Are people sleeping on Purdue?

[FirstDownB]

Let’s consider how this young team finished last year, while battered and nearly broken with injuries.

Nebraska 31-27
@Northwestern 24-22
@Wisconsin 24-45 (17-24 halftime)
Indiana 41-44 (2 OT)

Those are four mostly competitive games against typical opponents on our Big Ten West schedule.

Now, let’s consider by positional group this Purdue team compared to that one.

Quarterbacks - Improved. Same guys, more experience.

Running back - Improved. Mostly same guys, more experience.

O Line - Improved. More experience and depth.

Receivers - Improved. Healthy Rondale and DB3.

Tight end - Downgrade at the top but more experience in the depth.

D Line - Improved. Return of Neal and more experience in the depth.

Linebacker- Improved (likely). Lose Holt but gain Mitchell and more experienced depth.

Secondary - Improved. Added depth and experience with minor losses.

Now, I don’t follow enough teams to answer this, but how many can honestly say they should be improved at nearly every single position? Trying not to see this through my gold colored glasses, but this doesn’t look like the formula for a 3-5 season most are predicting.

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

It wouldn't be the first time it has happened.

 

[Matt Tiger]

Let’s consider how this young team finished last year, while battered and nearly broken with injuries.

Nebraska 31-27
@Northwestern 24-22
@Wisconsin 24-45 (17-24 halftime)
Indiana 41-44 (2 OT)

Those are four mostly competitive games against typical opponents on our Big Ten West schedule.

Now, let’s consider by positional group this Purdue team compared to that one.

Quarterbacks - Improved. Same guys, more experience.

Running back - Improved. Mostly same guys, more experience.

O Line - Improved. More experience and depth.

Receivers - Improved. Healthy Rondale and DB3.

Tight end - Downgrade at the top but more experience in the depth.

D Line - Improved. Return of Neal and more experience in the depth.

Linebacker- Improved (likely). Lose Holt but gain Mitchell and more experienced depth.

Secondary - Improved. Added depth and experience with minor losses.

Now, I don’t follow enough teams to answer this, but how many can honestly say they should be improved at nearly every single position? Trying not to see this through my gold colored glasses, but this doesn’t look like the formula for a 3-5 season most are predicting.

I agree.Of course,in order to go 5 and 3 or better ,which is possible P urdue must beat Iowa.

 

[Wolegib]

when I evaluate the improvement of a team, i do not compare it to its past, but rather to its competition and how much they have also grown. The big 10 as a league had a tremendous recruitment year last year along with Purdue. I believe Purdue has a solid chance of winning 6 games this year. but people at Nebraska, Minn, IU and Northwestern also believe their teams are also much improved over last year. But to win 5 games, we must first win the first game.

I'm not sure what to really expect this year.

 

[Woodsa]

I would agree with your premise. It sounds cliche but I believe we'll have a good idea how the season will go based on thie Iowa game.

 

[izakman]

I think we are in for a really good year. This video gets me excited.


I say let them sleep on us.

 

[FirstDownB]

when I evaluate the improvement of a team, i do not compare it to its past, but rather to its competition and how much they have also grown. The big 10 as a league had a tremendous recruitment year last year along with Purdue. I believe Purdue has a solid chance of winning 6 games this year. but people at Nebraska, Minn, IU and Northwestern also believe their teams are also much improved over last year. But to win 5 games, we must first win the first game.

I'm not sure what to really expect this year.

All teams have question marks. I think the difference is all of Purdue’s question marks are along the lines of “to what degree have they improved” while most teams also have questions about “who will replace the loss of such and such”. Maybe a bit like the 2015-16 basketball season when everyone but Octeus returned and Swanigan and Cline were added. It was fair to say you knew the team was at least as good, but likely better.

You would expect improvement from 4-8, but my implication above is that, despite the injuries to key players, this team actually improved and was playing more like a .500 team. Even slight improvement on .500 could mean 5-3, which many might consider a surprise.

 

[SCBoiler1]

Let’s consider how this young team finished last year, while battered and nearly broken with injuries.

Nebraska 31-27
@Northwestern 24-22
@Wisconsin 24-45 (17-24 halftime)
Indiana 41-44 (2 OT)

Those are four mostly competitive games against typical opponents on our Big Ten West schedule.

Now, let’s consider by positional group this Purdue team compared to that one.

Quarterbacks - Improved. Same guys, more experience.

Running back - Improved. Mostly same guys, more experience.

O Line - Improved. More experience and depth.

Receivers - Improved. Healthy Rondale and DB3.

Tight end - Downgrade at the top but more experience in the depth.

D Line - Improved. Return of Neal and more experience in the depth.

Linebacker- Improved (likely). Lose Holt but gain Mitchell and more experienced depth.

Secondary - Improved. Added depth and experience with minor losses.

Now, I don’t follow enough teams to answer this, but how many can honestly say they should be improved at nearly every single position? Trying not to see this through my gold colored glasses, but this doesn’t look like the formula for a 3-5 season most are predicting.

If you look at the scores you posted Purdue could have easily gone 3 and 1 or 1 and 3. That's the way I look at this season. Purdue could go 6 and 2, but it could also go 2 and 6. The only game I see us as a clear favorite is Rutgers and the only game I see us as a clear underdog is Wisconsin. To me the rest of the games are 50/50 type games.

