Anyone watching the Cinncy-Houston game tonight?

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

As much as a gauge for Purdue as the game against Cinncy was, we can see truly how far apart Purdue is competing with the larger programs when Cinncy faces Houston tonight. Without having OSU, Michigan, or MSU on the schedule this year...it leaves Wisconsin as the lone measuring stick against what is perceived to be a big program this season...although I am still unsure about how good LSU is this season.

 

[pboiler18]

I think Cincy will show themselves well tonight. They have a smart QB and a good stable of RBs.

Now, I think their D is shit and will get torched, but they will score points too.

I call 42-31 for Houston.

I definitely think this Purdue team is better than it has been, but is still not where it needs to be. Yeah, we aren't good but im not going to be just another one of 1000 whiny bitches on this message board that cries themselves to sleep after a loss.

I don't think Hazell should be the coach anymore but the program is not crumbling beneath our feet. A good coach, hopefully our next coach can turn this around with the talent we DO have and by getting better talent in the future.

Next good team we play, i'll be back out on suicide watch for you guys....monitoring which ones are about to jump. Might even do some of you a favor and coax you to go!

 

[OhioBoiler3]

I could be totally wrong but hasn't Cincy won some pretty big Thursday night games at Nippert in the past 5 years or so?

 

[Boiler8285]

Bearcats don't seem too worn out by playing Purdue on Saturday. We weren't even a speed bump.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Or maybe we aren't as terrible as people think.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Anybody?

 

[AZPurdue007]

Or maybe we aren't as terrible as people think.

Here's my problem.: Hazell's first game: 42-7 loss at Cincy. Last week, Hazell's 4th season with most of his guys...38-20 home loss to Cincy. Very little improvement, if any.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Here's my problem.: Hazell's first game: 42-7 loss at Cincy. Last week, Hazell's 4th season with most of his guys...38-20 home loss to Cincy. Very little improvement, if any.

You realize those are two totally different teams, right?

 

[SIBoiler2]

You realize those are two totally different teams, right?

Yep, different teams, same result, same head coach.

 

[BoilerNGold013]

Or maybe we aren't as terrible as people think.

I actually agree. While I think Cinnci has more speed and a bit more depth, the two teams weren't that as far apart as everyone on this board and other message boards make it seem. To me, the difference in the game came down to the QB play. Cinni's guy played a terrific game and was perfect in the red zone. Blough was actually very good as well. Only difference were the turnovers. Without the turnovers I think the offense puts up at least 30 pts. I don't know if that wins the game however. The defense was giving up a lot.

 

[Boiler8285]

or maybe Cincy was coasting and looking ahead. Our QB had all day to throw and was consistently high and behind receivers. Zero run game. Defense was exposed. We are bad.

 

[Boiler8285]

bet Cincy wishes they could play Purdue every week. The old Bearcats seem to have lost their swagger. Good to see Houston dancing on the sideline at Nippert. Karma.

 

[pboiler18]

The more and more I read this board the less I feel posters know about actual football

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

The more and more I read this board the less I feel posters know about actual football

I'll try to break this down as much as possible without simply being a 'negative nancy.' I actually think I float some where in between with the program right now because I have seen tangible improvement from both inside and outside (improved strength, improved play calling and schemes, less penalties, improved talent over the course of 3 years). The problem is that those improvements are so incremental, they haven't been able to parlay them into victories on the field and victories on the recruiting trail. To believe the program is exactly where it was in Hazell's first three years is simply turning a blind eye to the improvements that have occurred.

The improvements that I mentioned, however, have done nothing in the way of the most important aspect of what a head coach needs to do: win. At the end of the day, a fan is only going to be sold on improvements and gaining ground on the programs around us for so long before they start to give up. As you all have probably seen, what is left is absolute core of the fan base and it is starting to turn ugly for the program. A program like Purdue could stand a year or two of bad football and still turn it around relatively quickly. The issues multiply themselves when the core fan base simply gives up, stops showing up, and stop giving money to the AD through ticket revenue and donations. That is the point we are currently at and fans have simply shut off from the speech that Hazell has been giving them for 4 years. As bad as that first year was, most fans gave Darrell a pass because it was his first year. Heck, I think most gave him a pass on year 2 as well. But last year was a disaster for the program and the AD as a whole and a change should have been made. Had a change been made, the fans that jumped ship after year 2 and year 3 would have probably been enticed back to the stadium and could have been sold on the idea of making improvements because of the mess most saw the program was in from DH. Waiting the extra year for what many perceived as to simply be a lost year, simply put, left most of the fans (even the core) disillusioned with the idea that the AD only wants your money and not your true support. Frankly, I would have to agree and don't blame the fans for not showing up.

At this point, I believe most fans aren't showing up because of the feeling of being taken advantage of by Morgan Burke and the AD and being made to feel like they were part of the problem instead of feeling like they were part of the solution.

 

[indianphil]

Basically, the Administration doesnt give a rip! I can buy into that.

 

[BoilerBiker]

being made to feel like they were part of the problem instead of feeling like they were part of the solution.

thanks to ms. Cross, the athletic Dept literally told us that in writing before (on the bball side of things)

 

[pboiler18]

People see the final score of the game last night an wallow in self pity and go wow, we lost to a team that got crushed by the #6 team in the country.

That just doesn't tell the full story of what happened in our game, nor does it tell the full story of what happened in the game last night.

I don't really expect a run of the mill Purdue fan to understand the nuances of college football though. Not after all the whining, bitching and doom and gloom that goes on here after ever single bad play, loss and season.

