Hammer and Rails

Additional Thoughts on Jacob Lawson's Commitment

2010-09-07T16:27:40Z

I apologize if I am beating this topic to a bloody pulp, but Purdue's first commitment in over 300 days has awaken a sleeping giant in me. Here are a few random thoughts on Jacob Lawson's commitment, among a few other topics. Per usual, these may be a little incoherent so read on at your own risk...

As many of you have pointed out in the comments, Jacob Lawson gives Purdue some much needed depth in the front court. Considering the departure of Hummel and JJ, Purdue will likely need to solicit the services of all available big bodies to fill the gaps...or at least try... As it stands, Matt Painter will have Bade, Marcius, Carroll, Hale, and now Lawson at his disposal to man the front court for the '11-'12 season. This gives him a lot of options depending on what the situation warrants. Hale, Lawson, and (and maybe Bade with body transformation) will give Purdue a solid size/speed combo and will be able to play/guard 3 and 4 while Carroll and Marcius will eat up space and grab rebounds at the 5. Painter may have an arsenal of diverse skill sets and body types to utilize in the front court.
Lawson and Hale will bring a great deal of athleticism to the team. They both have a knack for defense, rebounding, and blocking shots and will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact doing just that. But if the two forwards can refine their offense, their impact would increase exponentially. They have the have the tools to be great college players, they just need to put in the work to get there.

The good news is that their offensive improvement is a definite possibility. Hale demonstrated a much improved shooting percentage his senior year, including adding a respectable 3pt shot. He was also recognized for a stellar summer performance and improved his ranking to #44 in the Rivals Top-150 (not that it means much of anything). With another year of development in prep school, it's within the realm of possibility that he comes into Purdue and plays a much bigger role than anyone expected. Lawson, on the other hand, could make similiar improvements. While I haven't personally seen Lawson demonstrate his work ethic, it seems to be one of his most noted attributes (besides his dunking ability, of course) by those who are close to him. Any player who wants to come to Purdue to play defense is welcome in my book.

If his commitment to academics is any indication of his work ethic, Lawson might be a perfect fit for this team. He says he'd like to major in engineering. Hmmm, sounds like Lawson and Chasson Randle would be good friends - eh, eh?

Lawson averaged 14.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks last season for the Oak Ridge Military Academy Cadets. His numbers are pretty impressive considering the Cadets won the State Championship (later rescinded) and he plays alongside two other D-1 prospects in his class (Chris Jones -Tennessee and Michael Neal - Appalachian State.). He'll come to West Lafayette as a proven winner and no stranger to playing with/against high-level talent.

It's interesting to see Painter nab a kid out of North Carolina. While in-state recruiting will likely be his bread and butter, he has demonstrated that he can expand his reach across the country if needed. Hopefully he won't need to for the class of 2013 considering the offers that he has outstanding...

If you are wondering what to expect with the final scholarship for class of 2011, It's safe to assume Painter is reserving it exclusively for guard Chasson Randle or (or Aaron Thomas if he decides to offer). Randle has an official visit to Purdue scheduled for September 25th, so I wouldn't imagine much action on his recruiting front until after at least after that. If he misses out, he can save his final scholarship for the 2012 class and prevent over-signing. While a Hale/Lawson class is pretty good in my book, I'd feel a lot more comfortable adding a scorer to balance things out.

Is it inevitable for Lawson to be compared to MSU's Branden Dawson during their respective college careers? It may not be fair (or even an accurate comparison), but let's be real - it's gunna happen. That will be an interesting storyline you can look forward to in the future...

About That Promised Cogent Analysis: A Look At Western Illinois

2010-09-07T16:05:21Z

More photos » Darron Cummings - AP

Like last year, Purdue should crack 50 in Danny Hope's first home game. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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Well, now that I have flushed every shred of journalistic ethics and credibility that I have worked hard over the past four years to earn, I might as well move forward with the promised cogent analysis. The football team itself must move forward too. That is why it is good we have Western Illinois to look forward to.

The Leathernecks present an almost totally opposite type of opponent in Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish impressed me with their athleticism. Their talent on defense was especially impressive. It wasn't so much the poor play of our offensive line but the solid play of Notre Dame's entire defense that made such an impression. Their defensive backs tackled well after the catch and their line disrupted much of our rhythm. The talent differential was on display, and it shows why we must improve our own level.

Expect the opposite to be on display this week. We're clearly the better team at nearly every position on the field. Though Western Illinois is now 1-0 after a season opening win at Valparaiso, we still should be highly favored.

The Leatherneck Offense vs. Valparaiso

Any win for a team that was 1-10 a year ago is a good one. Western Illinois was more than dominant, however, in topping the Crusaders last week. They used a strong ground game to repeatedly pound Valpo. Bryce Flowers had 128 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. Former Michigan State running back Caulton Ray also had 86 yards and a touchdown, while Lamor Hickman had another 80 yards. All told, The Leathernecks rushed for 339 yards and four touchdowns.

If they do that again this week we are in severe trouble the rest of the way. We know Ray is a Big Ten caliber back. He ran for 156 yards and a touchdown last year for the Spartans while playing in only five games. He didn't play after the Illinois game. Flowers is a 5'10" 185 pound freshman that obviously had a solid debut. He was even named the Missouri Valley Conference's Newcomer of the Week award last week.

Western Illinois also had balance offensively as Matt Barr threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't have any interceptions, but he was only 15 of 30 passing. Lito Senatus, a 6'3 200 pound freshman was his top target with four catches for 86 yards and a score. Terriun Crump also had five catches for 60 yards. He is another big receiver at 6'3" 210 pounds. If Barr has time to throw Crump and Senatus are two very good targets to throw to. Barr was sacked twice last week, but that was about the only bad thing that happened.

Of course, this was all against Valparaiso. The Crusaders aren't very good even for a 1-AA team. They play in the Pioneer League, which does not allow scholarships. They were 1-10 last year with losses to Division II St. Joseph's of Indiana and Carthage. The Crusaders have regularly lost, badly, to Division II teams, so they are hardly a barometer to judge a team on.

The Leatherneck Defense vs. Valparaiso

Western Illinois was just as dominant on the other side of the ball. They allowed only 10 first downs, 131 total yards, and forced five fumbles while recovering three of them. Only two drives even reached Western Illinois territory. Western Illinois regularly got tackles for loss, but only generated two sacks as a team. From looking at the stats it seems Valpo did most of its damage on the two drives that got into Western territory.

Kyle Glazier had 10 tackles for Western Illinois while Mike Garroppolo had seven tackles with a sack. The game was played in rain, making their offensive achievement a little more impressive.

On special teams the Leathernecks were one of two on field goals from Charlie Jouett. He missed form 33 yards, but hit from 36. Chris Fuchs had three punts for only a 30.7 yard average. Todd Speight returned both kickoffs and punts, and had a long of 14 yards on a punt return.

How they match up with Purdue

Honestly, we should have every advantage possible here. Their offensive line is probably the smallest we will see all season. Left tackle Enock Presendieau is the lone starter that is 300 pounds or better. Kawann Short, Gerald Gooden, and Ryan Kerrigan should be able to live in the backfield all day long. Crump and Senatus concern me as big, experienced targets, but I don't know if Barr will have time to throw to them.

