What style of play has historically been the hallmark of success for each team?

[Tommaker]

We were talking a little bit at lunch about the Hazell (and to a lesser extent Colletto) "experiments" with run games at Purdue which were about as counter-culture as you can get. Here's my stab at what I think teams have typically, say for the last 40 years, relied on to make them successful. I'll admit there are a few that I can't identify, and and am just guessing at for others. Please feel free to correct (or add if you think it's more than one thing)

IU - Talented option QB
Maryland - TBD
Michigan - superior talent
Michigan State - strong defense
OSU - superior talent
PSU - strong defense (LB and safety players)
Rutgers - TBD
Illinois - TBD (at one time may have been superior talent from the Chicago area?)
Iowa - talented O line and D line play
Minnesota - speed players (RB and receivers)
Nebraska - O line and D line play
Northwestern - coaching
Purdue - Superior QB, passing game, coaching
Wisconsin - talented O line and superior RB

USC - Superior talent
UCLA - TBD

 

[Indy_Rider]

I'd say that's a good stab.

For IU, I'd change it to a really soft schedule. They've tried the option QB, but when they hit the bowl, it has usually shown it was more a product of schedule than anything.

 

[destewart]

We were talking a little bit at lunch about the Hazell (and to a lesser extent Colletto) "experiments" with run games at Purdue which were about as counter-culture as you can get. Here's my stab at what I think teams have typically, say for the last 40 years, relied on to make them successful. I'll admit there are a few that I can't identify, and and am just guessing at for others. Please feel free to correct (or add if you think it's more than one thing)

IU - Talented option QB
Maryland - TBD
Michigan - superior talent
Michigan State - strong defense
OSU - superior talent
PSU - strong defense (LB and safety players)
Rutgers - TBD
Illinois - TBD (at one time may have been superior talent from the Chicago area?)
Iowa - talented O line and D line play
Minnesota - speed players (RB and receivers)
Nebraska - O line and D line play
Northwestern - coaching
Purdue - Superior QB, passing game, coaching
Wisconsin - talented O line and superior RB

USC - Superior talent
UCLA - TBD

Illinois has seldom won with superior talent from Chicago, especially in the last 75 years. PSU has had great OL and great RB”s and solid QB’s. Purdue has never won without a strong defense regardless of QB talent.

 

[GrTexan1]

Illinois has seldom won with superior talent from Chicago, especially in the last 75 years. PSU has had great OL and great RB”s and solid QB’s. Purdue has never won without a strong defense regardless of QB talent.

I’m trying to recall Purdue winning without strong QB talent. I think QB talent has typically been necessary but not sufficient in order for Purdue to have success.

 

[ehuffma1]

I’m trying to recall Purdue winning without strong QB talent. I think QB talent has typically been necessary but not sufficient in order for Purdue to have success.

I think the Purdue fan base expects a passing game and good QB play. The fans appreciate throwing the ball around. The Wisconsin fan base appreciates a good running game. You can kind of hear the fans getting irritated if the coordinator gets too far away from its strength. A Wisconsin fan will yell for the coach to run the darn ball while the Purdue fan will yell at the coach to quit running it up the middle.

 

[destewart]

I’m trying to recall Purdue winning without strong QB talent. I think QB talent has typically been necessary but not sufficient in order for Purdue to have success.

You cannot name very many modern era Big Ten champs or national champs without solid quarterbacks. Purdue has shared three Big Ten titles in the last 71 years and each one had a very good QB. Dale Samuels in 1952,Mike Phipps in 1967 and Drew Brees in 2000. They also had at least one Very good receiver and several defensive standouts.

 

[MilwaukeeBoilerFan]

I think the Purdue fan base expects a passing game and good QB play. The fans appreciate throwing the ball around. The Wisconsin fan base appreciates a good running game. You can kind of hear the fans getting irritated if the coordinator gets too far away from its strength. A Wisconsin fan will yell for the coach to run the darn ball while the Purdue fan will yell at the coach to quit running it up the middle.

Spot on. Shocks me that UW struggles against tO$U when they have very good to great OL and RB talent while Purdue has beaten them thru the air, then softening them up for the run like they did in 2018.