9/16/2021 football Edit

Purdue will see if it can 'stack and measure up' on trip to Notre Dame

Tom Dienhart • BoilerUpload

GoldandBlack.com, Associate Editor

Purdue is 2-0, just where it wants to be, having taken down Oregon State and UConn. Now comes the tough part, the heavy lifting: A trip to No. 10 Notre Dame.

"We had a good week of preparation," said Brohm. "Our guys practiced well. I think that to this point, they've had a good attitude and they understand each week we've got to continue to work to get better. Each week is a new week. So, once again, it's back to a one-game season. We're concentrating on Notre Dame, and we get an opportunity to go up there to their place. A great environment against a great football team that was in the playoffs last year and see how we stack and measure up."

The Boilermakers have lost seven in a row to the Fighting Irish, last knocking off ND in 2007. Purdue's last triumph in South Bend came in 2004. A win on Saturday may vault Purdue into the top 25 for the first time since 2007.

But if Purdue pulls off the upset, it may have to do so without sophomore tight end Garrett Miller, who was dinged up last week.

"It'll be a game-time decision," said Brohm.

How is the general health of the team heading into Saturday? Is everyone ready to go?

"We'll see," said Brohm. "We had a few things happen this week. We'll get all the guys we can there healthy and we look forward to it."

One player who won't be playing for sure is Zander Horvath, who broke his left fibula last week at UConn and will be out 4-8 weeks. The fifth-year senior, who hails from Mishawaka, Ind., near South Bend, underwent surgery earlier this week. How did it go?

"Very successful," said Brohm. "We're hopeful he'll be back in that 4-6-week range."

Brohm said Horvath will make the trip to ND.

"This is a big game for him," said Brohm. "He was looking forward to it. And right away, he asked if he could go on the trip. A lot of family and friends are gonna be there and that's back close to where he grew up.

"So, for sure we want him to be there and l know he'll look forward to being on the sideline. Obviously he wishes he could play. You know, he's a big part of our team, and we want to get him healthy and we want him to help our other running backs that are in there."

Purdue will face a familiar foe in Irish quarterback Jack Coan, who started twice vs. the Boilermakers when he was at Wisconsin. In fact, Coan led the Badgers to wins over Purdue in 2018 and 2019. He hit 72 percent of his passes (31-of-43) for 363 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in the two wins vs. the Boilermakers.

But Coan may not be the only quarterback who plays Saturday, as ND used freshman Tyler Buchner to help spark the run game vs. Toledo last week.

"Well, you definitely have to prepare for the second quarterback they bring in," said Brohm. "Has some athleticism and made some good plays with his feet last week. He gives them a different dimension. So, you have to have certain calls for when he's in there, you have to be able to adjust to certain formations when you think the zone reads and quarterback runs are in play and you've got to tackle him."

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