Western's best bet is to keep living by its running game. We proved last week that we still struggle to stop teams on the ground. Ray is a Big Ten caliber running back that could have a big day if his line can open some holes for him. If we continue to overpursue Ray and Flowers could each cause trouble.

On defense there will be a few reunions to watch among some of our own players, but there are not many standouts. David McDaniel was a high school teammate of De'Ron Flood. Ryan Demming was a teammate of Bruce Gaston. Still, we shouldn't see many of the same issues that were there against Notre Dame just because the talent level is drastically different.

Best Case Scenario

Everyone stays healthy and we work on fine-tuning the offense. The run defense shores up and holds them to under 100 yards rushing. Al-Terek McBurse remembers he is a 4-star recruit and has his first 100 yard rushing day. Robert Marve throws four touchdown passes while Rob Henry gets his first.

Worst Case Scenario

Ray and Flowers run wild, combining for 200 yards again. The offensive line continues to have issues. The game is competitive for more than a quarter.

Apparently, I don’t know the limits of my own stupidity

2010-09-07T14:40:05Z

More photos » Jonathan Daniel - Getty Images

Yeah, I deserve to be hit by Ryan Kerrigan and Bruce Gaston at the same time. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

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Earlier this morning I had a brain fart. It was one that had been building up since I received an "anonymous" e-mail on Saturday afternoon. I had debated publishing it since then. Since this is the first time I had ever received anything like this, I finally decided that simply reporting it was the right thing to do and any judgments would be made based on the e-mail rather than the site itself.

Obviously, I don't know the limits of my own stupidity. As you can see, the article is now gone and to quote the great Dylan McKay, "May the bridges I burn light the way." The comments received both on the article itself in the short time it was up and on GBI are absolutely 100% correct. That kind of crap does not belong here.

It is one thing to start a blogwar with the likes of Syracuse by calling them overrated. Shoot, I even came clean and backed off in my stance on that. It is another to post unsubstantiated rumors and name names. I am better that, and I need to freaking act like it.

I therefore apologize to any readers I have turned off to the site with that post. It was irresponsible and wrong. This site is nothing without you readers. That has been my stance from the very beginning. You readers have made this site, and I can only destroy both the site and my readership by continuing to post crap like what was posted this morning.

Thank you for calling me on my own mistake for everyone that called me on it. Consider this a one-time screw up and I will now return to cogent analysis, general jackassery in terms of power rankings based on pop culture, and viciously defending all things Purdue.

Week 2 Blogpoll ballot

2010-09-07T11:36:09Z

Obviously this is still a work in progress, but here is my draft ballot for this week. Please file any grievances in the comments.

Hammer & Rails Ballot - Week 2

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Alabama Crimson Tide	--
2	Boise St. Broncos	4
3	Texas Longhorns	-1
4	Ohio St. Buckeyes	--
5	TCU Horned Frogs	3
6	Iowa Hawkeyes	3
7	Nebraska Cornhuskers	5
8	Oregon Ducks	3
9	Miami Hurricanes	5
10	Wisconsin Badgers	--
11	Oklahoma Sooners	-4
12	Florida Gators	-9
13	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	3
14	Penn St. Nittany Lions	3
15	Virginia Tech Hokies	-10
16	Florida St. Seminoles	2
17	Georgia Bulldogs	--
18	Utah Utes	5
19	LSU Tigers	-4
20	Pittsburgh Panthers	-7
21	Auburn Tigers	-1
22	West Virginia Mountaineers	2
23	BYU Cougars	--
24	Houston Cougars	--
25	North Carolina Tar Heels	--
Dropouts: Oregon St. Beavers, Cincinnati Bearcats, Connecticut Huskies, USC Trojans

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings "

More Jacob Lawson Highlights

2010-09-06T20:03:09Z

He might be a work in progress offensively, but there is no question that forward Jacob Lawson can take care of the basketball when he's close to the rim. Actually, it's more accurate to categorize his game above the rim.

Since Lawson happens to be a human highlight reel, he makes my much easier. Here are a couple of demonstrations of his 'freakish' athleticism:

Watch Lawson win Oakridge's dunk contest after the jump...

Purdue Lands 2011 Target 6'8" Jacob Lawson

2010-09-06T18:37:42Z

After what seemed like a an eternity since Purdue's last commitment, 6'8" 220 lb Jacob Lawson (Oak Ridge, North Carolina) became the first member of the 2011 class (joining Donnie Hale).

ESPN describes their take on Lawson's game:

"Lawson is a big active player who seems to glide down the floor and is a freak in transition usually finishing with a dunking flourish. Defensively this active youngster blocks numerous shots and goes after every attempt causing many alterations and bad misses. He rebounds like a fiend and offensively converts many of those into crowd pleasing dunks of sheer aggressiveness. Lawson has a massive upside and once he learns to avoid foul trouble willbe even more effective on the offensive side of the ball."

But you don't have to take ESPN's word for it, check out his athleticism yourself:

And if that didn't convince you of his abilities, check out this posterization:

Purdue might have struck gold with this commitment, but again, everyone looks good in slow motion.

Seeing that Lawson wasn't heavily recruited by Purdue until Dawson committed to MSU, we still have a lot to learn about him. We'll have more on Lawson's commitment and what it means to Purdue's future outlook later.

Lawson's commitment also means that there is only one(ish) scholarships remaining in the 2011 class. However, it's likely that Painter would only accept guard Chasson Randle for that final spot. Seeing that Purdue would be over-signed by one scholarship in the 2012 season if they bring in another recruit, Painter has a good reason to bank the scholarship if needed.

But the door will likely always be open for Randle, regardless of the scholarship situation.

Randle plans to visit his top three (Illinois, Purdue, and Stanford) this fall and make a decision shortly thereafter.

Boilers in the NFL for 2010

2010-09-06T15:59:15Z

DAVID ROARK - AP

Our most famous Boiler in the NFL. (AP Photo/Disney, David Roark)

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Happy Labor Day to everyone! As you probably know, this weekend was cutdown time in the NFL. We knew a couple of guys were safe, but several guys were hanging on for dear life. It appears that sadly, Jeff Zgonina's long and underrated career is finally over. The defensive tackle tried to come back for an 18^th NFL season, but it looks like it won't happen. Thus, we can now officially close the Jim Colletto Era of Purdue football.

In the mean time, here are the Purdue guys to watch in the NFL this season:

Cliff Avril - Detroit Lions - Cliff is becoming a solid player for the Lions with 41 tackles and three forced fumbles a year ago. They've got him playing defensive end as opposed to linebacker, so his move was successful for his senior season.

Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints - Brees really needs to step up and do something about his flailing NFL career at this point. I'm kidding, of course. We all know where Drew is at right now. He holds the QB Belt with pride. His next step is a regular season MVP award.

Ray Edwards - Minnesota Vikings - I guess we can claim Ray Edwards. I was never a fan of his while he was at Purdue because of his attitude. Still, last year was the best of his career. He had 51 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He also provides proof that there are other players on the Vikings roster not named Favre. Who knew?

