3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
2004 Purdue Boilermakers Game Preview
Two games to go, and the Buckeyes are trying to finish up the season on a winning note heading toward Michigan and lock down a fairly prestigious Bowl bid. The Boilermakes are heading in the opposite direction and desperately need a win to right the ship. At the beginning of the season this game looked to play a big part in determining the Big Ten Champs, but now it most likely will factor in the plans for a Bowl Game ... December or January? Early season Heisman front runner Kyle Orton (and Big Ten Pre Season offensive Player of the Year) is listed as 50/50 to play this Saturday and one must question the Boilermaker's frame of mind after dropping 4 straight games. Just when this game seemed less interesting than contests between the schools from years past, Maurice Clarett resurfaces to sling mud at the whole OSU athletic department and specifically Coach Tressel. Circle the wagons boys, it's time to take out some frustration on the Boilermakers.
Date and Time
Game time: Saturday, November 13th, 2004
3:30 noon EST Kick-off at Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, IN)
ESPN will cover the game.
3:30 noon EST Kick-off at Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, IN)
ESPN will cover the game.
2004 Purdue Boilermakers Defensive Preview
Returning starters: 3
Purdue has a defense that started out very strong, and has regressed as the season has progressed. After a huge 13 tackle for loss, 3 sack performance against Syracuse and a 8 TFL, and 7 sack performance against Notre Dame, the defense has seemed to make less big plays as they moved into the Big Ten schedule. In fact, they have only managed 8 sacks in their 5 conference games up to this point. They seem to be slipping in the wrong direction. From a defensive standpoint on the season they are ranked 6th in the Big Ten in total defense, surrendering 324 yards per game. They have the 3rd best rushing defense (93 YPG) and are 8th in passing defense (230 YPG). Purdue has been pretty good in scoring defense and are ranked 3rd, giving up 15 points per contest. This stat is a little flawed because they only surrendered 7 points in their first 2 ballgames. If Purdue has a serious problem on defense, it lies in their inability to create turnovers. They are the worst team in the Big Ten in forcing turnovers, in fact they have forced 9 on the whole season. This really shows the lack of playmakers in their secondary, in my opinion.
Defensive Line
DE: #49 Anthony Spencer (6-3 262 So.)
DT: #55 Brandon Villarreal (6-2 289 Jr.)
DT: #58 Brent Grover (6-3 295 Jr.)
DE: #10 Ray Edwards (6-6 296 So.)
Leading the way for the Boilermakers along the defensive line is a pair of talented sophomore ends. Folks should take mention to the emerging duo that go by the names Anthony Spencer and Ray Edwards. Edwards is having a very solid season from his end spot, and is really establishing himself as a force. He is currently ranked 3rd in the Big Ten in sacks with 6 total. In addition, he has racked up 34 tackles, 9 of those have been for a loss. Right behind Edwards is Spencer, who is also having a fantastic season. On the season Spencer has 5.5 sacks (T-5th in Big Ten) to go along with his 23 tackles, in which 6.5 were for a loss. Spencer is also tied for the league lead in fumbles forced (3), and has batted down 4 passes.
The interior of the defensive line Purdue is led by Brandon Villarreal. Villarreal has 38 tackles on the season, in which 11.5 are for a loss (4th in Big Ten, 1st on team), and 3.5 are sacks. The other tackle position will be occupied by Brent Grover. Grover has 33 tackles on the season, including 4 for a loss. He leads the team with 7 broken up passes, and has also blocked a kick.
In general, you can see why Purdue has only surrendered 93 yards per game on the ground. They are very young on the defensive front, but are also very talented. Edwards and Spencer are two potential All Big Ten players, with Villarreal not far behind. The scary (or great, if you're a Boilermaker fan) thing is that all 4 of these lineman will be back next season. You can see that they have fallen off as the Big Ten has progressed, but that can probably be blamed partially on youth. Ohio State will have a very tough time running the ball against the Boilermakers, and they will be harassed by a very solid defensive line.
DL Rating: B+
Linebackers
WLB: #59 Stanford Keglar (6-2 229 Fr.)
MLB: #30 George Hall (6-2 246 So.)
SLB: #85 Cliff Avril (6-3 225 Fr.)
The Purdue linebacker position is certainly another area where Purdue is very green, with the most experienced player a sophomore. They are led by middle backer George Hall. Hall has 73 tackles so far this season, including 5 for loss. Hall has also picked off a pass, and batted down 4 balls. Stanford Keglar will get the start at one of the outside spots. Keglar has 45 tackles on the season, including 3 for loss, and a half sack. The final linebacker spot will be occupied by Cliff Avril. Avril has really been a non factor at his linebacker spot this season. He has only managed 20 tackles on the season, with 2 being for a loss.
As you can see, the Purdue linebacking crew is not (yet) very good, time will tell what sort of corps they develop into over the next few seasons. This is an area that Ohio State should be able to expose. It's not a good sign when the total output for the linebackers is a half a sack. When you combine all their tackles for loss they do not even match Villarreal. That's an area where they're clearly lacking, and it will be very sad if Ohio State cannot expose this area of the Purdue defense.
LB Rating: D
Secondary
CB: #12 Antwaun Rogers (6-2 172 Sr.)
SS: #31 Bernard Pollard (6-2 219 So.)
FS: #7 Kyle Smith (6-4 217 Jr.)
CB: #33 Brian Hickman (6-0 182 Jr.)
Purdue is led in the secondary by yet another emerging sophomore, named Bernard Pollard. Pollard, the strong safety, is currently 2nd in the team in tackles with 68, including 3 for loss and a sack. Where Pollard has come up big for the Boilers is on special teams. Pollard has blocked 3 kicks on the season. He has also picked off a pass and broken up 3 others. The other safety for Purdue is Kyle Smith. Smith has 56 tackles on the season, in which 3 were for a loss. He has also broken up 3 passes and forced 2 fumbles.
Leading the way for the Purdue on the corner is Antwaun Rogers. Rogers has 36 tackles on the season and has picked off one pass. He has also broken up 4 passes so far this year. Brian Hickman gets the nod at the other corner spot. Hickman has 41 tackles on the season, and has broken up 6 passes.
