The perception of Purdue has changed.
After starting their season 3-3, with three competitive losses to top-15 opponents Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin, the stigma of the Boilermakers as a Big Ten also-ran has dissipated.
It might be gone.
Purdue is an early eight-point favorite at Rutgers Saturday, and could be favored when it returns home to face Nebraska and Illinois in the following weeks. Part of that is better-than-expected play by Purdue; part is worse-than-expected play by upcoming opponents; and part is national perception.
“I do think that has been a positive thing that has happened for us,” Coach Jeff Brohm said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “I do think people recognize our guys are playing hard. We've had a chance to win every game.
“I try not to look too much what others are looking at. But, yeah, we want that perception to be out there. We want to be a competitive team that plays hard, that gives everything we have, that expects to win and has confidence when we take the field, that finds a way to win. It's important that we do that every week. That's what people want to see. That's what football is all about.”
It’s that cultural change that has been as big for Purdue as its victories. The Boilermakers are in a place they’ve not been recently, feeling like they could make a push toward the postseason.
But Purdue’s margin continues to be thin, as well, with some of the issues that were projected problems before the season — offensive playmakers and the offensive line — continuing to be now.
“We need to continue to get better, and we've got to find ways to win,” Brohm said. “I think the last half of the season is just as important as the first half. Every game is important for us. Every game is a conference opponent. We have to have tunnel vision, not worry about anything on the outside, just worry about pushing ourselves to be the best, playing extremely hard.
“I think at the end of the year, then you can look back and reflect on what happened. But right now we've really got to, in my opinion, like I said, dig deep and grind even harder for this whole thing to get better.”
Injury updates
Purdue could be without left tackle Grant Hermanns on Saturday, maybe the biggest of a number of injuries that could have an affect on the Boilermakers’ game at Rutgers.
Hermanns was hurt at Wisconsin on Saturday, re-injuring the same left knee that he had called “sore” prior to the Michigan game three weeks ago. The redshirt freshman, though, came out only briefly before returning to action.
“It's 50/50,” Brohm said of the likelihood Hermanns could play at Rutgers. “I'd like to find a way to get him in there, but I'm not optimistic there.”
If Hermanns can’t go, Purdue would likely turn to junior Eric Swingler, who has played primarily as a blocking tight end. On the first play Hermanns missed on Saturday, Purdue inserted Ethan Smart, but only because Swingler had on his No. 90 jersey that he wears as a tight end, a number that makes him eligible as a receiver.
He quickly changed to 60, then played the next series before Hermanns returned.
“He's going to have to play more this week,” Brohm said of Swingler. “I didn't think it was one of his better games when he played tight end for us, but he can do it. I think he wants to do it. He's definitely going to be in there a lot more this week. I anticipate him playing well.
Brohm isn’t optimistic about linebacker T.J. McCollum (knee/ankle) or running back Tario Fuller (ankle), either. In fact, Fuller’s injury could be long-term. The running back has a deep bruise, “something that maybe have to get fixed after the season.”
“I think it's 50/50,” Brohm said of whether Fuller could be back this season. “Maybe it could happen in the next couple weeks. I don't want to rule it out. It's a matter of how he feels.
“… I don't want him to play unless he thinks he can function and do everything that he needs to do.
Brohm expressed more optimism about receiver Terry Wright (shoulder), who missed Saturday’s trip, and tackle Eddy Wilson (multiple), who was nicked in the second half vs. Wisconsin and didn’t return.
“We'd like to be able to get him back,” Brohm said.
Keep rotating?
Brohm isn’t ready to declare any separation in Purdue’s QB rotation.
Elijah Sindelar got the bulk of the snaps at Wisconsin — all but three — but wasn’t as efficient as he needed to be. The sophomore quarterback completed less than 50-percent of his passes, then threw an ugly fourth-quarter interception in the red zone.
“I think he's done a decent job, in my opinion,” Brohm said. “It wasn't one of our better games on offense. It wasn't one of Elijah's better games. It wasn't one of my better games.
“We got to find ways to score regardless of who we're playing or who is in there. We got to go back to the drawing board, go back to work. But Elijah hung in there. When you're getting some pressure at times, you're forced to throw a little too soon, it will cause you to maybe not play up to your full ability.”
The interception wasn’t good. On a second down from the Wisconsin 7, Purdue had a crossing pattern in front of Sindelar, anticipating a man defense as the Badgers had played primarily. But when it was zone, Sindelar rolled right to buy himself more time, then forced a ball to Jackson Anthrop. Leon Jacobs picked it off.
“He went to scramble, buy time, which is fine,” Brohm said. “But if you can't buy more time, you have to chuck it up in the stands, come back for third down. It's two-down territory, move on.
“He'll learn from it. It happens to the best of us at times. He just tried to do too much. We talked after and he understood. Those things happen, you just move on from them.”
On Blough’s three snaps, he took two sacks, knocking the Boilermakers out of the red zone and forcing a field goal, which was missed. The sacks have now become a bit of a trend, with Blough being brought down 14 times this season, while having 90 pass attempts, and Sindelar taking far few (five) with 119 attempts.
Since leading Purdue to a win at Missouri, Blough is 11-of-23 passing for 91 yards, with two interceptions while being sacked seven times.
“I think it's a little bit of everything,” Brohm said. “I do think David could have pulled the trigger on both the throws that he was in there (at Wisconsin) and got sacked. Did he have to pull it fast? Yeah, he did. But you know what, I'm sure we're in the red zone, (he) doesn't want to turn it over, I'm sure he's thinking a lot.
“With that said, obviously I got to call some better plays to give him better options. We got to figure out a way to make it work. It's not all on David. I think David has practiced well. He works hard. He's played plenty this year where we've moved the chains and had sustained drives and scored points. This was a tough spot to go in. Even though I thought we could get a touchdown there, we got two sacks. It really hurt us.”
Sindelar, it would seem, will get the start at Rutgers, his fourth of he season, but Blough isn’t out of chances.
“We've got to figure out a way to help them become successful,” Brohm said. “That's not all on them. It's on myself, our coaches, the people around them. I'm encouraged that both guys work hard, and I know both guys will be in there again.”
Learning curve
Purdue started Derrick Barnes in McCollum’s position at weak-side linebacker, with the veteran out due to an injury.
But Barnes, a freshman, lasted only a series. Classmate Cornel Jones got an opportunity on the next series, but it also was short-lived, also. Both rookies appeared to struggle to separate from Badger blockers.
After, Purdue went with fifth-year senior Garrett Hudson.
“Looking back on it, I think our young linebackers are going to be very good players, but I think we did get exposed the first two drives,” Brohm said. “They just weren't as aggressive. It's a tough environment to go in. If we had to do it over again, maybe we wouldn't have done that.
“But they're going to be good players. They work hard. We've got three young linebackers (with Tobias Larry) that I feel good about. But when we brought Garrett in, it gave us more experience, he had a better feel, was able to make some plays, was in the right spot when we needed him to be, and it helped us.”
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