Bleacher Report - Articles by Tim Cary

Carrying On: Did Ohio State's Justin Boren Enjoy His Return To Michigan?

Tim Cary — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:35:56 -0500

The Big Ten season has concluded, and Ohio State's on top of the standings.

Again.

While Illinois and Wisconsin still have some non-conference action to attend to, this past weekend's games marked the end of the regular season for most of the teams in the league, and (sadly) marks the end of another season of "Carrying On".

If you need to step away from your computer to shed a tear or five, now's the time.

Ahem...moving right along...

As always, we start with the spotlight game.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: OHIO STATE 21, MICHIGAN 10

Five things I learned during a relatively dull Buckeyes-Wolverines clash:

1. Brandon Graham is incredible

The senior defensive end put on a clinic in a losing cause Saturday, including back-to-back plays you had to see to believe. With Ohio State trying to extend a 14-10 lead, the Buckeyes drove into the red zone and had 1st-and-goal at the Michigan 2-yard line.

That's when OSU running back Daniel Herron met Brandon Graham.

Boom.

(Pun intended.)

Make that 2nd-and-goal at the 4-yard line.

Graham followed up his impressive tackle for loss with another one...on the very next play. Pryor took the snap, tried to buy his receivers some time, and found himself wrestled to the ground eight yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Guess who?

All of a sudden, Brandon Graham had single-handedly driven the Buckeyes back 10 yards in two plays as they were headed for a touchdown that would have broken the game open.

That's a potentially season-changing series right there.

Except for...

2. You can't design and execute a play any better than the Ohio State screen pass from Pryor to Herron

If Bill Belichick going for fourth down in his own half of the field was a compliment to Peyton Manning, Ohio State's 3rd-down screen call was a compliment to Brandon Graham.

Translation: if you can't block him, quit trying.

With the Bucks facing 3rd-and-goal from the 12, Ohio State invited the rush, dumped a screen pass to Herron, and watched him waltz into the end zone with the afternoon's most critical touchdown. The play was set up perfectly, as at least eight Wolverines defenders found themselves behind Herron and out of position while he raced for paydirt.

I was also impressed with the way Pryor threw the pass. He didn't lob it too high and allow a defender time to read the play and react, but at the same time he put enough air on the ball to get it over all the oncoming rushers (and believe me, there were a lot of oncoming rushers).

Compare Pryor's textbook throw to Ben Chappell's attempted screen in the fourth quarter against Purdue. Same play, but Chappell didn't put any air on the ball, and Boilermaker defensive lineman Kawann Short jumped up and caught the ball like it was thrown right at him (because it was).

When the screen is called, the quarterback is inviting pressure from everywhere, and Pryor showed his talent by handling the rush perfectly and making the throw that basically won the game look easier than it really was.

3. Oh my goodness! It's the zone read!

I fall into the camp that believes if Ohio State coach Jim Tressel were to call the zone read every offensive snap, the Buckeyes could probably be national champions. I admit that part of this belief is because that's how I tend to use Tressel's squad when I attack opponents on my PlayStation 2.

However, I've also seen how easily Pryor can chew up yardage in real life when the defense is forced to react to his pitch/fake pitch. Against Purdue (in the Buckeyes' only conference loss), Ohio State scored easily on the zone read in the first quarter and then (inexplicably) barely considered reprising the play the rest of the game.

So imagine my considerable glee, surprise, shock, amazement, awe, wonder, and baffled enjoyment (sorry for the over-abundance of descriptive terms...suffice it to say that I was really, really surprised!) when Pryor and his backfield buddies Brandon Saine and Boom Herron ran the zone read with a good amount of regularity against Michigan.

Oh, and one small editorial "I told you so" detail:

It worked!

The Buckeyes outrushed Michigan 251-80, with Herron, Saine, and Pryor alternating to do the damage. The Wolverines had no answer for the Buckeyes' backfield talent, and every time Ohio State needed a positive gain, they had the luxury of pulling out the "Old Faithful" option play.

Bottom line: if I were the Oregon or Oregon State coach game-planning for the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl, I'd expect to see a lot more of the zone read. (Of course, if it's Oregon, they run the read option better than anyone, so I doubt they need a ton of practice defending it...imagine lining up across from Jeremiah Masoli in practice every single day!)

4. What a great day to be Justin Boren

Boren was obviously a big storyline in this edition of the Ohio State-Michigan game because he transferred to Columbus from Ann Arbor after the 2007 season. (Talk about a highly-publicized transfer: the only other person who's gotten that much attention for switching sides was the House Republican who voted for Obama's health care policy!)

Anyway, Boren had to put up with the inevitable heckling at the Big House, but he left with the last laugh. Not only did his Buckeyes win the game—and the outright conference title--but they did it with a powerful ground game, led by Boren and his mates on the offensive line.

Ohio State gained 15 of its 18 first downs by rushing the football, a stat that would have made old-timers Woody and Bo proud. (Okay, so Woody would have been proud and Bo would have been furious, but you know what I mean.)

I'm guessing while Boren didn't enjoy what he was hearing during the game from the fans, he had to love what he heard afterwards...

Sweet silence.

5. Has Tate Forcier regressed?

Remember those Forcier-for-Heisman signs we saw in September? With the Wolverines finishing in the Big Ten cellar, they're long gone. The confident playmaker that pulled off dramatic last-second drives to beat Notre Dame and tie Michigan State has been replaced by a reckless gunslinger that appears to have checked his decision-making skills at the door.