Purdue is not a whole lot better in the secondary than they are at the linebacker position. As you probably have figured out, they really lack the ability to make big plays. Between all 4 starters, they have 2 interceptions on the season. This is another area that Ohio State needs to expose this week, they simply are not very good in the secondary. Teddy Ginn should have some fun this week if he gets a few cracks at these guys.
DB Rating: C
Analysis
Before I wrote this preview I sat down and was trying to figure out what might be the culprit behind Purdue’s self destruction this season. The most likely answer can be summed up in one word, and is a familiar issue for us this season, youth. The Boilermakers rode an early bubble in 2004 and were very overrated in the preseason (hmm…that sounds familiar doesn’t it?). As the season carried on, their lack of playmakers was exposed in their conference games. The implosion then carried over by way of Orton's injury, and I feel has really gotten to the young guys mentally. I think they are on the verge of folding the tent for the season, and need one more loss to do so. Ohio State presents the perfect opportunity for this to occur. The Buckeyes have finally found an electrifying playmaker in #7. Every time Ted Ginn touches the ball, Purdue will need to bottle him up. I do not see this happening consistently enough given the cast that they have leading the way at linebacker and in the secondary. In my opinion, Ohio State just has much more talent than Purdue when you match up their skilled players head to head. Look for the Buckeyes to expose this gap, and really continue their re-emergence that started 3 weeks ago. These are two programs that are heading in seperate directions at this point in the season. 1 week until Michigan!
Overall Defensive Rating: C
Purdue has a defense that started out very strong, and has regressed as the season has progressed. After a huge 13 tackle for loss, 3 sack performance against Syracuse and a 8 TFL, and 7 sack performance against Notre Dame, the defense has seemed to make less big plays as they moved into the Big Ten schedule. In fact, they have only managed 8 sacks in their 5 conference games up to this point. They seem to be slipping in the wrong direction. From a defensive standpoint on the season they are ranked 6th in the Big Ten in total defense, surrendering 324 yards per game. They have the 3rd best rushing defense (93 YPG) and are 8th in passing defense (230 YPG). Purdue has been pretty good in scoring defense and are ranked 3rd, giving up 15 points per contest. This stat is a little flawed because they only surrendered 7 points in their first 2 ballgames. If Purdue has a serious problem on defense, it lies in their inability to create turnovers. They are the worst team in the Big Ten in forcing turnovers, in fact they have forced 9 on the whole season. This really shows the lack of playmakers in their secondary, in my opinion.
Defensive Line
DE: #49 Anthony Spencer (6-3 262 So.)
DT: #55 Brandon Villarreal (6-2 289 Jr.)
DT: #58 Brent Grover (6-3 295 Jr.)
DE: #10 Ray Edwards (6-6 296 So.)
Leading the way for the Boilermakers along the defensive line is a pair of talented sophomore ends. Folks should take mention to the emerging duo that go by the names Anthony Spencer and Ray Edwards. Edwards is having a very solid season from his end spot, and is really establishing himself as a force. He is currently ranked 3rd in the Big Ten in sacks with 6 total. In addition, he has racked up 34 tackles, 9 of those have been for a loss. Right behind Edwards is Spencer, who is also having a fantastic season. On the season Spencer has 5.5 sacks (T-5th in Big Ten) to go along with his 23 tackles, in which 6.5 were for a loss. Spencer is also tied for the league lead in fumbles forced (3), and has batted down 4 passes.
The interior of the defensive line Purdue is led by Brandon Villarreal. Villarreal has 38 tackles on the season, in which 11.5 are for a loss (4th in Big Ten, 1st on team), and 3.5 are sacks. The other tackle position will be occupied by Brent Grover. Grover has 33 tackles on the season, including 4 for a loss. He leads the team with 7 broken up passes, and has also blocked a kick.
In general, you can see why Purdue has only surrendered 93 yards per game on the ground. They are very young on the defensive front, but are also very talented. Edwards and Spencer are two potential All Big Ten players, with Villarreal not far behind. The scary (or great, if you're a Boilermaker fan) thing is that all 4 of these lineman will be back next season. You can see that they have fallen off as the Big Ten has progressed, but that can probably be blamed partially on youth. Ohio State will have a very tough time running the ball against the Boilermakers, and they will be harassed by a very solid defensive line.
DL Rating: B+
Linebackers
WLB: #59 Stanford Keglar (6-2 229 Fr.)
MLB: #30 George Hall (6-2 246 So.)
SLB: #85 Cliff Avril (6-3 225 Fr.)
The Purdue linebacker position is certainly another area where Purdue is very green, with the most experienced player a sophomore. They are led by middle backer George Hall. Hall has 73 tackles so far this season, including 5 for loss. Hall has also picked off a pass, and batted down 4 balls. Stanford Keglar will get the start at one of the outside spots. Keglar has 45 tackles on the season, including 3 for loss, and a half sack. The final linebacker spot will be occupied by Cliff Avril. Avril has really been a non factor at his linebacker spot this season. He has only managed 20 tackles on the season, with 2 being for a loss.
As you can see, the Purdue linebacking crew is not (yet) very good, time will tell what sort of corps they develop into over the next few seasons. This is an area that Ohio State should be able to expose. It's not a good sign when the total output for the linebackers is a half a sack. When you combine all their tackles for loss they do not even match Villarreal. That's an area where they're clearly lacking, and it will be very sad if Ohio State cannot expose this area of the Purdue defense.
LB Rating: D
Secondary
CB: #12 Antwaun Rogers (6-2 172 Sr.)
SS: #31 Bernard Pollard (6-2 219 So.)
FS: #7 Kyle Smith (6-4 217 Jr.)
CB: #33 Brian Hickman (6-0 182 Jr.)
