The theme pops up every August, its reappearance as certain as chirping cicadas. You have a team that has, say, 17 starters returning. The stinginess of its defense has been proven, and its creative coach has an explosive offense. In addition, with five straight bowl appearances, only one other school in the conference can match its recent history of success. It is a group, then, that rightly thinks well of itself.
But, when the preseason polls come out, it is unranked and picked to finish in the bottom half of its league.
Purdue is the team that fits that profile this summer, and its reaction is as predictable as yet another heat wave.
“I don’t understand where we get these ratings from, I really don’t,” moaned Stuart Schweigert, a highly regarded free safety. “Really, when you’re consistently ranked [No.] 1, 2 or 3 [in defensive categories] in the Big Ten and have everyone back, I don’t know where they get this. We’re going to keep it under our helmets to use as motivation.”
Not that it is a surprise.
“It happens every year,” linebacker Joe Odom said. “There are always people picked ahead of us. It’s going to be great inspiration for us.”
Still, it rankles.
“If it doesn’t bother you, you’re not a competitor,” defensive coordinator Brock Spack said. “You would like to think after five years we would get a little more respect.”
The Boilermakers did have respect through the first half of last season, But then they crumbled, losing five of their final six and finishing the year a decidedly average 6-6. That is why they are regarded so lightly now and are heading into the season surrounded by questions.
The biggest concerns sophomore quarterback Kyle Orton, who started the final three games last year.
“He has to come on and prove to be the quarterback we think he can be,” said Joe Tiller, the Purdue coach whose offense is so user-friendly. “We think he has the ability to be a very, very productive guy. But he has to demonstrate that he can do that.
“We have a pretty good idea of what he’s going to do. I think an early indication, the barometer, will be if he cuts down on his interceptions. But we have to watch harping on cutting down interceptions because you don’t want the guy to become so conservative that he won’t make the throws. But he’s much more comfortable with the offense, obviously, and now it’s a matter of getting him playing reps. If they’re positive, I think it’s fair to assume he’ll improve as the season goes along.”
Tiller also is looking for improvement in his offensive line, which was both young and porous last year. Senior center Gene Mruczkowski, who has 36 career starts, is its anchor, and flanking him are three seniors and a sophomore who each have started at least five games.
“They’re bigger, stronger, a year more experienced, so they should be improved,” Tiller said.
His kicking game, which featured All-American Travis Dorsch last year, is the last of the Boilermakers’ great unknowns, but that is hardly the case with their defense. It carried Purdue last season while its offense struggled. At season’s end it had surrendered 23.2 points per game (fourth best in the Big Ten) and 328 yards (third best).
Schweigert, who had six interceptions and a team-leading 98 tackles, is this unit’s most visible star, but its true strength is its linebackers. Junior Landon Johnson, who last season finished with 82 tackles and three forced fumbles, is complemented by Odom, who in the spring switched from the middle to the strong side, and junior Niko Koutouvides, who’s now in the middle after playing strong side a year ago.
The defense again will be asked to carry the Boilermakers as they await the development of Orton. Last year, after taking over for Brandon Hance, who since has transferred, he proved he had a rubber arm by completing 93-of-188 passes for 940 yards. But none of his completions went for touchdowns, seven of his attempts were intercepted and the Boilermakers lost to Indiana, Notre Dame and, in the Sun Bowl, Washington State with him as their starter.
“But last year our offensive line was young and our receivers were young,” sophomore receiver Taylor Stubblefield said. “That as a whole made it a tougher job for the quarterback. There were times they delivered the ball to us and we did not make the play.”
So, is Purdue one of those teams that’s lying in the weeds?
“I think so,” Schweigert said. “We’re not happy with where we’re ranked. I think we’re a team that’s going to surprise some people this year.”
Big Ten look at: Purdue Boilermakers
HOME FIELD
Ross-Ade Stadium, W. Lafayette, Ind.
Capacity: 66,295.
Average home attendance last season: 62,584.
Surface: Prescription Athletic Turf.
COACHING
Head coach: Joe Tiller.
Record at Purdue: 39-22 in five seasons; overall 78-52-1 in 11 seasons.
2001 SEASON
Overall record: 6-6.
Big Ten record: 4-4.
Bowl: Lost to Washington State 33-27 in the Sun Bowl.
2002 SEASON
Bowl prospects: Picked to finish in bottom half of conference but could challenge for a second-level bowl if sophomore quarterback Kyle Orton develops.
Returning starters: Offense 9, defense 8, specialists 0. Total: 17 of 24.
Strength of schedule: Get Michigan and Ohio State at home, don’t have to face Wisconsin or Penn State, and a trip to Notre Dame is the only true test among its first four games. All that helps, as does a veteran defense.
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 31 Illinois State, noon
Sept. 7 at Notre Dame, 11 a.m.
Sept. 14 Western Michigan, noon
Sept. 21 Wake Forest, TBA
Sept. 28 Minnesota, 4 p.m.
Oct. 5 at Iowa, 11 a.m.
Oct. 12 at Illinois, TBA
Oct. 19 Michigan, TBA
Oct. 26 at Northwestern, 11 a.m.
Nov. 9 Ohio State, TBA
Nov. 16 at Michigan State, TBA
Nov. 23 Indiana, TBA
Times are Central; subject to change
%% %%