The most egregious example? Down 21-10 with just over eight minutes to play, Forcier panicked and tried to force a ball on 2nd-and-5 from the Ohio State 6-yard line, directly resulting in a Devin Torrence interception.

In that situation, it's imperative that the quarterback consider the time and score. The Wolverines were in chip-shot field goal range, and with the three points in his back pocket, Forcier can't even consider a risky throw that might cost his team a turnover. The nearly-sure-thing field goal would have made it 21-13 and brought Michigan within a single possession while more than eight minutes (an eternity in football) remained on the clock.

A smart quarterback throws it out of bounds or (worst case) takes a sack, setting up a third-down play in the red zone and keeping the field goal as a solid back-up scenario.

A freshman does what Tate Forcier did.

MAYBE BROADCASTING ISN'T SO IMPORTANT

No announcer quotes this week. Instead of our usual feature where we make good-natured fun of television broadcasters and the silly things that come out of their mouth, I want to use this column space to pay tribute to Stefanie Spielman , who passed away last week after a long fight with cancer.

Stefanie left behind husband Chris (a former Ohio State and NFL linebacker and current ESPN announcer) and four children. From her obituary :

Stefanie Lynn Spielman, age 42 of Upper Arlington, Ohio went home to be with God on Thursday, November 19, 2009. Her deep and abiding faith in her Lord, Jesus Christ sustained her, gave her peace, and the assurance that she would spend eternity with Him. She touched many lives reflecting God's goodness, grace, and love to all that knew her.

I offer my condolences and prayers (as I know Big Ten fans everywhere do) to the Spielman family at this difficult time.

MAYBE PROGNOSTICATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

On a lighter tone now...time for some shameless self-promotion. In case you missed it, I wrote a column in the middle of August predicting the result of every game of the season. I also wrote a sentence or two about each game with some details (mostly silly, a few serious).

I've enjoyed going back and reading how close (or usually, how far off) I was as each game has played out.

With only three regular-season games left for Big Ten teams, it's time to look back and see how I did.

Drumroll please...

...and the verdict is: not so bad!

My record (the best I could calculate) is a respectable 60-25, for a winning percentage of 70.6%. Considering I wrote this entire column three months ago, before injuries to stars like Jewel Hampton and Eric Decker, I don't think that's all that horrible. For comparison's sake, ESPN blogger Adam Rittenberg has been making picks every weekend up until now and he's one game better, 61-24, on the season.

My biggest mistake: assuming the Illini's talent on paper equaled offensive success.

My proudest moment: correctly tabbing Central Michigan to upset the Spartans in East Lansing.

My biggest mistake, part two: picking Western Michigan to go 2-1 against the Big Ten.

My proudest moment, part two: picking the exact regular-season record of Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, and Purdue.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

Did you see Brandon Saine's run where dragged tacklers for about 15 yards? I think there were 13 Wolverines hanging on him as he continued to motor downfield...

What about the nasty hit Minnesota's Ryan Collado put on James Vandenberg when he came unblocked up the middle?

Loved the touchdown grab by Garrett Graham against Northwestern, double-covered in the end zone...

Speaking of amazing touchdown catches, Charlie Gantt's diving first-half score was amazing..

After twelve weeks of "Thank Goodness for my DVR", what do you think was the best play of the entire season? I'd love to hear your comments!

Last, but not least, thanks to each of you who have faithfully read Carrying On every week during the season - let's do it again in 2010! Or, you can follow me on Twitter and we'll talk sports year-round!

Purdue-Tennessee: Paradise Jam Final in 140 Characters or Less

Tim Cary — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:36:14 -0500

I love covering sports on Twitter. What I don't love quite as much? Losing followers right and left because I send out hundreds of tweets in a two-hour time span.

With that predicament in mind, I'm taking a different approach for tonight's Top-10 showdown between Purdue and Tennessee in the Paradise Jam final. I'll be providing instant analysis and commentary in tweet-sized nuggets, but I'll post them all at once instead of flooding my Twitter timeline with every last thought.

(Warning: this is coming from my Purdue-fan perspective. Hopefully Volunteer supporters can appreciate it nonetheless.)

(Warning No. 2: I didn't put much score information in. Purdue led 42-41 at halftime and won 73-72...but there's not a lot of room for scoreboard mentions in Twitter-sized updates!)

(Warning No. 3: all times listed are number of minutes remaining in that half.)

FIRST HALF

19:30    Keaton Grant, please throw outlet passes to your own team. Thank you.

19:00    JaJuan Johnson, please make your free throws. Thank you.

18:45    Tennessee tries a back-cut; if executed properly, it’s a good way to loosen up Purdue’s defense.

18:30    How long before anyone makes a field goal? Halftime?

18:15    Or not. Tennessee leads 2-1 on a way-too-easy layup.

17:15    Tyler Smith just posterized Chris Kramer. You can find that on YouTube tomorrow.

16:45    JaJuan Johnson with the rebound and the putback. Purdue & rebounding don’t always go together.

16:30    Kelsey Barlow just checked in. Kelsey Barlow just traveled. Come back, LewJack.

16:00    Purdue’s five guys deep. Barlow, Bade, Smith, & Byrd can help, but not yet. Not consistently.