Purdue is led in the secondary by yet another emerging sophomore, named Bernard Pollard. Pollard, the strong safety, is currently 2nd in the team in tackles with 68, including 3 for loss and a sack. Where Pollard has come up big for the Boilers is on special teams. Pollard has blocked 3 kicks on the season. He has also picked off a pass and broken up 3 others. The other safety for Purdue is Kyle Smith. Smith has 56 tackles on the season, in which 3 were for a loss. He has also broken up 3 passes and forced 2 fumbles.
Leading the way for the Purdue on the corner is Antwaun Rogers. Rogers has 36 tackles on the season and has picked off one pass. He has also broken up 4 passes so far this year. Brian Hickman gets the nod at the other corner spot. Hickman has 41 tackles on the season, and has broken up 6 passes.
Purdue is not a whole lot better in the secondary than they are at the linebacker position. As you probably have figured out, they really lack the ability to make big plays. Between all 4 starters, they have 2 interceptions on the season. This is another area that Ohio State needs to expose this week, they simply are not very good in the secondary. Teddy Ginn should have some fun this week if he gets a few cracks at these guys.
DB Rating: C
Analysis
Before I wrote this preview I sat down and was trying to figure out what might be the culprit behind Purdue’s self destruction this season. The most likely answer can be summed up in one word, and is a familiar issue for us this season, youth. The Boilermakers rode an early bubble in 2004 and were very overrated in the preseason (hmm…that sounds familiar doesn’t it?). As the season carried on, their lack of playmakers was exposed in their conference games. The implosion then carried over by way of Orton's injury, and I feel has really gotten to the young guys mentally. I think they are on the verge of folding the tent for the season, and need one more loss to do so. Ohio State presents the perfect opportunity for this to occur. The Buckeyes have finally found an electrifying playmaker in #7. Every time Ted Ginn touches the ball, Purdue will need to bottle him up. I do not see this happening consistently enough given the cast that they have leading the way at linebacker and in the secondary. In my opinion, Ohio State just has much more talent than Purdue when you match up their skilled players head to head. Look for the Buckeyes to expose this gap, and really continue their re-emergence that started 3 weeks ago. These are two programs that are heading in seperate directions at this point in the season. 1 week until Michigan!
Overall Defensive Rating: C
2004 Purdue Boilermakers Offensive Preview
Returning Starters: 8
What can one say about a tale of two seasons, except that for the first 5 games, it was Purdue, and for the past 4 games, it was Purdon't. A team that looked every bit the "basketball on grass" moniker bestowed upon it when Joe Tiller took the helm has turned into nothing more than basketball on aspirin the past 4 games. Gone is the Heisman Trophy candidacy of Kyle Orton, so much so that he was benched for ineffectiveness versus Northwestern two weeks ago. The numbers are still impressive, however. Purdue is 5th in the nation in passing, with 302.1 yards/game (1st in conference). The rushing game, however, has averaged a paltry 127.2 yards/game, only good for 81st in the nation (9th in the Big 10). The total yards/game of 429.3 is still good for 23rd nationally (3rd in the Big 10), and the 30.1 points/game they've put on the scoreboard is still good for 35th nationally (2nd in the Big Ten). Still, the team has been exposed in recent weeks, dropping 4 straight, beginning with the lat-game turnover at Wisconsin, and leading eventually to the loss at Iowa last weekend, in which Orton was unable to play at all. All the games have been close, but Purdue has failed to make key plays at crucial times, and they have paid for it dearly, so much so that a team once hovering around the top 5 will have to fight fiercely just to obtain a bowl bid. Should they lose to the Buckeyes this weekend, it would be their 5th in a row, and they would need to beat arch-rival (and much improved) Indiana the final week to slide into a bowl slot. Needless to say, Purdue comes into this game a desperate team, and the Buckeyes should expect "Smokin' Joe" and the gang to put their very best effort forward.
Quarterbacks
QB #18 Kyle Orton (6-4, 220)
Orton's performance has been a microcosm of Purdue's season. He has completed an impressive 61.7% of his passes, and he has a gaudy 21 TD/5 Int ratio. However, he has thrown for only 2233 yards, certainly a substantial total, but a far cry from his production earlier in the season, and he will have to work to reach even last season's passing total (2885). He did miss the Iowa game, of course, which must be taken into account. By all accounts, Orton is still having a fine senior season, despite the setbacks, and he would like nothing more than to close his career with a win over the Buckeyes in his final shot at them. If Orton is still too injured to play, or gets hurt during the game, Tiller will look to Brandon Kirsch, who has filled in capably as Orton's backup (34/58, 433 yards, 4 TDs, 2 Ints).
QB Rating: B+
Running Backs
RB #32 Jerod Void (6-2, 212)
Void finished last season with 952 yards and 13 TDs, and it appeared that Tiller had his answer to balancing out the spread passing attack, at least to an extent. This season, Void has 532 yards and 3 TDs, averaging 4.1 yards/carry. Purdue has not concentrated nearly as much on the run this season, and the drop by over 20 yards/game overall, and the drop in Void's production, reflect this fact. Void is still a capable back with good size and range and can also catch a few out of the backfield (17 for 129 yards) on occasion. Brandon Jones is the primary backup, and has 322 yards and a score on the season. Orton has rushed for 3 TDs, and Kirsch has added one. Purdue's spread does not feature a fullback.
RB Rating: C-
Wide Receivers
WR #21 Taylor Stubblefield (6-1, 172)
WR #9 Dorien Bryant (5-10, 175)
WR #89 Kyle Ingraham (6-9, 224)
Replacing the departed John Standeford has not been easy, but Stubblefield and company have stepped up to meet the challenge. In fact, Stubblefield may be the only receiver mentioned in the same breath as Braylon Edwards in the entire Big Ten, as he has caught 58 passes for 800 yards and an astounding 12 TDs with 2 games yet to go. Ingraham's size is not a misprint: he is 6-9, causing a multitude of nightmare matchups for opposing secondaries. He has 31 catches for 340 yards, but only 3 TDs, which is perhaps a bit lower than one might think considering the old "fade to the corner of the endzone" play. Bryant has stepped up nicely as the 3rd receiver (27 for 393 and 2 TDs), but he did not have a catch against Iowa. Brian Hare (10 for 241 and 2 TDs) and Ray Williams (12 for 136) also contribute regularly. Dustin Keller has also caught a TD pass. Overall, this group is dangerous, and can beat you over the middle, on the fade, or burn you deep.