Nick Hardwick - San Diego Chargers - I love how far Hardwick has come. He's a former walk-on that has become a Pro Bowl center. As bad as our line was this past Saturday I'd like to see if Hardwick has any eligibility left.

Landon Johnson - Detroit Lions - Landon always was a little underrated behind Niko and Gilbert Gardner during his time at career, but he has become a solid NFL player. He had 20 tackles in a reserve role last season for the Panthers, but he has now moved to the Lions.

Dustin Keller - New York Jets - It's not DK's fault that his coach is a blowhard whose ego is writing checks his team can't cash. DK had a solid playoff season with a touchdown in all three games. I expect big things from him this year.

Brandon King - Indianapolis Colts - Excellent news for Mr. King. He made the 53 man roster for the Colts! This is excellent news for the undrafted cornerback. I'm very interested in seeing how he contributes this year. Good, work, Brandon.

Niko Koutouvides - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Niko is one of my all-time favorite Boilers. He was a member of that great 2003 defense that I long for. Despite 11 tackles in a reserve role last year he is back for another seasons in Tampa.

Matt Light - New England Patriots - While Brees is a likely Hall of Famer in this group, I think Light has a chance as well. He has multiple Pro Bowls and three Super Bowl rings. He has protected the blind side for one of the best QB's ever. He nearly earned a fourth ring as a member of an undefeated team. He won't be first ballot, but he has a shot.

Alex Magee - Kansas City Chiefs - Alex had a quiet rookie season for the Chiefs with eight tackles and two sacks last year. He only had one start, but he might play a bigger role this year.

Mike Neal - Green Bay Packers - Mike was our only drafted player from this past season. The Packers are pretty high on him as a defensive tackle, however.

Rob Ninkovich - New England Patriots - Injuries have slowed down Rob's career, but he has kept at it. The Patriots used him for 23 tackles last year as he was finally able to have a full season. It looks like his third team is a charm.

Uche Nwaneri - Jacksonville Jaguars - Uche has earned a starting guard spot for the Jags. All four season ticket holders in Jacksonville are rejoicing.

Kyle Orton - Denver Broncos - It's about damn time that Kyle got a decent contract. I'm enjoying the fact that all the commentators that have trashed Orton for years finally realized that he had a good eyar last season. Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn are behind him, so he has to stay sharp before Denver goes with one of them.

Mike Otto - Tennessee Titans - I love that Mike is still hanging around the NFL. This is a kid I covered playing football and basketball as a junior in high school. He even signed the tailgate tent of my dad's business partner. Keep it up, Big Mike!

Curtis Painter - Indianapolis Colts - Say what you will about Painter, but he's still kicking around in the NFL. I'm not going to judge him. He'll make more this year holding Peyton's clipboard than I will in the next 10 years. It's still nice to have three quarterbacks in the league at the same time. Hopefully Joey Elliott can make it in from the CFL.

Shaun Phillips - San Diego Chargers - Shaun had an amazing seven forced fumbles last year with seven sacks and 59 tackles. He'll once again be one of the top members of the Chargers' defense.

Bernard Pollard - Houston Texans - Pollard is another one of my least favorite Boilers because of his attitude. I just thought he was a dick. Still, I'll claim him. He had 102 tackles last year for a decent Texans defense.

Anthony Spencer - Dallas Cowboys - It's too bad I don't like the Cowboys, because Spencer is one of the few players on that team worthy of the hype. He had 67 tackles and six sacks in starting all 16 games last year. He added two forced fumbles and an interception.

Craig Terrill - Seattle Seahawks - Craig is hanging on for another season as a reserve in Seattle. His numbers were down last year, but as bad as the Seahawks are supposed to be, he'll probably get a lot of chances to play.

Well, We won’t win the National Title

2010-09-05T03:45:52Z

More photos » Darron Cummings - AP

I would give Marve a C as grade today. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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That's all today's loss really means. Still, Thank goodness that's over.

All we have heard about for months is how Notre Dame would be opening with a new coach against us. Sure we had no chance, so why bother showing up? We were sacrificial lambs anyway.

Fortunately, the fans in South Bend at least respected us. I had long dreaded seeing a game at Notre Dame because of my dislike of the program. The sheer adventure of getting to the stadium today didn't help matters. Once there, I was impressed at how friendly the fans were. Sure, some were obnoxious (Especially those violating their "No cheering in the press box" rule). But for the most part, they were very accommodating.

The game certainly didn't go our way, either. As with most games, there was good and bad. Robert Marve was a roller coaster. We got a solid day from Dan Dierking, but Al-Terek McBurse was a disappointment. Antavian Edison, Kyle Adams, Keith Smith, and Justin Siller each had nice plays, but the second group of receivers did nothing aside from Edison. The defense looked good at the start, then poor tackling and missed assignments led to us getting gashed on the ground yet again.

I am pleased that we didn't let them walk up and down the field on us. We made them earn this win, but ultimately we only played good for about 10 total minutes.

Positives from the Notre Dame game:

Not quitting - At two points in the second half it looked like we were done. The overturned fumble six would have ended the game had the call stood. Notre Dame's drive that resulted in Michael Floyd's fumble would have started a rout had he not fumbled. Instead, we somehow withstood the storm and still had a chance to win. Coach Hope cited this numerous times in the post-game presser.

The first half was awful, but we were still down only 10 with the ball to start the second half. The third quarter was a near disaster, but after the safety and touchdown the defense was playing inspired football again and got us the ball and a chance to tie. Cortez Smith and Siller each just missed catching deep passes that would have turned the game around. I would absolutely throw those passes again.

Keith Smith - 12 catches for 80 yards, including three straight where we ran the exact same play and he continued to abuse his corner. Smith is going to be a force in the Big Ten this year. He outperformed every receiver on both teams today short of probably Kyle Rudolph.

Ryan Kerrigan - We needed Kerrigan to be a rampaging beast and that's what he was. Despite being double teamed (and repeatedly held) he was a force. He caused two fumbles in the first eight plays, but the ball just didn't bounce our way.

Dan Dierking - I was sitting next to the GBI guys in the booth and commented it is never good when Dan Dierking is your leading rusher. I like Dan. He does everything right and plays very hard, but he's still just not a Big Ten leading running back type. He's a fantastic complimentary player, but we need someone else for him to compliment. I don't think we could have gotten more from him.

Defensive secondary - Overall, they were pretty good. Ricardo Allen had a bad penalty (and should have had a second call go against him), but everyone else did well. Logan Link was solid and recovered a fumble. Albert Evans and Charlton Williams were good. Max Charlot laid a big hit on someone. These guys only gave up 220 yards, which is more than fine against a pass-happy offense. It certainly was not their fault today.

Rob Henry - Coach Hope said he wanted to work him in more today and even get him a few throws. I did like what I saw, as he was the key to the field goal drive in the first half. We'll see more of him for sure.

Negatives from the Notre Dame game:

Defensive front seven - I was very encouraged on the first two drives. We were stopping the run and even getting pressure. It couldn't have been better. After the interception by Darrin Walls, however, we became Purdue again. Cierre Wood ran for 41 yards on four carries and that was before Armando Allen's 22 yard touchdown.