15:30    Hummel pump fake and mid-range floater. Good sign: his offense has been streaky at best this year.

15:00    Another turnover. Good thing Boilers are forcing some, because they’re giving the ball away almost every trip.

14:45    Kelsey Barlow with the “and-one” move off glass! From redshirt candidate to sixth man in a week.

14:30    And here’s the press. Purdue’s struggled against pressure the last few years.

14:00    Wow – Barlow to JJ for the 3-on-2 alley-oop. That’s how you break a press, highlight-style.

13:30    Mark Wohlford has checked in. 09-10 Wohlford = 08-09 Bobby Riddell? Discuss.

13:00    Purdue playing well and only leading 12-11. This scares me.

12:55    Then again, I’m pretty much scared of everything.

12:50    Johnson just got his second foul. Big problem for a not-so-deep-especially-in-post team.

12:45    Back-to-back triples for the Vols.

11:45    And now fellow front-line man Bade has two fouls. Five-guard lineup, here we come…

11:40    Another turnover. Purdue’s getting into the holiday giving spirit a bit early, if you ask me.

11:25    Three fouls on Bade. Oh boy. Has he even been out there three minutes yet?

11:10    12-ft jumpers in lane for E’Twaun Moore = layups for everyone else. Easy.

10:30    Horrible foul call on UT alley-oop. Kramer took charge to no avail, Grant called for swipe up top.

10:00    Jumpers for E’Twaun Moore=lay… oh wait, we said that already. Still true.

9:45    Barlow misses the front end. Free throws in practice tomorrow, Coach?

9:10    E’Twaun Moore from 22 feet = amazing. He’s keeping Purdue in it single-handedly.

9:00    Pressure still giving Purdue problems, even just trying to inbound.   How many timeouts do we get?

8:45    Tennessee just got their 107th three-point play of the game. Or something like that.

8:20    Patrick Bade from 17 ft = probably should have passed to E’Twaun Moore.

8:00    Ryne Smith looks like he’s learned floor burns from Chris Kramer. I like it.

7:00    Which number will be higher? Tonight’s fouls or costume changes at last night’s AMAs? Discuss.

6:45    Robbie Hummel for three!   It’s about time. Or would that be “It’s about stinking time”?

6:30    Memo to Ryne Smith. Please don’t foul three-point shooters. You’re a three-point shooter: you should know this.

6:30    And there’s the FIRST five-second call against Purdue. Notice I didn’t say “ONLY”.

6:00    Good press break for Purdue, finished with a layup. More of that, please?

4:40    Hummel and Moore have missed makeable jumpers the last two trips. When they’re not scoring, Purdue’s in trouble.

4:00    Whew, finally a break. End-to-end action, Purdue down 4. Considering foul trouble, not too bad.

3:20    Scoring from Chris Kramer. Purdue fans define this as “a nice bonus”.

2:30     Frantic doesn’t begin to describe the pace at this point.

2:20    E’Twaun Moore just took a ten-foot baseline pull-up while only five feet from the rim. Oops.

1:15    Hummel rediscovers his shooting stroke, at least momentarily.   Will it last?

1:00    My wife just said, “Somebody play some defense”. I concur wholeheartedly.

00:15    The Boilers listened to my wife. Shot-clock violation, Tennessee. Thanks, wife.

00:00    E’Twaun Moore beats the buzzer and gives Purdue a one-point lead. I like this.

Halftime: Purdue 42, Tennessee 41

SECOND HALF

18:30    Giving up four quick points to start the half – not what I (or Painter, I’m guessing) had in mind.

18:15    Letting E’Twaun Moore shoot as often as he wants – exactly what I have in mind. Good from downtown!

17:45    Every time JJ takes a deep jumper, I cringe. Unless he makes it, like just now.

17:21    It took Johnson exactly 159 seconds of second-half action to pick up foul number three. Joy.

16:45    Mark Wohlford just made an off-balance 25-foot three-pointer. Never thought I’d type that sentence.

16:30    Too many layups for the Volunteers. I’m ticked. Guessing Painter is too.

16:25    In case you can’t tell, I’m like many fans in that I prefer to speak for the coach at all times.

16:00    Bad DJ Byrd: don’t give up a rebound so easily. Good DJ Byrd: draw a charge seconds later.

15:45    Chris Kramer, you can miss those layups against Cal-State Northridge. Not tonight.

15:30    Chris Kramer, all is forgiven. The floor burns leader just slid 30 feet and made a steal in the process! Highlight-reel!

14:45    Hummel swishes a three-pointer. When his shot is on, the ball doesn’t even touch the rim.

14:30    Barlow’s floater swatted aside. I could almost hear the defender say, “Don’t bring that soft stuff.”

14:00    Vols back on top, 53-52. Has there been a larger lead than 1 point in this back-and-forth game?

13:30    Tennessee’s Williams with a one-handed tip slam. Highlight dunk #2 of the evening for the Vols.

13:00    Freshman=inconsistency. Barlow’s D last trip down was horrible. This time? Picture-perfect.

12:15    Johnson with the one-handed jam! I know what my computer desktop image will be tomorrow.

11:45     While the frosh aren’t ready yet, if Purdue makes a deep run in March, Painter will get a bunch of credit for throwing them to the wolves.

11:15    Barlow gets tangled up with a Volunteers player and tempers flare briefly. Calm down, gentlemen.