WR Rating: A-
Tight Ends
TE #87 Charles Davis (6-6, 263)
Davis is a fine TE. He has great size to help with blocking, and has been a significant factor in the passing game, catching 26 passes for 305 yards and a TD. He has proven to be a very important player in Tiller's offense.
TE Rating: B+
Offensive Line
OT #65 Mike Otto (6-5, 309)
OG #56 Matt Turner (6-3, 288)
C #68 Robbie Powell (6-5, 277)
OG #50 Tyler Moore (6-7, 282)
OT #David Owen (6-6, 294)
Tiller like stealth-like offensive linemen,. who are quick and nimble as opposed to big and bruising, because it fits his spread pass-blocking schemes. This is evidence by the fact that only one lineman, Otto, is over 300 pounds. Yet, angles and pulls and schemes make this a pretty effective blocking unit. Otto is certainly the best of the lot, and he earned freshman All-American honors last season. Turner started every game last season also, and Moore is back manning his guard spot. The run blocking has not been as effective this season, but given the big, physical defensive lines in the Big 10, this is not a huge surprise. These guys make their mark blocking for the spread passing, and do it well. Tackles Ryan Noblet and Brian Wang, and guards Danny May and Uche Nwaneri could also see the field.
OL Rating: B-
Analysis
Hard to know which Purdue team will show up this week. Certainly, they are desperate, but they are also on the tail end of a freefall. If Orton can play and is not banged up, he can put some serious heat on the OSU secondary. Tiller may try and incorporate more running to take pressure off his wounded QB, or the backup if he is in there. Orton doesn't make a whole lot of costly mistakes, so don't expect a major turnover margin. The main factors are if Purdue can run the ball, isolate Stubblefield, and use Ingraham to present matchup difficulties. All of those, and of course blocking the blitzing safeties and linebackers, as well as the improved D-line of the Buckeyes. Purdue hasn't been blown out of a game yet, and don't expect that this week, either. OSU needs to get pressure on Orton, stop the run, and basically keep him off the field as much as possible.
Overall Offensive Rating: B
What can one say about a tale of two seasons, except that for the first 5 games, it was Purdue, and for the past 4 games, it was Purdon't. A team that looked every bit the "basketball on grass" moniker bestowed upon it when Joe Tiller took the helm has turned into nothing more than basketball on aspirin the past 4 games. Gone is the Heisman Trophy candidacy of Kyle Orton, so much so that he was benched for ineffectiveness versus Northwestern two weeks ago. The numbers are still impressive, however. Purdue is 5th in the nation in passing, with 302.1 yards/game (1st in conference). The rushing game, however, has averaged a paltry 127.2 yards/game, only good for 81st in the nation (9th in the Big 10). The total yards/game of 429.3 is still good for 23rd nationally (3rd in the Big 10), and the 30.1 points/game they've put on the scoreboard is still good for 35th nationally (2nd in the Big Ten). Still, the team has been exposed in recent weeks, dropping 4 straight, beginning with the lat-game turnover at Wisconsin, and leading eventually to the loss at Iowa last weekend, in which Orton was unable to play at all. All the games have been close, but Purdue has failed to make key plays at crucial times, and they have paid for it dearly, so much so that a team once hovering around the top 5 will have to fight fiercely just to obtain a bowl bid. Should they lose to the Buckeyes this weekend, it would be their 5th in a row, and they would need to beat arch-rival (and much improved) Indiana the final week to slide into a bowl slot. Needless to say, Purdue comes into this game a desperate team, and the Buckeyes should expect "Smokin' Joe" and the gang to put their very best effort forward.
Quarterbacks
QB #18 Kyle Orton (6-4, 220)
Orton's performance has been a microcosm of Purdue's season. He has completed an impressive 61.7% of his passes, and he has a gaudy 21 TD/5 Int ratio. However, he has thrown for only 2233 yards, certainly a substantial total, but a far cry from his production earlier in the season, and he will have to work to reach even last season's passing total (2885). He did miss the Iowa game, of course, which must be taken into account. By all accounts, Orton is still having a fine senior season, despite the setbacks, and he would like nothing more than to close his career with a win over the Buckeyes in his final shot at them. If Orton is still too injured to play, or gets hurt during the game, Tiller will look to Brandon Kirsch, who has filled in capably as Orton's backup (34/58, 433 yards, 4 TDs, 2 Ints).
QB Rating: B+
Running Backs
RB #32 Jerod Void (6-2, 212)
Void finished last season with 952 yards and 13 TDs, and it appeared that Tiller had his answer to balancing out the spread passing attack, at least to an extent. This season, Void has 532 yards and 3 TDs, averaging 4.1 yards/carry. Purdue has not concentrated nearly as much on the run this season, and the drop by over 20 yards/game overall, and the drop in Void's production, reflect this fact. Void is still a capable back with good size and range and can also catch a few out of the backfield (17 for 129 yards) on occasion. Brandon Jones is the primary backup, and has 322 yards and a score on the season. Orton has rushed for 3 TDs, and Kirsch has added one. Purdue's spread does not feature a fullback.
RB Rating: C-
Wide Receivers
WR #21 Taylor Stubblefield (6-1, 172)
WR #9 Dorien Bryant (5-10, 175)
WR #89 Kyle Ingraham (6-9, 224)
Replacing the departed John Standeford has not been easy, but Stubblefield and company have stepped up to meet the challenge. In fact, Stubblefield may be the only receiver mentioned in the same breath as Braylon Edwards in the entire Big Ten, as he has caught 58 passes for 800 yards and an astounding 12 TDs with 2 games yet to go. Ingraham's size is not a misprint: he is 6-9, causing a multitude of nightmare matchups for opposing secondaries. He has 31 catches for 340 yards, but only 3 TDs, which is perhaps a bit lower than one might think considering the old "fade to the corner of the endzone" play. Bryant has stepped up nicely as the 3rd receiver (27 for 393 and 2 TDs), but he did not have a catch against Iowa. Brian Hare (10 for 241 and 2 TDs) and Ray Williams (12 for 136) also contribute regularly. Dustin Keller has also caught a TD pass. Overall, this group is dangerous, and can beat you over the middle, on the fade, or burn you deep.