I honestly don't know what to do anymore when it comes to the run anymore. We should be stout. We return six of seven starters. We played six linebackers today, including one (Will Lucas) that was good enough to earn time as a true freshman. The same problems were there. Rudolph was constantly open in the middle and when the backs would get to the second level it was like our linebackers had disappeared. What do we have to do? Notre Dame proved that linebackers can be active with the run and the pass. We play teams all the time, like today, where their linebackers make it look like 15 guys are on the field. Ours make it look like we have eight.

I really don't get it. It is ridiculously frustrating too.

Offensive line - As bad as this group was, I am surprised we generated anything. Ken Plue had a few false starts. He and Nick Mondek were a revolving door on the right side and Marve was running for his life all day. I know we want to roll Marve out to have more of a run pass option, but he barely had any time to think for most of the day. As a side note, at least when Marve did have time in the pocket he showed a good deep ball.

Al-Terek McBurse - The lack of practice was very obvious. He needs to get healthy. Fast.

Special Teams - I thought that the increased depth was supposed to allow more starters on special teams. Big returns were critical again and another huge weakness. It's just frustrating that this hasn't changed, either. Things were fine before J.B. Gibboney.

Final reactions:

This was an interesting game. Coach Hope stated that as many as 20 guys played their first collegiate game in some way today. That's a lot. Some, like Bruce Gaston and Brandon Taylor did well. Others did not. I think if we played Notre Dame in the fourth game, after our next stretch of Western Illinois-Ball State-Toledo, things would be much better. A five game winning streak heading to Columbus is still a real possibility.

This team needs these next three games to sharpen things up. Western Illinois is going to be a glorified practice. Ball State and Toledo shouldn't be challenges, either. Some people called for Marve to be benched today, but it is way too early for that. If the starters hold, we will lose only two for next year on offense in the two Smiths. That leaves us 23 games with almost this same lineup to get better. If we continue to struggle running the ball in the next three games it will be a problem. Instead, we need to fine tune the offense.

On the other hand, I must say I was impressed with Notre Dame's defense today. I know they are almost always going to have more talent than us. Today was the first time in years that I really noticed it on the field. Their defense was incredibly active and their offensive line opened holes and protected Crist. Their defense played a hell of a game today. Their offense wasn't as smooth as it likely will be, but if this is an example of how well Kelly can coach with his defensive improvements we should all be concerned.

That said, there will always be detractors. As I was going down for the postgame they announced that Purdue won the time of possession. Some Notre Dame made a loud "That's not good" statement. They haven't won any National Championships yet, and the heat will rise under Kelly until he does, if he does.

For now, we have to get better. We're not going to be tested until the Big Ten opener at Northwestern. We'll see what happens in that time. Next year we must win this game when it is played at Ross-Ade. The gap we had closed with Notre Dame is widening. We'll be a deeper, more experienced team next year. It will be our most talented and experienced team in some time. I will ignore Notre Dame from now until next year, when we have to end this three game losing streak.

Season Kickoff: Purdue visits Notre Dame

2010-09-04T18:13:58Z

I'm live in the press box at Notre Dame Stadium today with the restriction about live blogging.

They didn't say anything about commenting, however, so let's have another great Open Thread! You guys know what to do, Open Thread Champs. Time to break out the Yeungling and prepare for pancakes once this is done. 3:30pm is kickoff on your local NBC affiliate.

Let's get this back.

A preview of a kick return today?

Profiles in Badassery: Chesley Sullenberger

2010-09-03T18:11:54Z

The secret to football success is having a steady leader. Remember Drew Brees. Yes, he can be fiery to get his team up before a game, but on the field he is calm and collected. In the 2000 Ohio State game he threw a horrible interception, but two passes later threw the greatest pass in Purdue football history. His ability to shake off adversity is one of the traits that made him such a great leader when he was in West Lafayette. It is also what has made him a Super Bowl MVP and cover boy of Madden '11.

That leads to today's profile in badassery. Chesley Sullenberger has a Master's from Purdue, thus meeting the qualifications. He also only has one major moment that stood out, but it was one of the most pressure packed moments a human being can face. On November 12^th Purdue will honor him, thus opening the door for him to leading SHOUT the next day against Michigan. His ability to be calm under pressure is the reason he is today's badass.

Proudly Purdue

Early Years

Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III is a fantastic name. It sounds like he should be a baron of some kind, or at least a third generation politician from upstate New York. Captain Sully, as he should be referred to from now on, would probably punch you for stating he is a snewty New Yorker though. He's a Texan and proud of it. Born January 23^rd, 1951, Captain Sully was a genius early on. He tested consistently in the 99^th percentile in academic subjects and even could have joined MENSA at age 12.

He has some other interesting skills, thus making him a candidate for the next series of Dos Equis commercials. He was a first chair flute player (as a guy!) and president of the Latin Club. The man certainly has eclectic tastes.

Captain Sully's flying career begin at age 16, when he learned to fly small planes at a private airstrip near Denison, Texas. He eventually enrolled at the U.S. Air Force Academy and was selected as part of the cadet glider program. This would be a huge fact to store away for later, as it helped teach him the skills necessary for his dramatic moment. By the end of his freshman year he was a student instructor pilot.

Sully graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1972 with the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship Award as the top pilot. After getting his officer's commission, the Air Force sent him to West Lafayette and Purdue University.

Time at Purdue

I find it very cool that Sully was a grad student at Purdue at the same time my dad was finishing up pharmacy school. I wonder if they ever crossed paths, especially since my dad lived in the Young Grad House is final year. There aren't a lot of other details about Sully's time at Purdue, but I thought that was a cool bit of information.

After Purdue

There are certain occupations that make a man a badass sight unseen. Fighter Pilot is one of them. One of my best friends from high school is currently a captain in the AirForce. He's not a pilot, but he's been taken up in an F-16. He said that as frightening as it was, it was the thrill of a lifetime. Captain Sully flew F-4 Phantom II's from 1975 to 1980 while he was serving his Air Force commission. He eventually became a flight leader and training officer.

The F-4 was one of the first Supersonic fighter jets ever and had a top speed of Mach II. For the unenlightened, that is twice the speed of sound. If Sully can keep his wits while traveling in a metal tube at twice the speed of sound (possibly even during combat) a little landing in the Hudson River is nothing.

After the Air Force

Upon leaving the Air Force Sully became a commercial pilot for U.S. Airways in 1980. He had a fairly uneventful career too. He logged over 27,000 hours of flight experience and has been able to open his own safety consulting business. He would also serve as an instructor and general safety specialist for several years and among several different groups.

Since it seems like all things Purdue eventually lead to NASA, Sully's life has even touched there. He worked with NASA scientists to co-author a paper on error-inducing contexts in aviation. As a safety hawk, he has helped improve airline emergency evacuation procedures. This is something that his passengers were very thankful for on January 15, 2009.

The Hudson River Landing

I have a confession to make. I have never been the best passenger on an airplane. When I took a trip to Seattle at the age of 5 a bad takeoff in Indianapolis scared the crap out of me, and I have been affected ever since. I travel enough that most of the time I am fine, but after a takeoff from Denver last year in a thunderstorm basically drenched me with terror sweat I can tell it is still there. The events of US Airways Flight 1549 would be enough to make me never get on a plane again.