 

[FirstDownB]

If you look at the scores you posted Purdue could have easily gone 3 and 1 or 1 and 3. That's the way I look at this season. Purdue could go 6 and 2, but it could also go 2 and 6. The only game I see us as a clear favorite is Rutgers and the only game I see us as a clear underdog is Wisconsin. To me the rest of the games are 50/50 type games.

Should be a lot of competitive games. Hopefully these incremental improvements and more experience/depth across the board make the difference in 4th quarters.

 

[TMFT]

If you look at the scores you posted Purdue could have easily gone 3 and 1 or 1 and 3. That's the way I look at this season. Purdue could go 6 and 2, but it could also go 2 and 6. The only game I see us as a clear favorite is Rutgers and the only game I see us as a clear underdog is Wisconsin. To me the rest of the games are 50/50 type games.

PU has shown the ability under Brohm to WAY over-perform and do the big upset, but also WAY under-perform and come out of the other side of an upset.

The talent is certainly there for a 6, 7, or even 8 win season if they can play their best ball all year (and obviously everyone staying healthy & out of quarantine).

 

[Purdue85]

PU has shown the ability under Brohm to WAY over-perform and do the big upset, but also WAY under-perform and come out of the other side of an upset.

The talent is certainly there for a 6, 7, or even 8 win season if they can play their best ball all year (and obviously everyone staying healthy & out of quarantine).

Again, the sign of an extraordinarily thin (and injury-riddled) and inexperienced roster.

 

[purduepat1969]

This preview tells you that the media hasn't done it's homework. To call Purdue's defensive front "suspect" when they have 2 big and proven fifth year seniors and one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten is a bit disingenuous. I think they took the easy path and just looked at last year's injury riddled performance.

Iowa vs Purdue Prediction, Game Preview

Iowa vs Purdue prediction and game preview. Iowa vs Purdue Broadcast Date: Saturday, October 24 Game Time: 3:30 ET Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Network: BTN – All of the CFN Fe…

collegefootballnews.com

 

[nat100]

This preview tells you that the media hasn't done it's homework. To call Purdue's defensive front "suspect" when they have 2 big and proven fifth year seniors and one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten is a bit disingenuous. I think they took the easy path and just looked at last year's injury riddled performance.

Iowa vs Purdue Prediction, Game Preview

Iowa vs Purdue prediction and game preview. Iowa vs Purdue Broadcast Date: Saturday, October 24 Game Time: 3:30 ET Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Network: BTN – All of the CFN Fe…

collegefootballnews.com

We dont have a proven starter opposite GK at End. Neal and Watts are DTs in either scheme. We dont have depth at either End spot. If we go to a 4 man front, we have little depth at DT.

 

[FirstDownB]

This preview tells you that the media hasn't done it's homework. To call Purdue's defensive front "suspect" when they have 2 big and proven fifth year seniors and one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten is a bit disingenuous. I think they took the easy path and just looked at last year's injury riddled performance.

Iowa vs Purdue Prediction, Game Preview

Iowa vs Purdue prediction and game preview. Iowa vs Purdue Broadcast Date: Saturday, October 24 Game Time: 3:30 ET Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Network: BTN – All of the CFN Fe…

collegefootballnews.com

Front typically includes LBs. I'd have to agree there are some question marks there until they prove otherwise. But even with modest improvement, getting off the field semi-regularly on 3rd&1, 3rd&2... that could go a long way, esp. against a grinding team like Iowa.

 

[purduepat1969]

We dont have a proven starter opposite GK at End. Neal and Watts are DTs in either scheme. We dont have depth at either End spot. If we go to a 4 man front, we have little depth at DT.

DT depth - Lawrence Johnson, Steven Faucheux, Jack Sullivan
DE depth - Not as proven - Fakasiieiki, Kpaka, Deen, Hudgins

 

[nat100]

DT depth - Lawrence Johnson, Steven Faucheux, Jack Sullivan
DE depth - Not as proven - Fakasiieiki, Kpaka, Deen, Hudgins

1 of the DTs is proven. The others, not so much.
Deen may well be a starter at end. If we had retained the 4-3, i think Barnes should have stayed at end, but oh well.

 

[purduepat1969]

Front typically includes LBs. I'd have to agree there are some question marks there until they prove otherwise. But even with modest improvement, getting off the field semi-regularly on 3rd&1, 3rd&2... that could go a long way, esp. against a grinding team like Iowa.

Agreed. But the experience and size we have at LB is hugely improved.

 

[nat100]

Agreed. But the experience and size we have at LB is hugely improved.

Yeah, depth still an issue. I was encouraged by the little i saw out of Saunders last year.

 

[hexumhawk]

As an Iowa fan I would say yes.

I thought you would have a great year last year but it didnt work out for you guys. I am hoping you do this year...minus the first game of course.

 

[Hausta01]

As an Iowa fan I would say yes.

I thought you would have a great year last year but it didnt work out for you guys. I am hoping you do this year...minus the first game of course.

I HATE IOWA!!

 

[Suterman]

I have a feeling there will be a lot of points scored in the Iowa-Purdue game. Good luck in 8 of your 9 games this year. 😎

 

[cidsports]

As an Iowa fan I would say yes.

I thought you would have a great year last year but it didnt work out for you guys. I am hoping you do this year...minus the first game of course.

Ultimately, no. But, Purdue can beat anyone on their schedule.