WR Rating: A-
Tight Ends
TE #87 Charles Davis (6-6, 263)
Davis is a fine TE. He has great size to help with blocking, and has been a significant factor in the passing game, catching 26 passes for 305 yards and a TD. He has proven to be a very important player in Tiller's offense.
TE Rating: B+
Offensive Line
OT #65 Mike Otto (6-5, 309)
OG #56 Matt Turner (6-3, 288)
C #68 Robbie Powell (6-5, 277)
OG #50 Tyler Moore (6-7, 282)
OT #David Owen (6-6, 294)
Tiller like stealth-like offensive linemen,. who are quick and nimble as opposed to big and bruising, because it fits his spread pass-blocking schemes. This is evidence by the fact that only one lineman, Otto, is over 300 pounds. Yet, angles and pulls and schemes make this a pretty effective blocking unit. Otto is certainly the best of the lot, and he earned freshman All-American honors last season. Turner started every game last season also, and Moore is back manning his guard spot. The run blocking has not been as effective this season, but given the big, physical defensive lines in the Big 10, this is not a huge surprise. These guys make their mark blocking for the spread passing, and do it well. Tackles Ryan Noblet and Brian Wang, and guards Danny May and Uche Nwaneri could also see the field.
OL Rating: B-
Analysis
Hard to know which Purdue team will show up this week. Certainly, they are desperate, but they are also on the tail end of a freefall. If Orton can play and is not banged up, he can put some serious heat on the OSU secondary. Tiller may try and incorporate more running to take pressure off his wounded QB, or the backup if he is in there. Orton doesn't make a whole lot of costly mistakes, so don't expect a major turnover margin. The main factors are if Purdue can run the ball, isolate Stubblefield, and use Ingraham to present matchup difficulties. All of those, and of course blocking the blitzing safeties and linebackers, as well as the improved D-line of the Buckeyes. Purdue hasn't been blown out of a game yet, and don't expect that this week, either. OSU needs to get pressure on Orton, stop the run, and basically keep him off the field as much as possible.
Overall Offensive Rating: B
2004 Purdue Boilermakers Special Teams Preview
Returning Starters: 1
Coming into last season, Purdue was very worried about the health of their kicking game. As it turned out, the Boilermakers were in good hands with Ben Jones kicking (25 of 30 FGs) and Aaron Levin punting (over 42 yards per punt). This season seems to be the exact opposite. Purdue was confident with their kicking game, but alas, Jones didn't improve ... and Levin lost his starting job to freshman Dave Brytus.
Special Teams
PK #35 Ben Jones (6-1 210 Jr.)
P #16 Dave Brytus (6-4 235 Fr.)
PR #21 Taylor Stubblefield (6-1 182 Sr.)
KR #22 Jerome Brooks (5-11 179 So.)
After a sensational 2003 campaign, Ben Jones is having a dismal 2004 season. At 9 of 16, the Purdue special teams are wondering what has happened. Jones has gone 1 of 3 from 20-29, 5 of 7 from 30-39, 2 of 4 from 40-49, and 1 of 2 from 50 or more. Those include 3 blocked attempts! Ben's only shinning statistic is on PATs, where he is currently 34 of 35 attempts.
Dave Brytus is having an average season punting the ball ... as a freshman. He is just under 40 yards per punt, on 33 attempts. Those include 2 touchbacks, 7 fair catches and 11 downed inside the 20. Dave's net is below 35 yards per punt.
Ben Jones and Aaron Levin have shared the kick off duties on 51 kicks. They have combined for 10 touchbacks and 6 balls sent out-of-bounds.
The punt return game offers little improvement for Purdue. Taylor Stubblefield is the main man, but he and 2 others have not averaged 5 yards per attempt
Jerome Brooks is the lone beacon of hope for the Boilermakers. Averaging over 27 yards per return, Jerome has a 100 yard TD return out of 14 attempts. Dorien Bryant and Jerod Void have handled the other 8 attempts and are also over 27 yards per average.
Analysis
What can one say. It's hard to put a smile on the faces of the Purdue special teams. What was a pleasant surprise last season has come back to haunt the Boilermakers in 2004. It's assumed they have the talent (judging from 2003), but the players have yet to display it on the field. Outside of kick returns (and Nuge is sure to place his attempts out of the end zone), the Boilermakers have little to be happy about.
Overall Special Teams Rating: D+
Coming into last season, Purdue was very worried about the health of their kicking game. As it turned out, the Boilermakers were in good hands with Ben Jones kicking (25 of 30 FGs) and Aaron Levin punting (over 42 yards per punt). This season seems to be the exact opposite. Purdue was confident with their kicking game, but alas, Jones didn't improve ... and Levin lost his starting job to freshman Dave Brytus.
Special Teams
PK #35 Ben Jones (6-1 210 Jr.)
P #16 Dave Brytus (6-4 235 Fr.)
PR #21 Taylor Stubblefield (6-1 182 Sr.)
KR #22 Jerome Brooks (5-11 179 So.)
After a sensational 2003 campaign, Ben Jones is having a dismal 2004 season. At 9 of 16, the Purdue special teams are wondering what has happened. Jones has gone 1 of 3 from 20-29, 5 of 7 from 30-39, 2 of 4 from 40-49, and 1 of 2 from 50 or more. Those include 3 blocked attempts! Ben's only shinning statistic is on PATs, where he is currently 34 of 35 attempts.
Dave Brytus is having an average season punting the ball ... as a freshman. He is just under 40 yards per punt, on 33 attempts. Those include 2 touchbacks, 7 fair catches and 11 downed inside the 20. Dave's net is below 35 yards per punt.
Ben Jones and Aaron Levin have shared the kick off duties on 51 kicks. They have combined for 10 touchbacks and 6 balls sent out-of-bounds.
