They’ll make changes and be more ready to play right out of the chute next season. CJB has already talked about making changes to their preparation to prevent a slow start. Starting @Nevada then home vs. Vandy and TCU could be a 3-0 start (if all goes well) and we should run the B1G table at home. That’s 8 wins. Roadies at Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Northwestern will all be tough, but three of the four will be breaking in new QBs next year.
All speculation, but I think 8-9 wins is certainly possible.
This year, Purdue added Moore on offense. He was easily worth four wins. GK is that same type of game changer on defense. A pass rush should make a huge difference.
That doesn’t even include the other ‘19 players that will likely have an immediate impact. 8-9 wins will probably be the expectation with a legit chance to compete for the West. I may still be riding the high of finding out Brohm was staying but 10 wins plus a bowl game is where I think Purdue ends up. I think 7 wins plus a bowl is the ceiling, and that’s if the OL doesn’t gel and Sindelar makes a ton of mistakes. It would also hinge on the defense not improving and JT not being able to be properly replaced.
Bell (if we land him of course) and Wright both have much higher ceilings than Zico and Wright. They could both step in and be great. That will open up the run game. I expect KB will see some time early as well. That offense should be even better than it was this year.
The ceiling will be dictated by the OL, QB, RB, Safety.
What will you get outside of Hermanns and McCann.
Sindelar should shine with a bunch of new weapons and his arm strength. He is going to have to at least match Blough’s numbers from this year.
RB will likely start as a committee. The talent likely won’t be at the level of RS Knox and senior Jones, but adding big time threats on the outside should open up lanes. Especially when you motion Moore out to see the coverage. I expect similar numbers as this year, but don’t expect the run breaking ability Jones and Knox showed. Those guys did an amazing job all year.
Safety will be different with JT gone. It was obvious how much worse the defense was without him. He was a run stopper, but he also was a field general and able to play up like a hybrid. BT could end up filling that role, but he wasn’t there this year. I would have liked to see Trice with the new RS eligibility rules. Help him learn the speed of the game, but unfortunately, with a bowl game on the line Brohm had to go with the safest bet. Trice will be very good, but he may be a replacement for Mosley, not JT. Grant is the wild card. He has the physical tools to start right away. He scored ridiculously high in all the measurables at all of his camps. Almost as high as GK even. Physically, he could walk in day one. But he will really have to be a student of the game to play that position as a true freshman. It takes an incredible understanding of the game, which was why JT was so successful and why Grant could redshirt even with all that ability (though I don’t think that will happen, it could). BT showed he is capable of filling in, but he also showed a clear gap between him and his brother (which he played about as well as JT did his first time starting so the potential is definitely there). The exciting thing is that Grant was recruited as a LB, so he should be able to play that hybrid position. If he gets the same understanding and football IQ that JT has, he is a first rounder. Graham should red shirt, but the possibility of him playing along side Grant in the future gives me much excite.
If Sindelar matches Blough, the RB by committee matches Knox/Jones, Purdue lands Bell to go with Wright and they light it up just like Moore did as a freshman, the OL finds success with younger but more talented players, the defense finds the pass rush and gets improved DL play with the incoming freshman, and somebody steps in to replace Blackmon without taking a step back (though outside of the red zone I thought Blackmon was outmatched in the Big), then they will have the talent and scheme to achieve 10-11 wins plus a bowl with that schedule. Realistically, I would say 8-10 wins is the most likely. Brohm’s first year lost all their receiving weapons and found a way to overcome and win 7 games. This year, Purdue lost all but 3 playmakers and was able to go 6-6 in the regular season and get a matchup with Auburn (which is a win for exposure so long as it isn’t a blowout loss. Saw some people picking Purdue by 3.) Next year will be losing a lot on offense, but being in some absolute difference makers to fill the gaps.
Obviously ‘20 is the year to really see the spoils of Brohm’s recruiting. He will be losing his star linebacker and some OL/DL, but the replacements will have more experience and overall it will be losing the least in terms of massive replacements to one side of the ball or the other like has happened the past two years. The ‘19 class will be in their second year with a bunch of players logging meaningful experience. Then ‘21 a Big divisional championship at least should be the expectation, especially if Moore comes back for a 4th year. But Sheffield should still be around for that speedy slot receiver, and though he isn’t a 4.3 guy, he is a legit 4.4 guy. Not to mention, Brohm will make Purdue a very attractive place for speedsters, so maybe he does pick up another 4.3 guy (but will be a muscle hampster like Moore? We shall see. Moore seems like a generational type player).
