Jeff Brohm would rather his team's run defense be further along as it prepares for Boston College and its potent rushing attack.

It's not.

"We've got a long ways to go," The second-year Boilermaker coach said in his weekly media conference. "We're not where we need to be. Not even close."

Purdue (0-3) will welcome No. 23 Boston College to Ross-Ade Stadium for a noon kickoff this weekend as the Eagles (3-0) will bring the nation's eighth-best rushing attack. Through its first three wins — over Massachusetts, Holy Cross and Wake Forest — Boston College had averaged 285.67 yards per game on the ground and featured the leading rusher in the Atlantic Coast Conference in sophomore AJ Dillon.

Purdue currently ranks 72nd in the nation but sits tied for 11th in the Big Ten in allowing 156 yards per game on the ground thus far. That number would seem welcoming for an Eagles offense that has only been held under the 200-yard rushing mark in just one of their last six games. (Iowa held them to just 175 in the 27-20 win in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium.)

In the season opener against Northwestern, Wildcat sophomore Jeremy Larkin ran over Purdue for 143 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns. Despite wet and nasty weather conditions, Eastern Michigan seemed to abandon the run late and had just 20 rushing yards after halftime two weeks ago. Missouri sophomore Larry Rountree topped his career high Saturday night with 168 yards on 23 carries, including 89 in the second half. Brohm acknowledged last year's Boilermaker defense managed to finish in the top half of the Big Ten in rushing defense for the first time since 2010 but nothing much about this 0-3 start has resembled the 2017 season, particularly on defense.

"I do think traditionally and historically we have been a little better against run teams but we're not where we need to be doing that," Brohm said.

Following the 40-37 loss to Missouri Saturday night, Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes said the most disappointing aspect of the Boilermaker defense through three weeks has been the inability to stop the run.

"In Nick Holt's defense, the run is what we focus on and we can't win games with the opposing running back having 100 or more yards, simple as that," Barnes said. "It's been small things with people being outside their gaps or missing tackles and I include myself in that. I thought we did OK with that (against Missouri) for the most part but couldn't eliminate the big runs."

- Brohm confirmed Elijah Sindelar did not throw in practice Sunday and Purdue is still "working hard to get him healthy." Brohm said Saturday night that even though he took snaps from second-team center Viktor Beach in warmups, Sindelar was a "no go" for the game with Missouri after suffering the undisclosed injury before practice on Wednesday.

- Brohm didn't seem to be a fan of Purdue's three-man rush Saturday night vs. Missouri. The 3-3-5 look employed on a majority of third-down calls for the first time this season had mixed results as Missouri got an easy 21-yard touchdown pass off the look but also produced a late interception by Kenneth Major to allow for Purdue's game-tying drive.

"In my opinion, with the three-man rush, we got no rush," Brohm said. "When you have that, you'd like to do it more in long-yardage situations. I sometimes thought when we called it, we weren't really in a long-yardage situation. When you do that, you have to get some rush and the guys we had out there weren't getting any rush. So, if that's all the rush we're going to get, it's not going to be very effective."

- Brohm on true freshman Willie Lane getting 12 snaps of defensive action: "We need some assistance on the defensive line right now," Brohm said. "We have to get better there. He's a young man who didn't get here 'til August. He has a lot of promise. Is he there yet? No, he's not, but he does have some ability to make plays."

According to the new NCAA rule, Lane can still play in three more games while still qualifying for a redshirt.

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