The punt return game offers little improvement for Purdue. Taylor Stubblefield is the main man, but he and 2 others have not averaged 5 yards per attempt
Jerome Brooks is the lone beacon of hope for the Boilermakers. Averaging over 27 yards per return, Jerome has a 100 yard TD return out of 14 attempts. Dorien Bryant and Jerod Void have handled the other 8 attempts and are also over 27 yards per average.
Analysis
What can one say. It's hard to put a smile on the faces of the Purdue special teams. What was a pleasant surprise last season has come back to haunt the Boilermakers in 2004. It's assumed they have the talent (judging from 2003), but the players have yet to display it on the field. Outside of kick returns (and Nuge is sure to place his attempts out of the end zone), the Boilermakers have little to be happy about.
Overall Special Teams Rating: D+
Predictions
daddyphatsac's prediction: 23-13, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 21-16, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 27-21, Ohio State
vrbryant's prediction: 23-21, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 21-16, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 27-21, Ohio State
vrbryant's prediction: 23-21, Ohio State
Additional Information
Rebuild or Reload
Starters Returning: 12 (Offense 8, Defense 3, Special Teams 1)
Letterman Returning: 32 (Offense 15, Defense 15, Special Teams 2)
Letterman Lost: 22
Incoming Recruits:
Bruce Gordon (WR 5-11 195 Naples, Fla. (Dodge City, Kan., C.C.)
Dave Brytus (K-P 6-4 235 McDonald, Pa. (West Allegheny)
Jeremy Coley (DE 6-5 250 Toledo, Ohio (Mesabi Range Tech, Mn.)
Cliff Avril (LB 6-3 225 Orange Park, Fla. (Clay)
Dan Bick (LB 6-1 205 Louisville, Ky. (Saint Xavier)
Dorien Bryant (WR 5-10 175 Swedesboro, N.J. (Fork Union, Va., Mil)
Christian Graham (WR 6-2 190 Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central)
Jordan Grimes (OL 6-4 295 Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield)
Chris Haslon (RB 5-11 180 Burlington Township, N.J. (Holy Cross)
Anthony Heygood (RB 6-2 210 Chester, Pa. (Cardinal O'Hara)
Jamaal Jones (DT 6-4 260 Englewood, N.J. (Bergen Catholic)
Jimmy Ladd (LB 6-3 215 Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove)
Zach Logan (DB 6-1 175 Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)
Fabian Martin (DB 5-11 180 Chicago, Ill. (Prosser)
Lance Melvin (DB 5-9 190 Bridgewater, N.J. (Bridgewater Raritan)
Garret Miller (OL 6-8 265 Bay City, Texas (Bay City)
Rob Ninkovich (DE 6-3 245 New Lenox, Ill. (Joliet J.C.)
Curtis Painter (QB 6-4 200 Vincennes, Ind. (Lincoln)
Jonathon Patton (DT 6-4 240 Chicago, Ill. (Hubbard)
David Ramirez (QB 6-2 190 Red Oak, Texas (Grace Preparatory)
Sean Sester (OL 6-8 275 Fort Thomas, Ky. (Highlands)
Kory Sheets (RB 5-11 195 Manchester, Conn. (Bloomfield)
Zach Smith (OL 6-4 280 Terrace Park, Ohio (Moeller)
Desmond Tardy (WR 6-1 180 Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central)
Luis Vasquez (LB 6-3 230 Gales Ferry, Conn. (Ledyard)
Brandon Whittington (WR 6-2 195 Collingsworth, N.J. (Collingsworth)
Torri Williams (DB 6-2 190 Cedar Park, Texas (Leander)
Letterman Returning: 32 (Offense 15, Defense 15, Special Teams 2)
Letterman Lost: 22
Incoming Recruits:
Bruce Gordon (WR 5-11 195 Naples, Fla. (Dodge City, Kan., C.C.)
Dave Brytus (K-P 6-4 235 McDonald, Pa. (West Allegheny)
Jeremy Coley (DE 6-5 250 Toledo, Ohio (Mesabi Range Tech, Mn.)
Cliff Avril (LB 6-3 225 Orange Park, Fla. (Clay)
Dan Bick (LB 6-1 205 Louisville, Ky. (Saint Xavier)
Dorien Bryant (WR 5-10 175 Swedesboro, N.J. (Fork Union, Va., Mil)
Christian Graham (WR 6-2 190 Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central)
Jordan Grimes (OL 6-4 295 Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield)
Chris Haslon (RB 5-11 180 Burlington Township, N.J. (Holy Cross)
Anthony Heygood (RB 6-2 210 Chester, Pa. (Cardinal O'Hara)
Jamaal Jones (DT 6-4 260 Englewood, N.J. (Bergen Catholic)
Jimmy Ladd (LB 6-3 215 Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove)
Zach Logan (DB 6-1 175 Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)
Fabian Martin (DB 5-11 180 Chicago, Ill. (Prosser)
Lance Melvin (DB 5-9 190 Bridgewater, N.J. (Bridgewater Raritan)
Garret Miller (OL 6-8 265 Bay City, Texas (Bay City)
Rob Ninkovich (DE 6-3 245 New Lenox, Ill. (Joliet J.C.)