11:05    And that was the worst inbounds pass of all-time. PURDUE hit UT on the dead run to their basket. Ouch.

11:00    Another wasted timeout because of the Tennessee pressure. Hope Painter didn’t plan to use those later.

10:45    Hummel making a concerted effort to post up more. Sadly, he’s still undersized against athletic Vol forwards.

10:35    And proving my genius, Hummel scores easily on block (albeit vs. a guard). I’ll shut up now.

10:15    Tennessee player falls down. Purdue called for a foul (despite lack of contact). Make-up call coming.

10:05    Make-up call. That didn’t take long.

9:45    Barlow strong offensive board, then promptly dribbles ball out of bounds. The best of times, the worst of times…

9:30    Four fouls now for Johnson. If Purdue’s bench is going to grow up quick, now’s the time.

8:30    Kramer doing the little things. Great rotation after Bade got beat, caused traveling whistle.

8:25    CK won’t show up in the stats for that, but it’s just as valuable as the steals he’s famous for.

8:00    Boilers down 59-58. Offense running through Moore & Hummel every trip. Still.

7:55    Just realized I’m wearing my Big Ten tourney champs T-shirt. Good karma?

7:53    Just kidding…I don’t believe in karma.

7:50    Former Purdue football great Drew Brees just showed up on MNF halftime. If only I believed in karma…

7:20    Moore 20 pts + Hummel 19 points + rest of team 23 points. See why depth is concern?

6:20    E’Twaun Moore just ran an entire offensive possession by himself. Just like my PlayStation.

6:15    E’Twaun dribbled one way, then the other, cleared everybody out, and stuck a pull-up J with the clock dwindling.

5:50    Big drive from Vols to stop bleeding, cut lead to 3. Athletic teams can get to rim vs. Purdue.

5:20    EASY lay-in for Tyler Smith. Did I mention that athletic teams can get to rim vs. Purdue?

4:45    5-pt lead for Purdue right back to 1, but Kramer hits huge 15-footer off dish from Moore.

4:00    Patrick Bade just drew his fourth foul.

3:55    And UT’s Williams misses the front end of a one-and-one. Great foul, Bade.

3:35    JJ with the turnaround! Nice to have him back on the floor!

3:25    JJ with his fifth foul! It was nice to have him back on the floor for that one trip!

3:15    In all seriousness, this is where I’m concerned about 09-10 Boilers. Getting Marcius back from injury will help.

3:15    My semi-prophetic tweet from pre-game: “Rebounding’s key. Also foul trouble. Boilers basically 5- deep.”

3:10    Wow, Moore drawing double-team 30 ft. from hoop as soon as he touches it. That’s respect.

3:05    Begging the obvious question, can Hummel and company make the Vols pay?

3:00    Purdue up five.   Can their trademark defense close the deal?

2:25    Hummel dribbles the ball off his foot, dives on it, and Painter calls timeout.

2:25    Bruce Pearl is kindly asking the referee if Purdue had possession when Painter called time.

2:25    When I say kindly, I mean “quite animated and screaming at the top of his lungs”.

2:15    Purdue just missed three wide-open layups, one by Moore and two tips by Bade. That sequence may come back to haunt them.

2:15    Admit to a great deal of amusement that Bruce Pearl is the one complaining about calls. Whistles killed the Boilers early on.

2:03    And Pearl’s constant complaining pays off with an instant foul against Kramer. Groan.

2:00    Two-minute warning. Four-point game. Where’s E’Twaun?

1:45    There he is. Clear-out coming.

1:30    Hummel just missed a wide-open 15-footer. All-Americans make that shot.

1:15    And Chism answers. The lead is cut in half.

1:00    Purdue 72, Tennessee 70. Here we go.

00:50    Kramer rejected from behind by Chism! Incredible defense.

00:40    Vols miss a wide-open three. That would have put them on top. So close…

00:32    Hummel at the foul line, and he misses the first. Bad time for that, in my humble opinion.

00:32    Bruce Pearl just called his second consecutive timeout: trying to ice the kicker, apparently.

00:32    Matt Painter is fired up in the huddle. The Boilers have struggled in elite non-conference games lately.

00:32    After last year’s blowout loss to Duke and heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma, the Boilers have pointed to this game.

00:32    Hummel makes the second. Three-point game.

00:17    Volunteers cut it to one on the drive by Bobby Maze.

00:17    Barlow at the line for Purdue. Pressure situation for the freshman.

00:17    And he missed them both.

00:05    Chism misses the wide-open three off a botched defensive assignment! Can’t get a better look than that!

00:02    Scramble for the rebound, and the Boilers corral it! What a finish!

00:00    You’ll hear about this win during the seeding process in March. Guaranteed.

00:00    Let’s get that trophy on the plane.

For more sports-on-Twitter from Tim Cary, follow @TimCary.

Purdue Seniors Go Out In Style With 38-21 Win Over Indiana

Tim Cary — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:47:55 -0500

The Bucket stays in West Lafayette another year.

:Yawn:

Should we be surprised?

Purdue knocked off arch-rival Indiana for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons Saturday afternoon, posting a road win in Bloomington by the score of 38-21. The victory improved the Boilermakers’ 2009 record to 5-7, one triumph short of the six wins needed for bowl eligibility.

