There goes Derrick Barnes.

No. 55 is everywhere, a dervish of activity who plays full-tilt. Has Purdue had a better defensive player this season? Nope. Barnes is playing at an All-Big Ten level.

But the Boilermakers will be without their star linebacker for the first half of Saturday’s game with Nebraska, which kicks off at noon ET in Ross-Ade Stadium.

“You got Barnes gone, you got George (Karlaftis) gone. … Everyone is going through their issues,” said co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter."

With Barnes out, Purdue will turn to Semisi Fakasiieiki and Kieren Douglas.

“It’s just next man up. Guys are ready to go. It’s their opportunity," said Poindexter. "Derrick will be ready to come back in the second half.”

In the third quarter of last week's loss to Rutgers, Barnes was ruled to have targeted a Scarlet Knights player. And he was ejected, with the suspension lasting through the opening 30 minutes vs. the Cornhuskers. Was there any way Purdue could have appealled?

“I don't think so,” said Jeff Brohm. “We've tried that before. But, you know, they reviewed it. They said it was targeting. We'll abide by the call. You know, I could see how they called it targeting. I wouldn't, but I can see how they called it targeting. It's just one of those things that Derrick tried to make a hard play and a hard tackle, and you know, maybe his helmet hit before the rest of his other body did.”

Purdue could have used Barnes as the defense struggled to get off the field in the second half last week. And, no doubt, the Boilermaker D will miss Barnes and his sideline-to-sideline skills when it comes to containing Nebraska’s running quarterbacks--Taylor Martinez and Luke McCaffrey--in the opening 30 minutes on Saturday. Barnes is Purdue's leading tackler (45) and has 4.5 TFLs with an interception.

“Derrick has been playing great,” said fifth-year senior defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal. “He’s middle linebacker, so he’s the heart of the defense. He’s been playing really well and leading the defense like a linebacker is supposed to. Everybody saw how he’s playing sideline to sideline. He’s made some really big plays. That’s great to see for him, and he deserves it.

"Last year, he wasn’t even playing linebacker. He was more of playing defensive end. So, I think for him to be having the year that he’s having and having not played that position in a year is really pretty remarkable.”

This is a Purdue defense that has hit a lull after a fast start. The Boilermakers have seen their points allowed increase with each passing game, growing from 20 allowed vs. Iowa in the opener to 24, 27, 34 and 37 last week vs. Rutgers.

Getting pressure on quarterbacks has been an issue. How much so? The Boilermakers have just one sack in the last three games, and that came from tackle Branson Deen vs. Rutgers last week that resulted in a safety. The inability to get consistent pressure has been a big reason why Purdue has had issues getting off the field on third downs the last two weeks. Rutgers converted 10-of-17 third downs in a 37-30 win. Minnesota hit on 7-of-11 in a 34-31 triumph. Add it up, and that’s 17-of-28, a 61 percent conversion rate.

“Well, (not getting pressure is) contributing to it,” said Brohm of the inability to get off the field. "We want to try to create some more pressure and get off the quarterback more and we have to be committed to doing that. So, yes, you know, making the quarterback feels uncomfortable and being aggressive in our approach is going to be important for us.”

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The issue was magnified in the fourth quarter last week, when Rutgers controlled the ball for 13:17 and converted 4-of-7 (57 percent) third downs.

“They got the momentum and they were able to control the football and we didn't get it back, and then the one time we did, we didn't take advantage of it,” said Brohm of the fourth quarter last Saturday. “Things didn't go our way. We didn't make them go our way, and we didn't finish the game the way we needed to. ... We have to find ways to fight through that.

“We have to find ways to play hard the entire game, regardless of the circumstance. We have to find ways to get out of a funk when it happens and I think that's got to be a component of every unit of our team, offense, defense and special teams, rising to the occasion and understanding that, no, we have got to make plays. You know, if we do that, then we'll have more opportunities. But yeah, it was a disappointing end to the game.”

Purdue missed Karlaftis, who is out until at least the final game of the season with COVID-19. Barnes is able to bring some heat. On occasion on passing downs, he has been lined up as an end—a position he played in 2019 before moving back to the linebacking slot he played his first two season on campus.

“I think Derrick's gotten better every week, playing the inside linebacker position, he plays hard,” said Brohm. “Mentally, you know, just got to continue to be in the right spot at the right time, but he gives us great leadership and he's aggressive and he's improving every week. Missing him in the first half will be something we have to adjust to.”

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