Curtis Painter (QB 6-4 200 Vincennes, Ind. (Lincoln)
Jonathon Patton (DT 6-4 240 Chicago, Ill. (Hubbard)
David Ramirez (QB 6-2 190 Red Oak, Texas (Grace Preparatory)
Sean Sester (OL 6-8 275 Fort Thomas, Ky. (Highlands)
Kory Sheets (RB 5-11 195 Manchester, Conn. (Bloomfield)
Zach Smith (OL 6-4 280 Terrace Park, Ohio (Moeller)
Desmond Tardy (WR 6-1 180 Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central)
Luis Vasquez (LB 6-3 230 Gales Ferry, Conn. (Ledyard)
Brandon Whittington (WR 6-2 195 Collingsworth, N.J. (Collingsworth)
Torri Williams (DB 6-2 190 Cedar Park, Texas (Leander)
Awards & Recognition
Preseason-Conference
2004 BigTen Football Media Preseason Poll
1. Michigan (10).........120
2 Ohio State (1).........103
3. Wisconsin...............88
4. Iowa.......................84
5. Minnesota...............81
6. Purdue....................69
7. Penn State.............59
8. Michigan State.........48
9 Northwestern............36
10. Illinois...................26
11. Indiana.................12
BigTen-Conference Awards
Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year
LB - A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
Sept. 6, 2004 (Week 1)
OFFENSE: QB - Brett Basanez, Northwestern
DEFENSE: LB - Chad Greenway, Iowa
SPECIAL TEAMS: K/P - Rhys Lloyd, Minnesota
Sept. 13, 2004 (Week 2)
OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
DEFENSE: S - Herana-Daze Jones, Indiana
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State & PR - Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin
Sept. 20, 2004 (Week 3)
OFFENSE: RB - Marion Barber III, Minnesota
DEFENSE: DE - Erasmus James, Wisconsin
SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State
Sept. 27, 2004 (Week 4)
OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
DEFENSE: DE - Erasmus James, Wisconsin
SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Dave Rayner, Michigan State
Oct. 4, 2004 (Week 5)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue & RB - Anthony Davis, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: LB - John Pickens, Northwestern
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR - Jerome Brooks, Purdue
Oct. 11, 2004 (Week 6)
OFFENSE: RB - Noah Herron, Northwestern
DEFENSE: S - Ernest Shazor, Michigan
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State & K - Ben Jones, Purdue
Oct. 18, 2004 (Week 7)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Drew Tate, Iowa & QB Drew Stanton, Michigan State
DEFENSE: CB - Scott Starks, Wisconsin
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Kyle Schlickter, Iowa & K - Dave Raynor, Michigan State
Oct. 25, 2004 (Week 8)
CO-OFFENSE: RB - Michael Hart, Michigan & RB - Marion Barber, III, Minnesota
DEFENSE: LB - Kyle McKenzie, Minnesota
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Steve Weatherford, Illinois
Nov. 1, 2004 (Week 9)
CO-OFFENSE: WR - Braylon Edwards, Michigan
DEFENSE: LB - Tim McGarigle, Northwestern
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Jeremy Kapinos, Penn State
Nov. 8, 2004 (Week 10)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - John Stocco, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: DT - Jonathan Babineaux, Iowa
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR - Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State
Preseason-National
Davey O'Brien Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Maxwell Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Groza Watch List
K - Ben Jones, Purdue
Walter Camp POY Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
2004 Doak Walker Award Watch List
RB - Jerod Void, Purdue
2004 BigTen Football Media Preseason Poll
1. Michigan (10).........120
2 Ohio State (1).........103
3. Wisconsin...............88
4. Iowa.......................84
5. Minnesota...............81
6. Purdue....................69
7. Penn State.............59
8. Michigan State.........48
9 Northwestern............36
10. Illinois...................26
11. Indiana.................12
BigTen-Conference Awards
Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year
LB - A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
Sept. 6, 2004 (Week 1)
OFFENSE: QB - Brett Basanez, Northwestern
DEFENSE: LB - Chad Greenway, Iowa
SPECIAL TEAMS: K/P - Rhys Lloyd, Minnesota
Sept. 13, 2004 (Week 2)
OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
DEFENSE: S - Herana-Daze Jones, Indiana
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State & PR - Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin
Sept. 20, 2004 (Week 3)
OFFENSE: RB - Marion Barber III, Minnesota
DEFENSE: DE - Erasmus James, Wisconsin
SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State
Sept. 27, 2004 (Week 4)
OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
DEFENSE: DE - Erasmus James, Wisconsin
SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Dave Rayner, Michigan State
Oct. 4, 2004 (Week 5)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue & RB - Anthony Davis, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: LB - John Pickens, Northwestern
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR - Jerome Brooks, Purdue
Oct. 11, 2004 (Week 6)
OFFENSE: RB - Noah Herron, Northwestern
DEFENSE: S - Ernest Shazor, Michigan
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Mike Nugent, Ohio State & K - Ben Jones, Purdue
Oct. 18, 2004 (Week 7)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Drew Tate, Iowa & QB Drew Stanton, Michigan State
DEFENSE: CB - Scott Starks, Wisconsin
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Kyle Schlickter, Iowa & K - Dave Raynor, Michigan State
Oct. 25, 2004 (Week 8)
CO-OFFENSE: RB - Michael Hart, Michigan & RB - Marion Barber, III, Minnesota
DEFENSE: LB - Kyle McKenzie, Minnesota
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Steve Weatherford, Illinois
Nov. 1, 2004 (Week 9)
CO-OFFENSE: WR - Braylon Edwards, Michigan
DEFENSE: LB - Tim McGarigle, Northwestern
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Jeremy Kapinos, Penn State
Nov. 8, 2004 (Week 10)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - John Stocco, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: DT - Jonathan Babineaux, Iowa
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR - Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State
Preseason-National
Davey O'Brien Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Maxwell Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
Groza Watch List
K - Ben Jones, Purdue
Walter Camp POY Watch List
QB - Kyle Orton, Purdue
2004 Doak Walker Award Watch List
RB - Jerod Void, Purdue
Historical Data
Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) Founded in 1869
Football 1st Season: 1887
Stadium: Ross-Ade (1924) 67,332
Conference: Big Ten Conference since 1896 (Charter Member)
Colors: Old Gold & Black
Mascots: Boilermaker Special, Boiler Maker X-tra Special, Purdue Pete and Rowdy
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 7 total, 1918*, 1929, 1931*, 1943*, 1952*, 1967*, 2000* (* = Co-Champs)
Head Coach: Joe Tiller is the 33rd head coach in Purdue history, taking the reins at the end of 1996. A Toledo, Ohio native, Tiller was born in 1942 and graduated from Montana State in 1965. Joe was an honorable mention All-American offensive tackle and team captain while at Montana State. After a 1 year stint playing for Calgary (CFL), Joe became an assistant coach at Montana State. Washington State was the next stop for Tiller and then on to the Calgary Stampeders (CFL) where he held a variety of positions from 1974 to 1982. Stops at Purdue, Wyoming and Washington State finalized Joe's path to the head coaching ranks. From 1991 to 1996, Joe lead the Wyoming Cowboys to a 39-30-1 record before accepting the head position at Purdue. Tiller has put Purdue back on the college football map and has compiled a 55-32-0 record while coaching the Boilermakers.