It is also what sets Captain Sully apart from other men, and even at a higher badass level than your average fighter pilot. We all know the basic story: A bird strike as he was taking off from Laguardia caused both engines to fail. At this point, I probably would have panicked, gotten on the plane's PA, and told the passengers to, "light ‘em up because we're going down." I might have even pulled a Steven Slater and grabbed a beer or two from the beverage cart. Sully never even broke a sweat.

Despite the lack of thrust, a major necessity when it comes to keeping a plan in the air, he managed to have a controlled, level decent and belly-landing in the Hudson River. I am sure his experience as a glider pilot with the Air Force was essential to this, and may have even kept all 155 people on board alive. Here is video of Sully describing the landing:

The man deserves a standing ovation for what he did. Once the plane had stopped, everyone was able to calmly (as possible) evacuate the plane and Sully even walked up and down the aisles twice to make sure everyone was off. Local commercial vessels helped rescue the passengers before the boat sank or hypothermia (in the 36 degree water) sat in. All 155 people on board survived and there were only five serious injuries.

Sully since then

The video above explains it all. The man is a hero. The NTSB has labeled it as the most successful ditching in aviation history.

Naturally, Sully has been lauded over the past 20 months as the hero he deserves to be. What impresses me the most is his calm demeanor and his willingness to attribute the success to his team on the flight deck and on the plane.

This plays in perfectly with this weekend. We're going into an atmosphere tomorrow that will have a lot of electricity. Notre Dame fans are ready to see coach Kelly and the excitement for the Irish will be palpable. We're facing a tough situation, but we will only win if we borrow from Sully's attitude.

1. We must stay completely calm

2. The players must rely on their teammates to overcome a difficult situation.

Performing a tricky emergency landing is far more difficult than winning a football game, but the same principles apply. Captain Sully is a badass not because he has performed great feats of strength, but because he has remained in control of his situation. It is a lesson I hope our players carry into tomorrow.

I am ready, guys. Go tear it up tomorrow. Every Purdue fan believes in you.

If this doesn't get you fired up you're probably a Notre Dame fan. Boiler Up! (Special thanks to...

2010-09-03T17:34:29Z

If this doesn't get you fired up you're probably a Notre Dame fan. Boiler Up! (Special thanks to the Paint Crew)

1 Day to Purdue Football: Keith Carlos

2010-09-03T12:00:27Z

Finally, we are ready for game time tomorrow. As usual, there will be an open thread up about an hour before kickoff. This series comes to a triumphant end today with one of our few seniors on the roster: running back Keith Carlos

Keith Carlos - Sr.

Hometown: Bridgeport, CT (Central HS)

Running back

6'1", 200 pounds

2010 Projection: Contributor at running back

Carlos was expected to be used a lot more this year, but a stress fracture in his foot has allowed Reggie Pegram to get a lot more reps at running back. In the long run, this is a good thing, but we need Carlos to be in there for depth. At Lackawanna Junior College (with Michael Eargle) he played running back, wide receiver, and returned kicks. Last year he played primarily wide receiver, with 21 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown. He also returned five kicks for 134 yards.

Unfortunately, he had a case of the fumbles last year. By the end of the season Cortez Smith had passed him at wide receiver because of the number of drops and fumbles that Carlos had. He was moved to running back after Ralph Bolden's injury because we needed the bodies there. An injury in spring practice cost him time as well.

Stress fractures are a funny thing, so it remains to be seen just how much Carlos can play this year. He is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands, but it does not seem like he is going to play early on.

Boilermakings Notes:

Bill Simmons: Ranking the war-readiness of the NFL's QBs - ESPN
Look who is number one in these rankings!

IndyStar.com | Boilers Insider | The Indianapolis Star
Robbie Hummel is getting closer.

Let's get it on! Big Ten Picks for Week 1

2010-09-02T16:00:37Z

More photos » Mary Altaffer - AP

Someone has taken over Ohio State. This Pro Combat crap must end now! (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Browse more photos »

Finally, it is game week

It seems a little strange to get back into game mode after almost five months without an actual contest to write about. The first week of football season is a long one too because it seems like almost everything possible has been written about the first game. I did my Notre Dame preview a few months ago. They haven't played at all so there isn't a ton I can add to it. All we can really do is go out and finally play this thing. I am thankful there are games beginning on Thursday night because I don't know how much longer I can wait.

It's time to do some picks for week one in the Big Ten.

Marshall at #2 Ohio State

This is not the Marshall with Randy Moss, Chad Pennington, and Byron Leftwich. Instead, it is a mediocre Thundering Herd team that was 7-6 last year and won the Whatever-the-hell-they're-calling-it-now-Little-Caesar's Bowl in Detroit. They will find out there is a big difference in playing Ohio State as opposed to Ohio. It's about the same difference as Little Caeser's (crappy pizza) vs. Garcia's Pizza By the Slice. Ever since Garcia's closed to be replaced by first Pizza King, then Hot Box, I have been jonesing like a crack addict needing a fix. I am sure it is a similar response to many OSU fans wanting to see the Buckeyes play. I would be happily sated with some Garcia's right now, as will Ohio State fans after a convincing win.

Ohio State 31, Marshall 6

Towson at Indiana

No Big Ten team should ever lose to a 1-AA team under any circumstances. Should the Hoosiers lose this game Thursday night they will deserve a proper public shaming via the internet Friday morning.

And I will be here to deliver.

Indiana 45, Towson 10

Minnesota at Middle Tennessee State

With Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee was expected to be the best team in the Sun Belt. That would have made for an interesting game where the worst conference's best team would be facing one of the best conference's worst teams. Dasher is suspended though, likely ending a trendy upset pick for the opening weekend. I give Minnesota points for bravely going on the road in one of these games. Few teams would have such gumption. It is a big test for the Golden Gophers because a loss likely eliminates them from serious bowl consideration in week 1. I just don't see them qualifying with a loss there.

Minnesota 21, Middle Tennessee 17

Youngstown State at #19 Penn State

JoePa gets win number 395 under the above corollary for Indiana. The Nittany Lions could start Elizabeth Bolden, a 116 year old woman who died in 2006 at quarterback in place of true freshman Robert Bolden and still win easily. I guess this is where I make the joke that Bolden (Elizabeth, not Robert) was JoePa's homecoming date in college.

Penn State 52, Youngstown State 10

Eastern Illinois at #9 Iowa

Last year the Hawkeyes were pushed to the limit by Northern Iowa from the lesser division. They then went on a run and won the Orange Bowl. There are similar expectations in 2010, but don't expect them to be pushed by Eastern Illinois.

Iowa 38, Eastern Illinois 7

Western Michigan at Michigan State

Has anyone had a bigger downfall than Tim Hiller? A few years ago he was the next big MAC quarterback. I had high hopes for him last year, but the whole team sucked and now he can't beat out Curtis Painter for a roster spot with the Colts. He's gone, and Western Michigan probably still sucks. It is still taboo for a Big Ten team to lose to the MAC, but both Purdue and MSU were victims last year. That probably means the Spartans won't be again.