The Boilers’ seniors played their hearts out in their final college football game, led by quarterback Joey Elliott. Elliott threw for a career-high four touchdowns to spark Purdue to the win and deserves special credit for helping lead his team back from a disastrous 1-5 start.

Elliott will be remembered as the first Purdue quarterback to win in Ann Arbor since Bob Griese, the first to beat both Michigan and Ohio State in the same year since Drew Brees, and the building block who got the Danny Hope era started.

For the season, Elliott threw for 3,026 yards and 22 touchdowns: impressive numbers for a player that hadn’t started a single college game before the September opener.

Jaycen Taylor also closed out his career in style, breaking loose for 110 rushing yards at Indiana. Taylor got the majority of the snaps in the backfield ahead of usual starter Ralph Bolden, and he made the most of his opportunity. In addition to the big numbers on the ground, Taylor had a team-high seven catches for 59 yards and a score.

On the defensive side of the ball, David Pender forced a fumble, Torri Williams picked off a Ben Chappell pass and made 13 stops, Mike Neal fought through the pain from a dislocated finger (finishing with six tackles in all), and the Boilermakers’ veteran unit generally imposed its will on an overmatched Hoosiers offense for sixty minutes.

In the midst of the seniors’ contributions, the underclassmen showed flashes of brilliance as well, most notably Al-Terek McBurse. The highly-touted recruit finished his freshman year with a bang, returning the second-half kickoff for 87 yards and a score to extend Purdue’s lead to three touchdowns. McBurse and Ralph Bolden (who gained 935 rushing yards in 2009) should combine in an exciting Boilermaker backfield the next few seasons.

All in all, Danny Hope’s first season as head coach in West Lafayette should be considered a mild success. I predicted in August that Purdue would finish with exactly five wins, but didn’t expect the Boilers to reach .500 in the Big Ten (4-4).

Highlights such as being the only conference team to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, nearly shocking the Oregon Ducks (a likely Rose Bowl participant) in Eugene, and ending a 40-plus year drought in Ann Arbor were more than I expected from Year One of the Hope era.

Unfortunately, with those highlights comes the bitter realization that if it weren’t for a heroic Jimmy Clausen fourth-down touchdown pass, two dropped punts against Northern Illinois, or six (count ‘em—six!) turnovers against Northwestern, Purdue could be anywhere from 6-6 to 8-4, enjoying postseason play and the extra month of practice that comes with it.

Instead, the three consecutive heartbreaking home losses against the Irish, Huskies, and Wildcats—part of a horrible five-game skid—ended up dooming the Boilers to thoughts of what might have been.

Now it’s time for Hope and his team to turn their attention to 2010. With Miami transfer Robert Marve under center, returning star Keith Smith and emerging threat Cortez Smith out wide, as well as the Bolden/McBurse combo in the backfield, next year should see the Boilermakers once again becoming “Bowl”ermakers.

It all starts Sept. 4 in South Bend (probably against a rookie Notre Dame head coach!).

Until then…

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com .

Creature vs. Creature: Why Purdue Will Retain the Old Oaken Bucket

Tim Cary — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:43:30 -0500

The Purdue Boilermakers close the 2009 regular season Saturday in Bloomington against their archrival, the Indiana Hoosiers. Purdue coach Danny Hope will be looking for a win in his first Old Oaken Bucket game at the helm (although he's been around for quite a few as an assistant); his predecessor, Joe Tiller, boasted an impressive 10-2 record against Indiana in his twelve-year tenure.

The Boilers will have their work cut out for them on the road, as Purdue has only won one game away from Ross-Ade Stadium this season, a 38-36 thriller at Michigan. However, expect the Old Gold and Black to finish the season strong by once again disposing of their southern rivals.

As kickoff draws near, allow me to list three reasons Purdue will be taking the Bucket back to West Lafayette.

1. Psychology

Purdue owns a significant mental advantage over Indiana based on last year's result alone: the Boilers scored on each of their first ten possessions en route to a 62-10 beatdown that wasn't even that close. While the Hoosiers will certainly have the "revenge" factor on their side, they run the risk of being intimidated well before the first snap, facing a squad that beat them by 52 just 52 weeks ago.

In addition, Indiana has to be reeling after losing seven of their last eight outings during this disappointing 2009 season. The Hoosiers have competed valiantly, most notably throwing scares into nationally-ranked Iowa and Penn State, but their penchant for obtaining and subsequently blowing large leads has without doubt taken its toll on IU's confidence.

With both teams playing for nothing but pride (and an old wooden pail), the edge has to be given to a Purdue team that's recently dominated the series and has earned some momentum over the past two months (beating Ohio State at home and Michigan on the road).

2. Joey Elliott

The Boilermakers' senior quarterback will be playing in his last college football game this weekend, and the Indiana native should enjoy a banner day to cap off his Purdue career. Elliott only needs 179 passing yards to reach 3,000 for the season, an impressive feat for a first-year starter.

Elliott has to be licking his chops against a Hoosiers defensive unit that allows over 400 yards a game of total offense, and while he may not match last year's 62-point outburst, expect No. 14 to go out in style with a high-scoring afternoon he'll remember long after his playing days have finished.

3. Two-Headed Backfield Monster

Elliott consistently gets time to throw and enjoys open receivers because of the Boilermakers' rushing game. Ralph Bolden should pass 200 carries and 1,000 yards for the season against IU, and his backup, senior Jaycen Taylor, has turned in his share of big plays when Bolden needs a breather.

