Oh what a matchup we have on deck!
With Northwestern looking to respond from a demoralizing 40-14 loss in Iowa City last weekend, the ‘Cats make the trek down I-65 for a showdown with Purdue. Ahead of Saturday’s matchup in West Lafayette, we asked Hammer and Rails’ Andrew Ledman a couple questions.
Inside NU: Sitting at 1-6 and 0-4 in conference play, it feels like the wheels have come flying off the train for Ryan Walters’ squad. What’s gone wrong?
Andrew Ledman: How much time do you have? Honestly, just about everything. The transfer portal hit Purdue very hard over the last two seasons. When you lose a coach like Jeff Brohm who the players (mostly) seemed to like playing for, you’re going to lose a number of guys whether that be to follow Brohm, as some did, and to head to greener NIL pastures as a player like Nic Scourton did. Boy do we miss a guy like him. In addition, the last couple seasons of recruiting for Brohm were not what they needed to be so yes, Walters took over a team that had just gone to the Big Ten title game but what was behind those guys wasn’t exactly the same caliber as before.
Now, all that aside, Walters just has not delivered on what was promised. He was brought in from Illinois as a guy who could dazzle you on defense. He was supposed to be able to build Purdue into a team with a really good secondary and a really solid defense overall. Just look at the PPG allowed by this Purdue team and you’ll see that’s not the case.
INU: Before being understandingly rolled over by Oregon, the Boilermakers put up a valiant effort against an upstart Illinois squad, losing 50-49. Are there any building blocks from that game or the win in Week 1 against Indiana State that still have Purdue fans hopeful?
AL: There is little to no hope in Boilermaker country right now. I think most fans are verging on the apathetic which is a dangerous place for a fan base to be. The offense certainly looked better against Illinois, that was with Ryan Browne under center instead of the injured Hudson Card, and Purdue saw Ryan Walters call a different kind of offense that was enjoyable to watch for one half of football. Outside of that? You can’t take much from the Indiana State game given that it was Indiana State. So right now the best Purdue fans can hope for is that Ryan Browne is the future of the QB position and that Ryan Walters can find a way to succeed with him at the helm but as noted above, not a ton of hope residing in West Lafayette right now.
INU: Who are a couple X-factors on both sides of the football that could cause the Wildcats havoc?
AL: I appreciate the framing of this question because it implies that Purdue has a penchant for causing havoc to anyone but their won fans right now. You’re so kind. On the defensive side of the ball you’ll always want to keep your eyes on Dillon Thieneman. He’s the hard hitting defensive back who has been one of the stars of the defense. Also, Purdue has been terrible at generating turnovers this season. So much so that only one player has an interception and he has all three of them. That is Kyndrich Breedlove so I guess be on the lookout for him?
On offense, Max Klare is a really good tight end to watch and Purdue has a pair of running backs in Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III who can do some damage if the line gives them the opportunity.
INU: After losing to the Wildcats at Ryan Field last year, how do the Boilermakers pick up their first conference win of the season?
AL: Pull a George Costanza and do the opposite of every instinct? I just don’t know. They have played poorly in just about every aspect in one game or another. They commit too many penalties, they don’t take advantage of opportunities, they just struggle in every respect. The best hope for Purdue is that the supposed two QB scheme that its planning to go with (hopefully not at the same time) generates some offense and that the defense can do just enough.
INU: What is your score prediction for the game and why?
AL: I just don’t think Purdue does enough good things to justify me picking them. Now, I may change my mind as we get closer to game time and I see what has changed, but right now I’m taking Northwestern 28-17.