Let’s take a Deep Dive!

• News of Purdue cancelling practice on Tuesday was a shocker to me. Had no reason to think an outbreak had occurred. We knew about George Karlaftis being out. That announcement was made in late November. And, from the way Jeff Brohm talked about Jalen Graham on Monday during his presser, it sure sounds like he has COVID. Earlier this year, of course, Jeff Brohm and ST coach Marty Biagi were infected. Other than that? From rumblings emanating, Purdue apparently has myriad players/coaches impacted directly or through contact tracing.

• Apparently, the Giants are looking at OT Grant Hermanns as a possible fourth- or fifth-round draft choice, according to an NFL-connected source.

IS OT GRANT HERMANNS A FUTURE PRO?

• With the coaching carousel starting to spin, desiring eyes will be cast toward Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell. The former Buckeye has done a great job in the Queen City and is destined for a Power Five job at some point. When that happens, who knows? Signs seem to point to Bearcat DC/linebackers coach Marcus Freeman perhaps ascending to the head coach job for UC when Fickell does bolt. Of course, the 34-year-old Freeman is a former Purdue assistant. He came to West Lafayette from Kent State with Darrell Hazell in 2013, coaching linebackers his first three years before becoming co-DC in 2016.

• Speaking of assistants who could be on a path to one day be a head coach … here is the top option from each Big Ten staff following a survey of those in the know.

Illinois: CBs Keynodo Hudson

Indiana: OC Nick Sheridan

Iowa: DC/DBs Phil Parker

Maryland: OC Scottie Montgomery

Michigan: OC Josh Gattis

Michigan State: DC Scottie Hazelton

Minnesota: DC/LBs Joe Rossi

Nebraska: RBs Ryan Held

Northwestern: OC Mike Bajakian

Ohio State: Assistant HC/RBs Tony Alford

Penn State: DC Brent Pry

Purdue: QB/co-OC Brian Brohm

Rutgers: DBs Fran Brown

Wisconsin: DC Jim Leonhard

THE 2020 SENIORS ... PLUS RONDALE.

• Purdue honored its seniors—and players it felt wouldn’t be back in 2021—on Saturday vs. Nebraska. But an NCAA waiver allows players not to count this season toward a year of eligibility, meaning Purdue's 2020 seniors can return in 2021. Here is a look at Purdue's prominent seniors and their potential 2021 status.

OT Grant Hermanns is gone. The same also likely is true for DTs Lorenzo Neal and Anthony Watts. Ditto J.D. Dellinger. OT Greg Long apparently is on the fence. Don't be shocked if WR Jackson Anthrop is back. LB Derrick Barnes? Scuttlebutt is he may want to come back to get more film as a MLB. Still, I find that hard to believe. I think Barnes is ready for the NFL.

No WAY Rondale Moore comes back, right? Right?

Yep, from what I am told by someone close to the situation, "definitely not," when asked about the probability of No. 4 returning. Hey, I had to at least ask, right?

Still have to think he would have liked to have done more in 2020. He played in just three games and made 35 grabs for 270 yards. That's 11.7 per game. But he averaged just 7.7 yards per catch with no receiving TDs. And Moore ran six times for 32 yards (5.3 ypc) and a TD. For some reason, he wasn't used as a return man.

How much did he enhance his NFL stock? It may not matter. I didn't think Moore should have come back, any way. I thought he already had done enough. And once he works out for teams, they'll be blown away. Plus, he should knock out the interview process. He's a sharp and engaging young man. Is he a first-rounder? I'm not so sure about that. But he should be a second-rounder.

• An updated look at snaps played by true freshmen in 2020, per Pro Football Focus:

OFFENSE

L Gus Hartwig (301

)WR Maliq Carr (31)

WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen (6)

DEFENSE

S Antonio Stevens (14)

LB Kydran Jenkins (4)

SPECIAL TEAMS

Sanoussi Kane (104)

Antonio Stevens (35)

Clyde Washington (26)

Greg Hudgins (8)

Marcellus Moore (2)

Gus Hartwig (2)

Collin Sullivan (2)

Brendan Cropsey (1)

Hartwig is a future star. Eager to see Kane get defensive snaps. He could be a difference-maker at safety or DOG. Keep an eye on Washington in 2021.

• Yes, the Bucket game has been called off. Still, I wanna look over my shoulder at memorable Indiana-Purdue games.

My fav has to be the 2000 meeting in Ross-Ade, a 41-13 win that clinched a Rose Bowl bid for the Boilermakers. Montrell Lowe couldn’t be stopped.

My second fav is the gold jersey/Rod Woodson game in 1986, with the 1989 upset win in B-town on its heels.

Then there was the 1995 "Mike Alstott Game" at IU. Wow. Just, wow. That was fun!

GO, MIKE! GO!

You gotta like the 2004 Bucket game, when Purdue won 63-24. And Joe Tiller went out on a high note by scoring 62 on IU in his final Bucket game in 2008. It was a fitting end to his 10-2 dominance vs. IU.

Lastly, Joe Tiller showed Cam Cameron who was boss in their first two meetings, winning 56-7 in 1997 and 52-7 in 1998. That was a lot of fun and set the tone for this series over the next 12 years.

HOW GREAT WAS THE 2000 BUCKET GAME?

• With the Big Ten limping to the finish line, you wonder if some teams even want play that last weekend—Dec. 18-19—when crossover matchups between East and West teams will play out. With Michigan’s game vs. Ohio State scrubbed, you wonder what the Wolverines’ roster situation will look like that final season. Same goes for Purdue and Indiana. Will Michigan or Purdue even want to play? And even if they can, how much gusto will they have to play? And will they be healthy enough? Aside from the Big Ten title game and maybe Iowa-Indiana and Wisconsin-Minnesota games--if the come off--these are meaningless endeavors merely on the slate as TV inventory to make more money.

• Don’t tell me that you’re shocked that the Big Ten altered its rules to accommodate Ohio State’s inclusion in the Big Ten title game. Fairness is out the window. This is all about money—big shock, huh?. The Buckeyes are the Big Ten’s best hope to earn a bid to the College Football Playoff. And that would mean money … lot’s of money. Plus, obviously, a chance for a national title to add cachet to the Big Ten. Sorry, Indiana. You had a shot vs. the Buckeyes in 2020 … and lost. (Given IU’s COVID situation, you wonder if would be able to play in the Big Ten title game.) Ohio State was No. 4 in the most recent CFP poll. Yes, it lacks marquee wins, but the Buckeyes certainly pass the eyeball test of most to be one of the nation’s four best teams. Do you really need a sixth game to decide how good Ohio State is? C’mon.

Who knows? Ohio State may have earned a playoff spot even without the Big Ten changing its rules to get OSU into the league title game. Again, the Buckeyes are currently No. 4 in CFP poll. And they likely would have played the winner of Iowa-Wisconsin in their crossover game, giving Ohio State a quality foe to enhance its resume.

What would be crazy … and maybe fitting in this wild season: The Big Ten changes its rules to get OSU in the league title game vs. Northwestern … and the Buckeyes lose.

Thanks for reading!