The Purdue offensive line is playing its best football in the latter half of the season, and the holes they're opening make it easy for Bolden and Taylor to gash defenses. When offensive coordinator Gary Nord establishes the run early (as he likes to do), the play-action game makes Elliott even more dangerous through the air.

Look for Bolden to have one of his best rushing outputs of the season, and don't be surprised if Taylor reaches the end zone as well in his final game.

Prediction

Bottom line: Neither team has an amazing defense, but the Boilermakers have a few more weapons for putting points on the board. When Purdue's lost, it's been due to turnovers and their penchant for beating themselves—don't expect that to happen in Bloomington.

Purdue 30, Indiana 20

For the Hoosier viewpoint in this Creature vs. Creature debate, check out Dan Karell's article.

Can the Purdue Boilermakers Survive Lewis Jackson's Foot Injury?

Tim Cary — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:59:56 -0500

The Purdue Boilermakers got bad news this week as sophomore point guard Lewis Jackson underwent foot surgery.

Jackson started 30 games at the point for Purdue in 2008-09, averaging 5.9 ppg and leading the Old Gold and Black in assists.

According to the university, Jackson is out indefinitely, which seems to constitute a horrible blow to the Boilers' hopes for a special season.

Or is it?

While Jackson's speed will be missed, the Boilermakers basically had six starters anyway. In addition to guards Chris Kramer and E'Twaun Moore, Keaton Grant is a more than adequate addition to the starting backcourt: In fact, he's started 49 games for Purdue in the past two seasons and was voted the Boilermakers' team MVP in 2007-08.

Grant's three-point shooting provides an extra threat that a pass-first distributor like Jackson does not, and a lineup of Grant, Kramer, Moore, and All-Big Ten candidates Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson remains arguably the league's finest.

After all, Purdue went 25-9 two seasons ago, pre-Jackson, with the exact same lineup (although then-project Johnson split time at the center spot with Nemanja Calasan).

Throw in an extra two years of experience for the now-veteran upperclassmen, and the Boilers appear to have the luxury of surviving what could be a long stretch without Jackson.

I'll go so far as to wager a guess that Jackson doesn't start a game for Purdue all year. While we don't know how serious the injury is (besides that it required surgery), from the tone of some of Matt Painter's comments, a lengthy absence appears a near-certainty.

Once the Kramer-Grant-Moore-Hummel-Johnson combo has played together for that amount of time, even if Jackson does return to play significant minutes in 2009-10, it would probably be from a bench role, so as not to upset the chemistry of an established lineup.

The real question for Painter and company going into the season was not who would start, but what kind of depth existed behind the top six (now five): That area of concern has understandably skyrocketed with this week's unfortunate injury news.

The only returning backcourt options have rarely seen the floor: sophomore sharpshooter Ryne Smith, redshirt freshman John Hart, and former walk-on Mark Wohlford. All three reserves could contribute, but the level of production they might provide is a question mark at best.

And that brings us to the freshmen, a quartet of players that will have to make an instant impact if Purdue wants to reach its lofty preseason goals.

D.J. Byrd had 13 points in his Boilermaker debut, one of the highest first-game totals for a rookie under Painter. He has been described as a hard-nosed, Kramer-type (can we just say Kramerian?) defender with a bit more scoring potential. In short, Byrd seems the most ready of any of the four to contribute on the college level.

Another potential backcourt star is 6'5" Kelsey Barlow, a tremendous athlete who nearly redshirted this season. With Jackson's injury, Barlow's playing time should skyrocket. His improvement is probably the most critical for the Boilers' Final Four hopes.

The other first-year players, Patrick Bade and Sandi Marcius, provide some desperately-needed size on the front line behind Johnson and Hummel.

Marcius is still a few weeks away from his '09-'10 debut, as the 6'9" Croatian recovers from a foot injury of his own, while Bade will team with high school teammate Johnson to help Purdue with its Achilles heel—rebounding.

Bottom line: Before Jackson's injury, the Purdue Boilermakers looked like a team with a dangerous starting lineup and not a lot of depth or experience behind that.

Now that Jackson has been shelved indefinitely, the lineup shouldn't suffer one iota, but the bench concerns have suddenly become even more prominent.

Here's hoping the newest Baby Boilers grow up in a hurry. Despite an overabundance of talent, the starting five can't win any championships by themselves.

MSU-Purdue: Fourth-Quarter Collapse Ensures Boilermakers Home for the Holidays

Tim Cary — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:46:18 -0500

When a football team outgains its opponent by over 160 yards and scores a touchdown in every quarter, it’s supposed to win the game.

Unfortunately for the Purdue Boilermakers, things didn’t work out that way Saturday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium.

In a game they needed to win to keep bowl hopes alive, the Boilers blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead and dropped a heartbreaking 40-37 loss to the visiting Michigan State Spartans.

Purdue was victimized by late meltdowns on defense and special teams, overshadowing a brilliant day for the offense and senior quarterback Joey Elliott, who was playing in his final home game. Elliott finished 39-55 for 373 passing yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and his efficiency especially showed in the Old Gold and Black’s remarkable third-down conversion rate (14-22).

After the Boilermakers took a 34-23 lead with less than 12 minutes to go, Michigan State finished the game with three scores on its final three possessions, each of which was set up by one huge play.

