By Brian Heinemann
For The Herald
Ball security, or a lack thereof, killed the Purdue Boilermakers last year.
“It was a nemesis to our football team, particularly early in the season,” Coach Danny Hope said. “If we had done a better job of taking care of the football from a ball security standpoint, we probably would have been one of the great success stories in college football.”
This year is an opportunity once again to be a great success story. Expectations, at least outside of the Purdue program, aren’t too high. They were tempered even further in the spring when sophomore running back Ralph Bolden went down with a torn ACL, putting his entire season in jeopardy.
With the addition of Miami transfer Robert Marve at quarterback and the return of Keith Smith at receiver, Purdue’s spread offense should still be in pretty good shape.
“Everything about Robert Marve excites me,” Hope said. “He's a great player. He's certainly one of the great quarterback prospects coming out of the country a couple of years ago. He's, I think, the most talented quarterback I've been around from a total package.”
The defense, led by one of the Big Ten’s most explosive playmakers in senior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, has to replace the entire secondary. They were last in the league in rush defense last year but near the top in pass defense, something that could switch this year.
But turnovers will be the key. Last year, Purdue lived and died off them. They upset Big Ten champion Ohio State by forcing turnovers. They lost several games by doing the opposite.
“If you play hard, never give up, and take care of the football, you have a chance to win on any given Saturday,” Hope said. “I think our football team proved that last year. We weren't predicted to do so well last year. We were behind in a lot of areas, but the games we took care of the football we did well. We played hard and never gave up and found some big games to win.”
My No. 8 choice in the Big Ten, the Boilermakers avoid Iowa and Penn State, and a favorable nonconference schedule means they have a shot at returning to the postseason for the first time in three years.
Purdue Boilermakers
Last year: 5-7, 4-4 Big Ten (tied for sixth)
Lettermen returning/lost: 45 returning, 21 lost
Starters returning/lost: offense 6/5, defense 6/5, kickers 1/1.
Key returning starters: Keith Smith, WR, Sr.; Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Sr.; Jason Werner, LB, Sr
Others to watch: Ralph Bolden, RB, So. (tore ACL in spring, may or may not return); Robert Marve, QB, Jr. (transfer from Miami); the secondary (all four are new starters)
By the numbers: 91 - catches for Keith Smith last year, to go with 1,100 yards. 4.5 - speed, in the 40-yard-dash, of Robert Marve. 13 - sacks by Ryan Kerrigan last year. 21 - combined margin of defeat in five of the seven losses last year.
Schedule: A trip to South Bend and Notre Dame starts the season and is followed by three winnable non-conference games, all at home. An Oct. 23 game at Ohio State looms, and that is followed with a road trip to Illinois Nov. 30. November has three home games, Wisconsin Nov. 6, Michigan Nov. 13 and Indiana Nov. 27, along with a road game at Michigan State Nov. 20.
Reason for optimism: Robert Marve and last season’s close losses. Marve led Miami to five straight wins two years ago, and brings more talent and athleticism to the position than Hope has ever been around. The Boilermakers lost five tight games last year and had two upsets, which could be a recipe for success this year.
Reason for pessimism: Turnovers, the secondary, and Bolden’s injury. Without the 29 turnovers last season, Purdue would have ended up in the postseason instead of watching from home. Having a secondary that’s breaking in four new starters is cause for major concern, even with five of the front seven returning. Bolden’s injury kills the Purdue running game, putting more pressure on Marve.
Bottom line: The addition of Marve should be enough to earn the Boilermakers some wins, and a bowl game is likely. The pass defense will take a severe hit with an inexperienced and young secondary, so Purdue will likely need the offense to put up a lot of points, and they have the offensive firepower to do so.
Tomorrow – No. 7: Northwestern poised to make team history
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