Purdue Boilermakers-
Projected #5 in Leaders Division
2010 Record: 4-8 (2-6)
Danny Hope came to Purdue in 2009 to resurrect a once consistent, competitive program that was renowned under Joe Tiller for its "basketball-on-grass" style of offense. You can go down the list of players that have made it to the NFL under Tiller, although it really begins and ends with Super Bowl winning QB Drew Brees. What does Danny Hope have under his belt thus far? An upset of Ohio State in 2009. That's it. He has a long way to go to catch up to Tiller, methinks.
I'm not one to make fun, but Hope very famously said that people should "get used to it" after his team beat the Buckeyes in 2009, yet their biggest win last season was against Northwestern and their performances against top competition proved to be pathetically inadequate the majority of the time - this included a 49-0 loss at the hands of the Buckeyes.
2011 should be an improved season though, as 16 starters return from a team that was riddled with injuries last season. I should have mentioned that before, I suppose...they lost several key players on offense that crippled the development of Coach Hope's attack. A healthy Robert Marve should battle sophomore Rob Henry for the starting quarterback job, although it seems that Henry will be given the first crack in the season opener against Middle Tennessee State. I think that the offense will prove to be just fine, and will result in more wins for this team.
The defense, despite losing 1st round NFL draft pick DE Ryan Kerrigan, should be an improved unit in most phases compared to last year. I don't think that their sack numbers will match the past few season's, but the experience returning at linebacker and in the secondary is too much to overlook. Expect a solid showing from this unit as long as it develops the front line as the season progresses.
I flirted with giving this team a bowl bid due to their improvement on both sides of the ball, and having Ralph Bolden return at running back (the poor guy tore his ACL last season before the year began after an All-Big Ten season in 2009). The schedule is simply too tough to give them a legitimate shot at a bowl game though, in my opinion. Games against Notre Dame, @ Penn State, @ Wisconsin and Ohio State are the headliners in what will be a rough year to make a bowl game in the Big Ten.
I like this team even though it seems like I have something against them, as evidenced in the beginning of this preview. Fact: I do not respect Coach Hope for what he said after he beat OSU in 2009. Fact: I am biased, and have to understand that it was an inspiring and big time win for them at the time, so I should give him a break.
One final fact: this will be a fun team to watch this Fall.
Predicted Record: 5-7 (2-6)
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