First, the Spartans answered the Purdue touchdown with a one-play drive, as Kirk Cousins hit BJ Cunningham for a 73-yard scoring strike.

Next, Michigan State used a 45-yard reverse from Keshawn Martin to set up its go-ahead touchdown with just over seven minutes remaining.

And finally, after the Boilers had fought back to tie things up at 37, the Spartans got an 87-yard kickoff return, also from Martin, to get in position for the game-winning field goal.

Michigan State definitely took care of business in special teams, something the Boilermakers should take notes on and emulate in 2010 (after all, they simply have to improve in special teams…things certainly can’t get worse!)

In addition to Martin’s long return, MSU kicker Brett Swenson converted all four of his field goal attempts, including a pair of 52-yarders. Conversely, the Boilermakers missed a kick and had another blocked—costly mistakes in a three-point loss.

Of course, the Boilers probably should have known it wasn’t going to be their day when tailback Ralph Bolden fumbled on the very first play and the Spartans’ Chris L. Rucker ran the loose ball back for a touchdown. After getting in an early 7-0 hole, Purdue really dominated until the fourth quarter, but there are no moral victories in college football.

The Boilermakers’ seventh loss guarantees they’ll be staying home during the holidays for the second straight year, a disappointing turn of events after coach Danny Hope’s team had won three of its last four games to revive thoughts of the postseason.

However, Purdue continued to prove on Saturday that they are developing weapons that can help the program’s cause in 2010: thoughts of a more experienced Keith Smith (15 catches for 152 yards and a score), Cortez Smith (8 grabs for 52 yards and a touchdown), and Ralph Bolden (76 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground) returning to pace the offensive attack next season must bring a smile to Hope’s face.

Since next year is still a ways away, Purdue’s focus now must turn to retaining the Old Oaken Bucket. The Boilermakers travel to Bloomington this weekend, playing for pride, rivalry, and a strange trophy (after all, I have three extra buckets in my garage if the Hoosiers want any). The Boilers won last year’s meeting 62-10 and are hoping for a similar result on the road to close the 2009 season.

If you were to search “How to blow a big football lead” on Google, you’d probably find a picture of the 2009 Indiana football team, which has seemingly patented the late collapse, most notably against Northwestern and Iowa in October.

However, they have continued to compete after a season full of horrible luck and disappointing outcomes, so don’t expect the Hoosiers to roll over for Purdue in the season finale.

Maybe we can summarize the scouting report this way: a Purdue team that collapsed late against Michigan State this past weekend takes on an Indiana team that seemingly collapses late against every opponent every weekend…so make sure you don’t turn the Bucket game off until the final whistle.

Week Twelve prediction: Purdue 30, Indiana 20

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com.

Carrying On: Should the Golden Gophers Decline Their Bowl Invitation?

Tim Cary — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:04:10 -0500

It was another busy weekend in Big Ten country, and in honor of "Cup-Half-Empty Day" (a holiday I just invented), here are five disappointments that jumped out at me from Saturday's action.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: FIVE THINGS I LEARNED

1. Michigan is in utter-collapse mode. The Wolverines dropped their sixth straight conference game, losing by three touchdowns at Wisconsin Saturday. After opening the season 4-0, Rich Rodriguez's 5-6 ballclub will have to upset Ohio State in the teams' annual rivalry game to have any hope of going bowling.

The Badgers embarrassed the porous Michigan defense, courtesy of four Scott Tolzien passing touchdowns and 151 rushing yards from John Clay. If there's anything I've learned from my many years of watching football, it's this: teams that treat defense as an optional endeavor will always struggle. And with the Wolverines allowing 39 points per game in their last four losses, things seem to be going from bad to worse for the Maize and Blue.

2. Purdue needs a new special teams coordinator. With the Boilermakers' loss to Michigan State, Purdue finds itself officially outside of postseason play looking in for the second straight year. The Boilers are left to dream of what might have been after an up-and-down season filled with miscues, especially when it comes to the special teams unit.

For instance, it's hard to imagine Purdue losing to Northern Illinois in September if Aaron Valentin doesn't drop two punts, leading to Huskies scores. That's the most notable of countless errors, gaffes, and missed assignments that have plagued Danny Hope's team in 2009. The latest one saw Michigan State's Keshawn Martin run a kickoff back 86 yards in the final minutes at Ross-Ade Stadium to set up the Spartans' eventual game-winning field goal attempt.

I don't know if Purdue needs to replace the coordinator they have, or just hire a few more (look, it's the pooch punt coordinator, the how-not-to-run-into-the-kicker coordinator, and the field-the-ball-cleanly coordinator!), but something's got to give in West Lafayette. When your student section applauds a successful fair catch on a punt, it's obvious that "special" teams is a serious misnomer.

3. Should Minnesota decline its bowl invitation? The Gophers looked absolutely horrid in an ugly 16-13 win against FCS opponent South Dakota State, leading to the obvious question, "If a team becomes bowl-eligible by nearly dropping a home game against Jackrabbits, should it even accept the bowl invitation (and risk further embarrassment to their university and conference in a postseason matchup against an actual FBS team)?"

This, of course, leads to the obvious follow-up question: "What in the world is a jackrabbit, and is it as intimidating as the aardvark and/or boll weevil?"

From there, we move to the logical next question, "If Adam Weber were a Jackrabbit, would he be able to complete half of his passes or throw for 100 yards in the same game?", since he didn't do either as a Gopher this weekend.

