I'm really excited to tell you about Purdue football, today's matchups, and what to expect from the Purdue offense. I would be even more excited if I could name a single player on Purdue's team.
It isn't that they don't have some talent, because Purdue has won some games (at OSU, at ummm), but I have not watched an entire game this year. I had the umm/purdue game on in the background when MSU was not televised but I had the radio on. I've done some research.
Purdue Pete is the mascot. He carries a hammer. Pete is not short for Purdue Peter. No word on whether or not Pete Seeger (If I had a hammer) was an inspiration.
Purdue's football team, and players, are known as Boilermakers. The nickname was shortened Boilers after a student vote. Boilermakers was too long, the alternative, Boils, too short. Boilers was preceded by grangers, pumpkin-shuckers, railsplitters, cornfield sailors, blacksmiths, and foundry hands. So sayeth the mighty wiki.
Purdue football is under new leadership in first year head coach Danny Hope. I don't know about you, but he gives me a good feeling about the future.
With a new coach came more offensive balance. The team averages 135 rushing yards per game and 248 through the air. More telling are the 318 rushing attempts versus 365 passing attempts to date. Also scary is the 80% scoring efficiency in the red zone, 70% being td's. That is well above the league average and an important reason to keep the special teams under control. If you give this team a short field they will score. That score will likely be a TD.
Running back Ralph Bolden has the most carries by far. I wouldn't be at all surprised, however, to see Jaycen Taylor make a play or two today. He is a senior on his way out the door and has shown some bursts in the past.
Joey Elliot is apparently the QB for purdue. He has pretty good numbers. I have to think I haven't heard much about him because of the rough start Purdue had, at 1-5. He does throw interceptions, with 13 ints to 16 tds, and the team has lost 14 fumbles. The turnovers are a big reason for the slow start. Someone needs to warn this kid what keeping that 'y' on the end of your name can do for a career.
MSU has 338 rushing attempts for 138 yards per game and 335 passing attempts for 280 yards per game. MSU scores more points and gains more yardage than Purdue. MSU is 81% in red zone scoring but only 54% of those scores are td's. MSU has lost 7 fumbles and thrown a combined 8 int's. These numbers look good but MSU's defense has not created enough takeaways.
As we know -- followed closesly by the newspapers -- MSU plays multiple running backs and, for some inexplicable reason, still plays two qb's on occassion. Leggett could be the new Caulcrick. Baker and Caper are the shiftier two. I like Caper. There was a great write up (because I agreed with it = great) in last week's freep.
I like MSU getting healthy in the secondary once again. I like the balanced attack overall and the balanced attack within the running game if Leggett (5'11" 230lbs) continues to get carries alongside the smaller backs. I also like bacon and IPA's but I'm not sure how that figures into the equation.
The pizza!pizza! bowl is on the line. A rematch with CMU no doubt. Sounds like a win!win! scenario for someone, just not the spartans.
MSU - 33
Purdue - 24
Purdue - 24
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