The punting has been phenomenal. The placekicking, a job that doesn't seem like it was ever decisively won in the preseason, is a question mark. Purdue's only tried one field goal, which it made, but it's averaging one missed PAT per game.
For a team that might have to win with defense, this group can't afford to squander easy points, whether they be points-after or makeable field goals.
Bottom line: As is, Purdue is a good enough team to replicate last season's winning record. To exceed it ? perhaps significantly ? the questions outlined above must be answered.
But this is a team with a lot of potential. If it can get at least one of those two home games to start Big Ten play, this is a team with eight- or nine-win potential and certainly a team that's going to be fun and interesting to watch.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
So we take this opportunity to break down what's happened so far, doing so in super-creative what we learned/what we haven't yet learned format for your reading convenience.
What we have learned
At this stage of seasons, there's legit legit and there's fake legit (an antonym along the lines of "jumbo shrimp" or "Modest Weis"), fake legit meaning something that looks good against bad competition but will soon be exposed against better competition.
Well, Purdue's defensive line looks legit legit and that won't change, provided every stays healthy.
Kawann Short is great, but that was pretty much a given. He's not making as many plays, but he's making bigger plays and impacting games like you'd expect a player of his presence to.
What's been so important is that other guys are making plays, taking advantage of Short's disruptiveness.
Ryan Russell is going to be terrific, but Bruce Gaston has taken a step as a player, too, and that platoon at the other end ? Jalani Phillips and Ryan Isaac ? seems like it's working out. Phillips has a chance.
That line is the tone-setter for Purdue's entire defense and has gone a long way in filling the Boilermakers' dire need for a pass rush.
Until proven otherwise, you have to think there's some vulnerability up the middle among the new linebackers and new safeties. And on the outside, teams have had success getting the corner.
But there is no question that what we have seen so far is a defense good enough for Purdue to win with.
Purdue's offense really has some wheels at the skill positions.
Time will tell if it's truly functional speed. Akeem Hunt is electric in the open field, but against good teams, open field is hard to come by. Raheem Mostert's a rocket, but when you run between the tackles, which is what he mostly does, it can be tough sledding in this league. Gary Bush is fast, but when he finally gets a chance to beat a team deep, he drops the ball. O.J. Ross gets it in the open field against Eastern Michigan and fumbles.
Having speed is one thing. Using it is another.
I'm interested to see the next 10 weeks how Purdue uses its speed.
He's been so reliable and so tough and just so good so far.
Purdue spreads the ball around so much that the days of 80-, 90- or hundred-catch seasons around here seem to be over, but that doesn't mean Edison isn't that caliber of player.
In past years, we've viewed Edison as a good player but more of a complementary type, ideally the second- or third-best guy on your team. Not anymore. He's good.
It was probably never fair that Ricardo Allen has always gotten so much more fanfare than Josh Johnson. Not that Allen didn't deserve it, but when you're as highly touted and interesting and determined as Allen was/is ? and you score a bunch of touchdowns ? it's only natural.
But Johnson is having a great season and has emerged, to me anyway, as the second-best pro prospect on that defense. He is playing at an All-Big Ten level and making game-changing plays.
What we haven't yet learned
The ball is in Caleb TerBush's hands from here on out ? we'd think anyway ? and he simply must play better than he has the past two weeks, especially after the resounding endorsement he received from his coach prior to the Notre Dame game.
It would have been real interesting to see what would have happened had Marve stayed healthy: I got the sense he was maybe a game or two away from really being on top of his game and finally getting to show what he can do when completely healthy and completely comfortable.
If there's any silver lining here, it's that TerBush can now take ownership of this offense without having to break continuity or look over his shoulder and that Rob Henry ? who'll also rotate in ? offers a stark contrast to the start and now gives Purdue diversity in its rotation.
But I don't know if this is going to be a true two-quarterback system, per se, moving forward.
No matter what you saw in this past Saturday's track meet, Purdue will have to pass effectively to beat good teams. With that in mind, it may only go as far as its quarterbacks can take it.
The O-line has had its ups and downs thus far and will be put to far greater tests than those it's been subjected to already. It still seems like there's some fluidity there in terms of who might be playing where and there's got to be some concern over left guard Peters Drey, who's dealt with so much physically in his career, that you wonder how much is left in the tank. Purdue is wisely looking for ways to help him by rotating others in at the position.
For a team that might have to win with defense, this group can't afford to squander easy points, whether they be points-after or makeable field goals.
Bottom line: As is, Purdue is a good enough team to replicate last season's winning record. To exceed it ? perhaps significantly ? the questions outlined above must be answered.
But this is a team with a lot of potential. If it can get at least one of those two home games to start Big Ten play, this is a team with eight- or nine-win potential and certainly a team that's going to be fun and interesting to watch.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