Consensus All-Americans: 18
College Hall-of-Famers: 10
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 3
Award Winners: 1 Maxwell, 1 Ray Guy, 3 Sammy Baugh, 1 Socrates
National Championships: 2 Non-Recognized Championships (1931, 1943)
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-17 years, Coaches-17 years
Stadium: Ross-Ade (1924) 67,332
Conference: Big Ten Conference since 1896 (Charter Member)
Colors: Old Gold & Black
Mascots: Boilermaker Special, Boiler Maker X-tra Special, Purdue Pete and Rowdy
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 7 total, 1918*, 1929, 1931*, 1943*, 1952*, 1967*, 2000* (* = Co-Champs)
Head Coach: Joe Tiller is the 33rd head coach in Purdue history, taking the reins at the end of 1996. A Toledo, Ohio native, Tiller was born in 1942 and graduated from Montana State in 1965. Joe was an honorable mention All-American offensive tackle and team captain while at Montana State. After a 1 year stint playing for Calgary (CFL), Joe became an assistant coach at Montana State. Washington State was the next stop for Tiller and then on to the Calgary Stampeders (CFL) where he held a variety of positions from 1974 to 1982. Stops at Purdue, Wyoming and Washington State finalized Joe's path to the head coaching ranks. From 1991 to 1996, Joe lead the Wyoming Cowboys to a 39-30-1 record before accepting the head position at Purdue. Tiller has put Purdue back on the college football map and has compiled a 55-32-0 record while coaching the Boilermakers.
Consensus All-Americans: 18
College Hall-of-Famers: 10
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 3
Award Winners: 1 Maxwell, 1 Ray Guy, 3 Sammy Baugh, 1 Socrates
National Championships: 2 Non-Recognized Championships (1931, 1943)
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-17 years, Coaches-17 years
Records
All Time: 527-453-48 (.536) - [CFDW lists this at 538-457-48 (.539)]
Home 323-181-25 (.634), Away 195-266-22 (.427), Neutral 9-6-1 (.594)
Bowl Games: 7-5-0 (.583), most recently a loss to Georgia (2003-4) in the Capital One Bowl
All Time vs the BigTen: 290-320-31 (.477)
All Time vs Ohio State: 11-35-2 (.250), Last win against the Buckeyes was in 2000 at West Lafayette.
Last Season: Purdue finished 9-4-0 (.692)
L - Bowling Green
W - Wake Forest
W - Arizona
W - Notre Dame
W - Illinois
W - Penn State
W - Wisconsin
L - Michigan
W - Northwestern
W - Iowa
L - Ohio State
W - Indiana
L - Georgia (Capital One Bowl)
Last 5 Years: 37-25-0 (.597)
Last 10 Years: 66-51-3 (.562)
Home 323-181-25 (.634), Away 195-266-22 (.427), Neutral 9-6-1 (.594)
Bowl Games: 7-5-0 (.583), most recently a loss to Georgia (2003-4) in the Capital One Bowl
All Time vs the BigTen: 290-320-31 (.477)
All Time vs Ohio State: 11-35-2 (.250), Last win against the Buckeyes was in 2000 at West Lafayette.
Last Season: Purdue finished 9-4-0 (.692)
L - Bowling Green
W - Wake Forest
W - Arizona
W - Notre Dame
W - Illinois
W - Penn State
W - Wisconsin
L - Michigan
W - Northwestern
W - Iowa
L - Ohio State
W - Indiana
L - Georgia (Capital One Bowl)
Last 5 Years: 37-25-0 (.597)
Last 10 Years: 66-51-3 (.562)
Links
Official Sites:
Official School Site - Purdue University
Student Newspaper - The Purdue Exponent
Official Athletic Site - Purdue Sports
Roster - Purdue Sports
Fan Guide (PDF) - Purdue Sports
Previews/Breakdowns:
Insiders Big Ten Preview - Insiders
Football Preview - Purdue Boildermakers - NationalChamps.com
NCAA Football Preview - Purdue Boilermakers - Sports Network
Boilers Counting on Offense in 2004 - The Ozone •FB
Purdue 2004 Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Offensive Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Defensive Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Inside Scoop - CFN
Purdue 2004 Player Profile: Kyle Orton - CFN
Message Boards:
Message Boards - (Insiders)
Message Boards - (Rivals)
Message Boards - (Old Gold Free Press - Independent)
Local News Sources:
Lansing State Journal (Green & White) - Indianapolis Star
BoilerStation - Local News
Official School Site - Purdue University
Student Newspaper - The Purdue Exponent
Official Athletic Site - Purdue Sports
Roster - Purdue Sports
Fan Guide (PDF) - Purdue Sports
Previews/Breakdowns:
Insiders Big Ten Preview - Insiders
Football Preview - Purdue Boildermakers - NationalChamps.com
NCAA Football Preview - Purdue Boilermakers - Sports Network
Boilers Counting on Offense in 2004 - The Ozone •FB
Purdue 2004 Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Offensive Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Defensive Preview - CFN
Purdue 2004 Inside Scoop - CFN
Purdue 2004 Player Profile: Kyle Orton - CFN
Message Boards:
Message Boards - (Insiders)
Message Boards - (Rivals)
Message Boards - (Old Gold Free Press - Independent)
Local News Sources:
Lansing State Journal (Green & White) - Indianapolis Star
BoilerStation - Local News
Note: Statistical data was complied using a variety of sources, including:
Stassen (Chris Stassen) - Data
College Football Data Warehouse - Data
Two Cousins College Football Emporium - Data
American College Football-RSFC (Dave Wilson) - Data
D1A Football (Formerly WALJ 10 College Football) - Data
National Champs.net - Data
Hickok Sports - Data