Michigan State 42, Western Michigan 14

Illinois vs. Missouri at St. Louis

The Fighting Illini are 0-3 in this neutral site series heading into the last game. Each year seems to have gotten progressively worse. Nathan Scheelhaase is another first-time starter in the conference at quarterback, although unlike Bolden he at least has a redshirt year. As we've seen through the past decade of Illinois football we don't know what to expect. If they're good, it is BCS good. If they are bad, we're talking worst team in the conference bad. Who needs middle ground? For the record, I think this is the beginning of the end for the Zooker. I know, not exactly a stretch there.

Missouri 31, Illinois 21

Connecticut at Michigan

Things do not look good for the Wolverines right now. The Troy Woolfolk injury cost them the best player of a bad unit. They might be starting a quarterback in Denard Robinson that hasn't proven he can actually throw the ball yet. Rich Rodriguez looked like a harpy in the audience screamed "SHOW ME THE FEAR IN YOUR EYES!" at the Big Ten kickoff luncheon. I have never seen a coach with such a terrified countenance. Now they have to open the season against a good Connecticut team. Michigan will be able to run the ball, but can they pass? Can they stop anyone? I think they lose and the voices become even louder in Ann Arbor. There is blood in the water.

Connecticut 27, Michigan 24

Purdue at Notre Dame

I know I am probably jinxing myself by saying this, but I have had an increasingly good feeling about this game over the past few weeks. How good? I have had a feeling this is going to turn out like the 2004 game. I know it is probably wishful thinking, but what kind of a statement would Purdue make with a similar performance? Purdue has the better pass rush with Ryan Kerrigan and Gerald Gooden. They can get to the quarterback and take the pressure off of a young secondary. The ballyhooed Notre Dame no huddle doesn't mean much if it can't get in sync. If Purdue can disrupt their flow early and use its receivers to move the chains this game could quickly go in their favor.

Purdue 35, Notre Dame 31

Northwestern at Vanderbilt

Can we have the teams match SAT scores and declare a winner? This should be a fun game between a pair of teams that probably need this win for bowl consideration. It is also one of the few Big Ten vs. SEC games of the regular season. Even though it is between the lowest profiled schools in each conference we still need to stand up for conference pride.

Northwestern 24, Vanderbilt 20

#12 Wisconsin at UNLV

Why can't we ever play in Vegas? The Cheeseheads get the last conference game of the weekend with a late night kickoff in sin city. John Clay should have plenty of room to run, too. Too bad you can't actually bet on UNLV games in Vegas. I would take the over.

Wisconsin 38, UNLV 10

The Handsome Hour w/ T-Mill

2010-09-02T12:12:58Z

The Handsome Hour w/ T-Mill

Now up over at Boiled Sports.

2 Days to Purdue Football: Justin Siller and Gerald Gooden

2010-09-02T12:00:30Z

Charlie Neibergall - AP

It is good to have Justin Siller back. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

View full size photo »

Patience

It has taken patience to write this series over the last 3+ months. It has also taken patience for one of these two players today to return to the field. I am glad to have Justin Siller back, while Gerald Gooden should have a good season with teams paying so much attention to Ryan Kerrigan.

Justin Siller - Jr.

Hometown: Detroit, MI (St. Mary's HS)

Quarterback/Running Back/Wide Receiver

6'4", 223 pounds

2010 Projection: He's going to play SOMEWHERE

Welcome back, Justin Siller.

I have to say that because I am very impressed that he has returned to school. After the 2008 season Justin Siller was caught cheating on an exam. His status as an athlete did not exempt him from punishment. Purdue University (not the athletic department) kicked him out of school just like any other student. He was officially banned for a year, and he very easily could have never returned and fallen by the wayside as a player that dazzled us for a short time, but flamed out.

He didn't quit. He went to Ivy Tech in Lafayette to get his coursework back on track. This summer, he was reinstated to the University, and the football team welcomed him back. While he won't be the starting quarterback that some projected him to be had the academic issues not gotten in the way, he will play. In a way, his suspension might have led to Robert Marve transferring here. Now that both will play, it makes us a better team.

Siller made headlines by winning his first start at quarterback at Michigan. He became the first Purdue quarterback to win his debut since Brandon Hance (unless Brandon Kirsch won his first start in 2002). He threw for 266 yards and three scores against the Wolverines as Purdue won a dramatic game and officially eliminated Michigan from bowl contention for the first time in over three decades.

He is listed as a starter at wide receiver, but seeing as how he has played at running back and quarterback we are going to use him in a variety of ways. He is going to be our official "fun player" We may line him up in the backfield in a dual back set with Marve and Al-Terek McBurse. We may run him out of the wildcat. We may run a trick play where he does a halfback or wide receiver pass. Remember, with him, Marve, and Keith Smith on the field we have three former quarterbacks. Just because he gets the ball doesn't mean the play is over and he's the guy to tackle, or it might mean that. It's going to be a lot of fun to see how we use him, and I think Siller will have fun being used in those different roles.

Gerald Gooden - Jr.

Hometown: Hooks, TX (Hooks HS)

Defensive End

6'3", 235 pounds

2010 Projection: Starter at defensive end

After all that on Siller, it almost seems anti-climactic to write about Gooden. Gerald may have a good year by default simply because teams will be geared to stop Kerrigan on the other side. If they double team Kerrigan, Gooden will have single coverage and, supposedly, and easier route to the quarterback. If he can have a good season we should have one hell of a pass rush, thus helping our young secondary.

Gooden started all 12 games last year and earned 4.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 37 tackles total. He had 2 sacks in 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2008, so he is one of our more experienced players on defense. He did earned a fumble recovery at Oregon last year.

As I mentioned last week with DeVarro Greaves, Gooden volunteers his time off the field with freshman Bruce Gaston to work with Lafayette's Urban Ministry Emergency Shelter. He was also a high school teammate of wide receiver Cortez Smith. The music aficionado in him enjoyed Funky Friday back in 2009.

Boilermakings Notes:

THE FULMER CUP SEASON CLOSES, AND GEORGIA IS YOUR CHAMPION - Every Day Should Be Saturday
Georgia wins the Fulmer Cup

Crisis Averted - Big Ten Gets Division Splits Right - Off Tackle Empire
Don't blame the Commissioner for your own nearsightedness.

As Purdue nears, Irish boiling with excitement - Chicago Colleges Blog - ESPN Chicago
Oh really? Someone's going to get exposed? God, I want this game.

Thoughts on the Big Ten Divisions

2010-09-01T23:12:40Z

More photos » M. Spencer Green - AP

Danny Hope is ready to tackle the new Big Ten. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Browse more photos »

I think one of the things that has bothered me in this whole divisional process is that people act like only six teams matter when it comes to the divisions. All the talk was how Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin would be divided. It was as if Purdue, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois, and Indiana were going to be relegated as afterthoughts that had no hope of contending no matter what. It was all about separating the "traditional" powers properly. A few thoughts on that:

1. Before Kirk Ferentz, Iowa was a middling program for decades, with a few great years under Hayden Fry.

2. Northwestern has three Big Ten Championships in the past 15 years (1995, 1996, and 2000). That's more than Iowa and Penn State.

