*** NCAA Football Preview - Purdue Boilermakers ***
From The My Sportsbook
By Frank Haynes, College Football Senior Editor
2003 SEASON IN REVIEW: Unlike in years past, it was the Purdue defense that carried the team to its successful 9-4 record in 2003 as the unit ranked 10th in the nation against the run (96.9 ypg) and 39th against the pass (205.6 ypg). The offense sputtered at times, ranking in the middle of the national pack in both rushing (148.9 ypg) and passing (224.0 ypg). The campaign began with a tough 27-26 loss to Bowling Green, but was followed by six straight victories, including three in a row to start Big Ten play. A 31-3 blowout loss to eventual conference champion Michigan brought the team back to Earth, but convincing victories over Northwestern and Iowa had the Boilermakers feeling pretty good as they came down the home stretch. A heartbreaking 16-13 overtime loss at Ohio State took some of the wind out of their sails, but a 24-16 win at Indiana to close the regular season helped in picking up the team's seventh straight bowl invite. Purdue took on Georgia in the Capital One Bowl, but came up a bit short in suffering a 34-27 overtime loss. Still, coach Joe Tiller's squad put forth a solid effort all season and gave PU fans everywhere a reason to be proud.
2004 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: Senior QB Kyle Orton will be the key to the Purdue offense this season, and the experienced 6-4, 220-pounder should be able to build upon the 2,885 yards and 15 TDs he threw for last season. Orton hit the mark on better than 60 percent of his passes and will have the benefit of one of the top receivers in the conference back in the fold in the form of senior Taylor Stubblefield. Stubblefield came up with 86 catches for 835 yards and three TDs last season as half of a highly productive pass-catching duo which also included standout John Standeford, who finished his career as the Big Ten's all-time leading receiver. Another guy to keep an eye on is sophomore Kyle Ingraham who stands a whopping 6-9 and has excellent speed. Junior Ray Williams could have a breakout year as the gifted 6-2, 192-pounder has all the skills needed to excel at the major college level and beyond. The running game features the return of two skilled players in junior Jerod Void (952 yards, 13 TDs in '03) and sophomore Jerome Brooks (349 yards, two TDs in '03). Void could wind up an All-Big Ten selection by season's end, and the production of the running game will be paramount to the team's overall success.
DEFENSE: The Purdue defense took a huge hit following the '03 season as eight starters left the program, including stalwarts Shaun Phillips, Niko Koutouvides and Stuart Schwiegert. The secondary is the only area featuring a pair of returning starters, as senior CB Antwaun Rogers and sophomore SS Bernard Pollard will have to tutor a pair of new starters. Pollard finished fifth on the team in tackles last year with 66, while Rogers tallied 61 stops, deflected eight passes and came up with one INT. The defensive line is a bit thin, particularly in the middle, but the hope is guys like Brent Grover and Brandon Villareal will be able to hold down the fort. Linebacker is another questionable area as three new full-time starters will line up for Tiller's squad, with senior Jon Goldsberry, who has also seen time at FB in the past, serving as the unit's elder statesman. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the Purdue defense to get its feet and really start to look like a cohesive unit. But if the Boilermakers are able to come even close to last year's effort, another successful campaign is not only likely, but a guarantee.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The emergence of former Butler PK Ben Jones last year was certainly a blessing for the Boilermakers as he his 25-of-30 FG attempts, including a perfect 9-of-9 effort from 40-49 yards. His continued development will make Tiller's decision-making a bit easier, which is an awfully nice luxury to have. As far as the punting game goes, freshman Dave Brytus appears to have the inside track, while Stubblefield will almost certainly handle the bulk of the punt return opportunities.
OUTLOOK: Getting out to a fast start is important for every team, but especially so for Purdue which has a tough five-game stretch from October 16- November 13 in which it will play four league foes currently ranked in the Top 25. The season opener against Syracuse will be anything but a walk in the park as will a trip to Notre Dame on October 2nd. Winnable road games against Illinois and Penn State kick off the conference slate, but the road gets much rougher with the visit of Wisconsin and Michigan in back-to-back weeks in the middle of October. In all, Purdue will play its three toughest games at home (Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State), and winning at least two of those three will be vital to the team's postseason chances.