It's easy to see that we aren't a good football team. That said, it's ignorant to ignore the improvements made from last year to this year and just totally dismiss this team as unable to win further games. Yes, I think Hazell should be gone....but I think there is plenty of reason to support the team moving forward and be a REALISTIC and logic based fan and not just doom and gloom the rest of the way.

Just like people got too excited when we beat an FCS to start the year this year, I think people got too down when we lost to a non P5 team last week. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Cincy is a very talented team and represented themselves well last night vs. a likely playoff team in Houston.

 

[TopSecretBoiler]

People see the final score of the game last night an wallow in self pity and go wow, we lost to a team that got crushed by the #6 team in the country.

That just doesn't tell the full story of what happened in our game, nor does it tell the full story of what happened in the game last night.

I don't really expect a run of the mill Purdue fan to understand the nuances of college football though. Not after all the whining, bitching and doom and gloom that goes on here after ever single bad play, loss and season.

It's easy to see that we aren't a good football team. That said, it's ignorant to ignore the improvements made from last year to this year and just totally dismiss this team as unable to win further games. Yes, I think Hazell should be gone....but I think there is plenty of reason to support the team moving forward and be a REALISTIC and logic based fan and not just doom and gloom the rest of the way.

Just like people got too excited when we beat an FCS to start the year this year, I think people got too down when we lost to a non P5 team last week. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Cincy is a very talented team and represented themselves well last night vs. a likely playoff team in Houston.

I will freely admit we look better than last year. That doesn't make me feel good though...It's hard to see more than 3 wins and even 3 looks murky.

 

[AZPurdue007]

You realize those are two totally different teams, right?

You do realize that these two programs have the same coaches which they had in '13, right? You think we could have the lead against Houston at Ross-Ade early in the 4th quarter? Hazell might win the coin toss...I'll give you that.

 

[C-Paranoia]

Couldn't watch, just skimming the box score. From a Cinci perspective, looks like a huge difference in the Purdue victory vs. the Houston loss relates to turnovers. Purdue had way more passing than Houston but threw 5 INTs. On the other hand, Houston scored 2 TDs on INTs.

 

[BoilerNGold013]

I am going to try and extract positives if I see any b/c I always support men who are willing to go out and put their safety on the line to entertain the fans. Like I have said, the o-line and Blough look to be positives that can grow through the season but the sample size is too small.
The biggest unknown is how Els will adjust his system or if he WILL adjust it all. He wants to play a base 4-2-5 exclusively unless the opponent shows a straight power formation and yet the assignments still aren't sound on who has the qb! I understand keeping the LB off of the slot receiver but you have to plug up the middle on a run especially on 3rd down.

Nevada will be a very very interesting game. I think there is more than enough talent in the starters to win the game but how will the coordinators adjust their plans after watching film when the team played a P5 level opponent? I have more faith in Malone b/c I felt like he actually adjust his play calling against Cinnci in the 2nd half for the better. Seems like a solid play caller so far.
Els however is a serious unknown. So far (only the Cinnci game really) he has looked stubbornly incompetent in his defensive designs but I can do nothing but give him the benefit of the doubt and pray he adjusts and adds wrinkles to his scheme for 3rd downs.

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

I am going to try and extract positives if I see any b/c I always support men who are willing to go out and put their safety on the line to entertain the fans. Like I have said, the o-line and Blough look to be positives that can grow through the season but the sample size is too small.
The biggest unknown is how Els will adjust his system or if he WILL adjust it all. He wants to play a base 4-2-5 exclusively unless the opponent shows a straight power formation and yet the assignments still aren't sound on who has the qb! I understand keeping the LB off of the slot receiver but you have to plug up the middle on a run especially on 3rd down.

Nevada will be a very very interesting game. I think there is more than enough talent in the starters to win the game but how will the coordinators adjust their plans after watching film when the team played a P5 level opponent? I have more faith in Malone b/c I felt like he actually adjust his play calling against Cinnci in the 2nd half for the better. Seems like a solid play caller so far.
Els however is a serious unknown. So far (only the Cinnci game really) he has looked stubbornly incompetent in his defensive designs but I can do nothing but give him the benefit of the doubt and pray he adjusts and adds wrinkles to his scheme for 3rd downs.

I agree with the ineffectiveness of the 4-2-5. I get the rationale about it, especially at the lower levels...but when a pass first team can still have big offensive lineman that are competent run blockers, they can easily audible out of a pass and in to a run based on the defense is showing. As an offensive coordinator, if a team was showing a true 4-2-5 look, I would be running on most every down. The back has only one man to beat at the first level and he is suddenly among the defensive backs 5-8 yards down field before any contact.

 

[BoilerNGold013]

I agree with the ineffectiveness of the 4-2-5. I get the rationale about it, especially at the lower levels...but when a pass first team can still have big offensive lineman that are competent run blockers, they can easily audible out of a pass and in to a run based on the defense is showing. As an offensive coordinator, if a team was showing a true 4-2-5 look, I would be running on most every down. The back has only one man to beat at the first level and he is suddenly among the defensive backs 5-8 yards down field before any contact.

I hope Els has been secretly working on a scheme all summer with the team and the media never picked up on it but it seems like he is pretty set on going with his 5 DB match-up defense. I hope something gets adjusted. The D-line isn't terrible imo but its not good enough (especially in BIG play) to constantly hold the point of attack in a 5v4 situation.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

You do realize that these two programs have the same coaches which they had in '13, right? .

Umm. No they don't.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

If we lose to Nevada, I don't care if they fire DH in the locker room. However, if we win convincingly, I'm not ready to give up on the season.