3. Before Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin had done very little for decades. Purdue, Northwestern, and Illinois have also won championships since their last one.

Ultimately though, I think they got it right. Nebraska, Penn State, and Michigan have each had bad periods of late where even making a bowl game didn't happen in some years. Only Ohio State has been continually dominant, and even they missed a bowl in 1999. Bear in mind that these divisions only currently apply to football. Basketball will not have divisional play. If you're going to break the league up as follows, they did it right:

Traditionally Strong:

Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State

Recently strong:

Wisconsin, Iowa

Mid-level teams that occasionally challenge:

Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State, Minnesota

Traditional bottom feeders:

Illinois, Indiana

The mid-level team category is the most fluid. Northwestern is probably the strongest of those teams with Minnesota being the weakest. There are often a lot of similarities between Purdue and Michigan State, as that game often comes down to bowl positioning between the two. All four have consistently made bowl games over the past 15 years. That is why we have the following divisions:

Woody Division (for lack of a better term):

Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Indiana

Bo Division:

Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Minnesota.

What does this mean for Purdue?

Based on current team strengths, I think it helps Purdue. Illinois and Indiana , the historically weakest teams, are in our division. Northwestern (consistently underrated post-1995) is perceived as a weak team, but they are not. Michigan is down right now, but far from out. Minnesota is hovering around mediocrity, while Iowa and Nebraska with a rising Michigan State make for a nasty division.

Our historical record against our new division foes is also good:

Ohio State 13-37-3 (3-5 since 2000)

Penn State 3-10-1

Wisconsin 29-39-8

Illinois 38-41-6 (5-2 since 2000)

Indiana 70-36-6

Though Penn State has been in the conference for awhile, they have gone off the schedule quite a bit. Two of those meetings (A Purdue win and the tie) came back in the 50's long before the Nittany Lions joined the conference. Purdue has a huge lead against Indiana, and the Illinois series is trending toward Purdue. The Wisconsin series does not have a huge edge in favor of the Badgers, and the Ohio State series has been much closer in recent years than over a longer history. Here is how we fare historically with the opposite division:

Nebraska 1-0

Michigan 14-41

Northwestern 49-27-1

Minnesota 30-33-3

Michigan State 28-31-3

Iowa 45-33-3

This makes it a tougher call. Historically, we have done better against the other division, with the all-time Nebraska series being a wash. Most of those series are trending the other way, however. Iowa currently has an edge on us. Michigan State has won three in a row. Northwestern has two in a row, as does Minnesota. Ironically the only one trending in our favor is Michigan. They own the all-time series, but we have won two straight.

So what would you rather have, a division that trends more recently toward us, or one that historically is better in our favor?

Cross-division games:

Ideally, I would love to see a rotation of games where we play three teams in the other division for two years, then switch to the other three. That's not going to happen because Michigan and Ohio State are in opposite divisions. It looks like the Big Ten is hoping for what the ACC was planning by splitting up Florida State and Miami. They wanted the chance of two big-time rivalry games in one season, but it has yet to happen.

Obviously, there will be one protect cross-division rivalry, just like the ACC has. Here are the ones I see:

Michigan-Ohio State (duh!)

Wisconsin-Minnesota (One of the oldest rivalries in college football)

Penn State-Nebraska (Keeps the balance of strength schedule-wise with MIchigan-Ohio State)

I think these are set in stone. That leaves six more teams though, and some are a stretch. Michigan State-Indiana has the Old Brass Spittoon history. Illinois-Northwestern has the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk/Land of Lincoln thing going. Illinois-Indiana could get a nice little border war going like they have in basketball. Iowa doesn't really make any sense with Purdue, Indiana, or Illinois though. In fact, they don't make any sense with anyone in the Woody division except Wisconsin, and I think the Minny-Wisky rivalry is bigger. Either way, Purdue is going to be the odd team out here unless they continue to protect our Northwestern series.

UPDATE: Looks like we get Iowa as our protected rival, bring the Hawkeyes back on the schedule after they have been off the past two seasons.

2nd Update: The full schedule for the next two seasons is now set. The future home and home with Oklahoma State set for 2016 and 2019 has been canceled. Next year's Notre Dame game is now not the season opener, either. Here is the full schedule:

2011
Sept. 3 - KENT STATE
Sept. 10 - at Rice
Sept. 17 - SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
Oct. 1 - NOTRE DAME
Oct. 8 - MINNESOTA
Oct. 15 - at Penn State
Oct. 22 - ILLINOIS
Oct. 29 - at Michigan
Nov. 5 - at Wisconsin
Nov. 12 - OHIO STATE
Nov. 19 - IOWA
Nov. 26 - at Indiana

2012
Sept. 1 - EASTERN KENTUCKY
Sept. 8 - at Notre Dame
Sept. 15 - EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 29 - MARSHALL
Oct. 6 - MICHIGAN
Oct. 13 - WISCONSIN
Oct. 20 - at Ohio State
Oct. 27 - at Minnesota
Nov. 3 - PENN STATE
Nov. 10 - at Iowa
Nov. 17 - at Illinois
Nov. 24 - INDIANA

We certainly have no favors here.

Big Ten Divisions announced tonight

2010-09-01T18:27:17Z

As per press release from the Big Ten:

BIG TEN NETWORK TO AIR ANNOUNCEMENT
OF BIG TEN FOOTBALL DIVISIONS
Commissioner Jim Delany to appear exclusively on 90-minute special

CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network will air the official live announcement of the Big Ten football divisions with Commissioner Jim Delany at 7 p.m. ET tonight. The show will also be streamed live at BigTenNetwork.com

Lead studio host Dave Revsine will host the football special and be joined by analysts Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith. Confirmed guests will include athletic directors David Brandon of Michigan, Mark Hollis of Michigan State, Gene Smith of Ohio State, Tom Osborne of Nebraska, and other Big Ten Network analysts.

More Q&A: Inside the Irish talks Notre Dame

2010-09-01T16:00:58Z

I promise I can do some original content this week. As usual, things are busy as I had to go to Kokomo yesterday and help a friend move. it does allow me the chance to fire off some questions to some rival bloggers, however. Today Keith Arnold of NBCSports.com's Inside the Irish blog stops by with some answers to my questions. My answers to his will be posted sometime today at Inside the Irish.

Quality, sane Notre Dame discussion. I like that.

T-Mill: How damaging would a loss in Kelly's debut be to the fans?

Keith: I'd guess just short of devastating. Kelly has been flawless in the months since he was hired, turning many of the people that were lukewarm to such an obvious coaching choice into true believers. Even the perpetually pessimistic Irish fans are trying to fight their feelings of confidence going into the season. Many have forgotten the inconsistency issues that plagued the team, and a loss right out of the gate would be a reality check nobody wants to deal with Labor Day weekend. A lot of goodwill would be thrown away if Purdue walks out of Notre Dame Stadium 1-0.

T-Mill: Given Purdue's history in South Bend, do they have much of a chance with all the questions facing them?

Keith: That sounds like a trick question if I've ever heard one. Any team that plays the Irish down to the final seconds the season before should feel like they have a chance at winning. Even more logically, Purdue beat Ohio State last year and returns a ton of talent. I think if anybody thinks the other team has no chance they're delusional.

