Two games are left for Purdue. And a lot is on the line: win at Wisconsin, then take down Indiana at home … and the Boilermakers will go bowling for a third season in a row. And that would be an impressive feat for Jeff Brohm, who has had to deal with myriad injuries in 2019.
Having time to reflect and look ahead during this off week, here are five things to focus on in the home stretch before Purdue puts a bow on its regular season.
1. Aidan O’Connell. He has emerged as a compelling story line, leading the Boilermakers to game-winning drives in each of their last two games to keep Purdue’s bowl hopes afloat. The sophomore walk-on quarterback is hitting 68.1 percent of his passes (49-of-72) for 404 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Making this even crazier: O’Connell is taking snaps from a fellow walk-on in center Sam Garvin. Yes, it has been one of those years. How big of a role will O'Connell have in 2020 and beyond? It's an interesting topic to kick around, given Purdue's situation at quarterback.
2. The o-line. The unit was scrutinized early on this season. And, for good reason. Purdue’s front struggled to get a consistent push, as the rushing attack languished last in the nation among FBS schools most of the first half of the season. The Boilermakers have made modest progress, averaging 76.8 yards rushing to rank 127th out of 130 schools.
The key has been better consistency and chemistry for o-line coach Dale Williams' front. Six main blockers have emerged, with a steady starting five of left tackle Grant Hermanns, left guard Mark Stickford, center Sam Garvin, right guard Matt McCann and right tackle Will Bramel. And Eric Miller has been rotating in at right tackle.
Injuries have taken away starting center Viktor Beach and guard D.J. Washington, who was emerging. Still, the line is coming along. And everyone will be back in 2020 except for McCann and guard Alex Criddle.
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3. Defense. Look, the unit won’t make long-time Boilermaker fans forget the "Junk Defense" of the late-1970s. But coordinator Nick Holt’s group has gotten better as the season has progressed. The tipping point came in the second half at Penn State on October 5. Since then, the unit has taken a more aggressive approach. And it has paid off. The Boilers are allowing 27.8 points. But in the last five games, Purdue’s defense is allowing an average of 21.2 points (one of Illinois’ TDs came on defense), while the offense is averaging 24.2. The Boilermakers have a 3-2 record after opening 1-4. Coincidence? Of course not.
4. David Bell. Let’s hear if for the true freshman, who has been as good as advertised. Without Rondale Moore—who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury—Bell has emerged as Purdue’s go-to guy. And the former four-star recruit has been the focus of defensive game plans. It hasn’t mattered. Bell still has produced without benefit of having Moore drawing defensive attention. Oh, and Bell has done it all while dealing with injuries (hamstring and shoulder).
He leads the nation’s freshmen in catches with 65, going for 791 yards and five TDs. And Bell has generated most of his production the last seven games. Check it out: The Indianapolis native had just six catches for 130 yards (21.7 ypc) and a TD the first three games (Nevada, Vandy, TCU). In the last seven games, Bell has 59 catches for 661 yards (11.2 ypc) and four TDs.
5. Have fun. That’s correct: Have fun. Let it all hang out. This is a pressure-free situation for Purdue. Yes, the Boilermakers need to win their last two to make a bowl, and the odds appear long with 7-2 Wisconsin and 7-2 Indiana looming. But Purdue already has delivered twice with its bowl back to the wall, beating Nebraska and Northwestern each of the last two weeks. Few outside the Boiler locker room expect them to win out and go bowling for a third consecutive season in what has been a year of almost unparalleled injury attrition. So, Purdue can play with freedom. Be aggressive … run some trick plays … pull out all the stops these last two games. Have fun.
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