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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Boilers' second-half defense not a major concern to Tiller
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October 4, 2007
BY
MICHAEL OSIPOFF Post-Tribune staff writer
Purdue allowed all 19 points in its victory over Notre Dame in the second half, continuing a trend of the Boilermakers struggling after halftime.
"We're just trying to get better defensively in all areas," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said. "I'll repeat what I've said numerous times, and that is I was not as disappointed in our defense as some others. Even after watching the tape, I was convinced more so, I was not as disappointed in our defense as I was in our offense in the second half. I'm convinced our defense was in position to make plays, and as long as you're in position to make plays, you're going to make some of them."
The Boilermakers had only two sacks against the Irish, including just one by a defensive lineman, end Cliff Avril. But Notre Dame was employing a lot of maximum protection schemes, with seven or eight players blocking.
"It's going to be difficult to rush them," Tiller said. "Obviously, we don't have Anthony Spencer, we don't have one of those real premier guys to go get the passer and, as a result, everybody has to try to step up a little bit. We're going to get a sack here and there like we did Saturday, but they probably aren't going to come in bundles like we're used to in the past. We got spoiled around here. It's back to reality."
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