T-Mill: Many fans are saying that the Irish have an easy schedule, but I wrote recently about how that wasn't necessarily true. What are your thoughts?

Keith: I'm with you. It's one of my bigger pet peeves of the last two years. Phil Steele ranks the Irish schedule as the 17th toughest. Mark May probably won't agree, but it's legit. Irish fans are many times to blame, not understanding that games against teams like Utah and Tulsa, two teams that don't play in BCS conferences (not for long in Utah's case) are dangerous. Thanks to the NBC television contract and a tradition that turns just as many people off as on, opponents get geeked up to play the Irish. This year, you can make a valid case that almost every team on the Irish schedule can beat Notre Dame.

T-Mill: Both quarterbacks are coming off of ACL injuries. Who has the edge?

Keith: I'd probably give Marve the advantage, just because he's done it before at Miami. Granted, that was two seasons ago, but he's run out of the tunnel as the starting quarterback for a prestige program, and that's going to definitely help on Saturday. That said, I think when it's all said and done, Crist will have a better college career, just because of his skillset, and Brian Kelly's history of developing quarterbacks in a very QB-friendly offense.

T-Mill: Is Crist an upgrade or a downgrade from Clausen?

Keith: He's a pretty obvious downgrade, only because Clausen had one of the top seasons of any quarterback in the country last year. What was lost in the demise of the Irish season was the year that Jimmy had. Love him or hate him, he played elite quarterback last year, doing it on a seriously injured foot that made it next to impossible for him to play under center or practice consistently. Dayne might end up going higher in the draft, but Clausen played the best statistical season of any quarterback in Notre Dame history.

T-Mill: Do you think the Irish offense will struggle with the transiition to a new system?

Keith: There will be struggles I'm sure, but I don't think the offense will take that large of a step back. For one, the running game will be vastly improved, even after replacing three starters on the line. Offensive line coach Ed Warinner has done some pretty impressive things at Kansas, and turned a Juice Williams run Illini offense into the best rushing team in the Big Ten. Secondly, this coaching staff is installing a system that's more player friendly, and while they may not run everything in the playbook, they'll do enough to be successful, and do it at a frenetic pace that'll challenge defenses.

T-Mill: What changes and improvements can we expect from the defense?

Keith: I expect wholesale changes on defense and a night-and-day improvement from a unit largely returning the same players. The failure of Jon Tenuta was one of the more shocking things I've ever seen around college football. Charlie Weis wagered his career on the experience and track record of Tenuta, and it backfired. The Irish were too committed to shoving square pegs into round holes. Just about every player in the front seven was playing out of position and in a spot they weren't recruited to play. The switch to the 3-4 puts all seven of those guys back in the right spots, positions they were recruited to play, and more importantly, have the skillset to play. Having spent some time around Bob Diaco and the rest of the coaching staff, I'm certain this defensive unit will play much better football.

T-Mill:Finally, what is your gut feeling for the game?

Keith: I just don't like the way things stack up for Purdue in this one. New coach, new era, it'll be the closest thing to an electric environment at Notre Dame Stadium since the 2005 USC game. I think the Irish defense will fluster Marve, a guy who will certainly have a little rust on him. I think Kelly and offensive coordinator Charley Molnar will try and ease Dayne Crist into the offense, and attack a Purdue defense that might be softer against the run than many people realize. I've been wrong plenty of times before, but I see the Irish walking away with a ten point victory.

3 Days to Purdue Football: Dwayne Beckford and Waynelle Gravesande

2010-09-01T12:00:31Z

I like the perseverance that both of today's players have shown. Dwayne Beckford had to overcome an eligibility hiccup, but he still came to Purdue. Waynelle Gravesande has seen players younger than him get more time, but he still has found a place.

Dwayne Beckford - So.

Hometown: Irvington, NJ (Irvington HS)

Linebacker

6'1", 228 pounds

2010 Projection: Starter at linebacker

It is hard to believe that Beckford is only a true sophomore. He originally committed as a member of the 2008 class, but some issues with a high school course did not get him eligible in time for the season, so he sat out much like Gabe Holmes did last year. He enrolled in the spring of 2009 and went through spring practice, allowing him to play as a true freshman last year. By the end of the season he was practically a co-starter with Chris Carlino in the middle. He ended up with 34 tackles, having a big game at Michigan with 8.

With a pair of spring practices under his belt he has emerged as the starting middle linebacker on a defense that is loaded with good players at the position. He came to us from Irvington High in New Jersey where his number-mate Gravesande also played. He had first-team All-State honors with 104 tackles and 17 sacks as a senior. Michigan State also showed some interest in him, and I can't imagine their defense with him and Greg Jones right now.

Beckford earned the most improved award in spring practice this year, making a big season that much more possible. At Middle linebacker you need playmakers. It is his time for Beckford to be one.

Waynelle Gravesande - Jr..

Hometown: Irvington, NJ (Irvington HS)

Wide Receiver

6'0", 189 pounds

2010 Projection: Punt returner

Gravesande is an interesting player. He has had a slow progression each year, playing just a little more than the last. He redshirted his first year, then had just two catches for 13 yards in the massive blowout of Indiana in 2008. Last year, as a redshirt sophomore, he made a splash because he could catch punts. That doesn't sound like much, but when we struggled to find someone who could actually catch punts for most of the season it became a big deal. He had one 11 yards reception against Ohio State, but returned 11 punts for 51 yards over the course of the season. He is expected to be more of a punt returner this year, but a leg injury has slowed him. Antavian Edison may pass him too as he has a little more speed.

As a senior in high school Gravesande had a big year with 52 catches for 797 yards and 10 touchdowns. He gives us a steady, safe presence on the field with good hands, so I can see him having a 10-20 catch season this year even given the depth we have at the position.

Off the field, Gravesande is a contributor as well. He does mentoring for the Play It Safe Program put on by the National Football Foundation.

Boilermkaings Notes:

Your E'Twaun Moore stat of the day - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN
More on The Assassin.

Purdue's Moore an unknown, unless you're paying attention - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Gary Parrish give The Red Button some love.

Packers football: Rookie Mike Neal is making a name for himself
Former Boiler Mike Neal is making an impression for the Packers.

NBC Sports - College Football - Inside the Irish
Here's what we're up against: Notre Dame's week 1 depth chart.

Boiler Bits: Joe Holland | The Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN
Stacy Clardie up in Ft. Wayne talks with Joe Holland

PROCEEDS OF EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL RETRO BRAND DREW BREES TEES WILL BENEFIT INDIANA PALS PROGRAM | Original Retro Brand
More Drew Brees shirts.

A belated birthday to Hammer & Rails/Off the Tracks

2010-08-31T21:38:21Z

I forgot to mention this on Saturday, but we passed another milestone. On August 28th, 2006 I launched what was then called the Purdue Football Blog. It took me awhile to even get one comment, but in the four years since this site has grown beyond anything I could have ever dreamed for it, and it has continued to grow.

It is because of you readers that I am here at SBNation.

It is because of you readers that I was credentialed for the Big Ten Tournament.

It is because of you readers that I will be credentialed this weekend at Notre Dame.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys are the reason that I get to do what I do here.