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Purdue defensive coordinator Nick Holt has been coaching since 1986, when he began his career running the defense for St. Mary’s High in California. Since then, he has had stops at UNLV, Idaho, USC, Washington, Arkansas and Western Kentucky. But he can’t recall a season as trying as this one.

“As a total team, I don’t think … it’s one of those years, but I’m not sure I have seen it as costly as it has us as far as the older players and the better players all getting hurt,” said Holt after practice on Wednesday. “That’s what is mind-boggling. But you have to fight through it. And in the long run, it will make us better. We are struggling now, as you know. You find out a lot about people. You find out a lot about yourself as a leader. We have to do a good job with these kids.”

How tough has it been for 1-3 Purdue? The Boilermakers are last in the Big Ten in total defense (451.0 ypg), 11th vs. the run (154.5 ypg) and last vs. the pass (296.5 ypg). Things won’t get any easier this Saturday when Purdue plays at 4-0 Penn State.

"Defense is 11 people," said linebacker Ben Holt, Nick's son. "We need to try to get a better pass rush. Linebackers need to do a better job. It's not just on one specific group. It's a whole defensive thing. So that's what people have to understand. You can't blame it on just one certain position group."

The Nittany Lions sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford has excelled taking over for Trace McSorley. Clifford connected on 26-of-31 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns in a 59-0 demolition of Maryland last Friday in College Park, Md. He also ran seven times for a team-high 54 yards and a score. Clifford is No. 2 in the Big Ten in passing (294.8 ypg), hitting 66 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and one interceptions. The Penn State pass attack could put a lot of pressure on a Purdue secondary that has been revamped this week.

Redshirt freshmen Cory Trice and Jordan Rucker are the new No. 1 cornerbacks, supplanting sophomores Kenneth Major and Dedrick Mackey.

“When you don’t play well, hopefully you have some backups that can go in,” said Holt. “And that’s what has happened. We are trying to create competition. It’s not OK to have mental lapses like that. And you have to do something about it. Or else you won't correct the problem. And so, put a couple of other guys in and both guys were really solid. They did not play poorly."

Holt was please with how the 6-3, 215-pound Trice played. He was moved to corner from safety prior to the season-opener at Nevada.

"Cory Trice played really, really well. And it’s good for him. He had an opportunity and played 50-plus plays and did an excellent job. It wakes everyone up. Competition brings the best out of all of us. And I think the other two guys who got taken out, I think they’ll learn from it. And I think they’re better. They had a better week of practice. And they understand.”

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Injuries have played a big part in Purdue’s defensive struggles. The Boilermakers have played all season without senior captain Lorenzo Neal, a talented tackle who had offseason knee surgery. And then Purdue lost fifth-year senior captain Markus Bailey after the second game of the season when the linebacker hurt a knee in practice.

The defense is still adjusting to the loss of Bailey, as junior Cornel Jones has stepped into his role.

“Yes,” said Holt about still adapting to not having the savvy Bailey. “We are obviously (missing him). It’s just hard. You lose a guy, you are trying to get other guys ready. What happens now is other guys are taking even more reps and you have to be really careful you don’t get everyone hurt now because of trying to adjust guys.

"Markus wore a lot of hats for us. We could put him in a lot of places and be productive. Can’t complain. But we have to find ways to get better without having him in the lineup. That’s just the way it is. We are trying.”

It has been a bizarre run of misfortune for Holt's defense, which starts two true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen and a sophomore.

“It’s just unfortunate all the stuff that has happened,” said Holt. “You know, the injuries. We just have to keep them going, keep ‘em getting better. Because there are some young guys, there are some guys getting better, there are some guys playing hard. We have to keep them together. We have to do a good job as coaches of not letting them get down. They still have to believe that they are good. And they are at times. They do some good things. So, stay positive, stay coaching, correct and praise.”

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The cornerback spots aren’t the only ones that have undergone change. Senior Kai Higgins--and end by trade--is now starting at defensive tackle alongside junior Anthony Watts. Higgins actually started last week’s loss vs. Minnesota, but it wasn’t reflected on the pregame depth chart.

“We are just trying to get our best guys in,” said DC Nick Holt as to why Higgins was shifted inside. “We have a lot of ends. And Kai, you put him on the scale, and he is as heavy as anybody. He is heavier than Giovanni (Reviere). He’s a senior and he deserves some of those reps. We’d like to get him back to end and also get him reps. Bottom line, wherever Kai is, whether d-end or d-tackle, he needs to get the 40 or 50 reps in a normal game. And he is solid. He did some good things.”

The 6-4, 260-pound Higgins arrived on campus as a JC transfer in 2017 as part of Jeff Brohm’s first recruiting class. Higgins has six tackles along with 1.5 TFLs and a sack in 2019.

“The transition, I like it,” said Higgins. “It teaches me to be more physical, play more with my hands, better pad level. It’s more about fundamentals. I feel like if I play that and can master that, I can play anywhere on the line, because when I go back outside I’ll be more physical.”

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