And last, but not least, we are forced to ponder, "When two teams combine for 13 punts, what is more unlucky: the number of punts or the fans forced to watch the Gophers-Jackrabbits snorefest?"

Oh yeah, congratulations to Gophers everywhere on qualifying for a bowl game. That goes to both of you who are still reading this column, since I'm sure I offended everyone else several paragraphs ago...

4. Is the cast of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader voting for the Top 25? This one qualifies for our weekly "Maybe Coaching is Easier Than I Thought" section. Let's see if we can sort the math out, because it must be rocket science: there are three Big Ten teams with two conference losses, all looking up at the Buckeyes and hoping to snag a piece of the league crown.

Iowa and Penn State are 9-2, while Wisconsin is 8-2. The Hawkeyes boast a road win at Beaver Stadium, a road win at Camp Randall, and somehow, the brilliant coaches of America decided to rank them behind conference foes they've beaten on the road (despite identical records).

Aren't we thankful these highly logical rankings go toward determining the national champion of college football? Sounds like a fool-proof system to me.

With fuzzy math like that, maybe the Golden Gophers could still sneak back into the national title picture after a solid 3-point win over the Bugs Bunnies...er...Jackrabbits.

5. Did Penn State hire Purdue's special-teams coordinator? The Nittany Lions miraculously survived four first-half turnovers, including a pair of dropped punts, in a 31-20 victory on Senior Day. Penn State was fortunate to have an opponent in Indiana that has patented blowing big first-half leads, and the Hoosiers continued that disappointing trend after getting out to a 10-0 advantage in the first quarter.

If Penn State has any BCS hopes, they need to get back to basics and learn to secure the football on punt and kickoff returns. Meanwhile on the Indiana side of things, Bill Lynch's gum continues to fly all over Midwestern football stadiums, and an endorsement from Trident, Bubblicious, or Wrigley should be in his near future.

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

"November just isn't a good year for them." -- Ron Johnson

"Sometimes you get them, sometimes you get got. That time, they got got." -- Matt Millen

"What's going on with that chest? You've got the Austin Powers look there." -- Chris Spielman

"Shank you very much." -- Matt Millen

"Did you get a bowl of chili with that hat?" -- Wayne Larrivee

"Iowa has never won a game at Ohio State since Fry's been the head coach." -- Lou Holtz (I think the new coach's name is Ferentz, Lou. Welcome to the 21st century...)

"Terrelle Pryor had his most complete game against Ohio State last week." -- Matt Millen

"You've got to kick the field goal, because then it's a three-score game." -- Glen Mason (Penn State led by 11 at the time. More fuzzy math...)

"Adam Weber picked off by Derek Domino, falling victim to the dreaded Domino Effect." -- Dave Revsine

"Cinderella just turned into a pumpkin." -- Matt Millen

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Really, Mr. Referee? Really?

You're going to flag Boilermaker running back Ralph Bolden for...what?

No, not taunting an opponent...

Nope, he didn't punch anyone...

No facemask penalty...

Instead, this fifteen-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is whistled for...

...hugging Purdue Pete after a touchdown.

Really?

I mean, REALLY? Are you serious?

Score a touchdown, race into the corner of the end zone...get congratulated by the mascot...run back to embrace your teammates...and discover your team's been penalized fifteen yards. What is this world coming into? Now we have penalties for excessive hugging?

I could go on for a while about this one...

...but I'm afraid I'll get flagged for excessive typing.

Maybe officiating is easier than I thought.

(By the way, make sure you read Danny Hope's take on the incident, courtesy of the Lafayette Journal and Courier ...his quote about the "harmless" encounter between tailback and mascot is hilarious.)

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

What a grab by Indiana's Damarlo Belcher, tiptoeing in the back of the end zone for the Hoosiers' first touchdown.

Speaking of amazing touchdown catches, how about Nick Toon reaching back over Michigan's Donovan Warren to pull in a score for Wisconsin?...

Loved the stop-and-go move Keith Smith put on a Michigan State safety to get the Boilermakers on the board.

Back to the Hoosiers. I still don't know how Terrance Turner pulled the ball in over the middle while wrestling with PSU defenders. Impressive.

Oh, and we can't forget DJK's kickoff return touchdown to keep Iowa close in Columbus. I think he made 13 different Buckeye players miss on that run-back.

OVERTIME

If you don't think Michigan/Ohio State is a serious rivalry, go back and listen to the Buckeye radio call after Jim Tressel's team clinched at least a piece of its fifth straight Big Ten championship with an overtime victory over Iowa.

No screaming announcer...

No breathless hyperbole for hero kicker Devin Barclay...

Instead, the play-by-play man described the dramatic top ten win this way:

"What a great start to Michigan week."

And that, my friends, is why I love Big Ten football.

Only one more week of Carrying On...make sure you send in funny announcer quotes, amazing highlights, and crazy coach/referee decisions...drop me a tweet and you could make it into the season's final column!

Memo to the Purdue Boilermakers: Quit Talking About the Final Four

Tim Cary — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:08:13 -0500

Full disclosure: I am a huge Purdue fan.

I would love to see my Boilermakers participating in the Final Four in a few months.

I don't mind referring to Purdue as "us" and "we" when it suits my purposes. (In case you wondered, this is the sign of a true fan, a delusional fan, or both.)

You see, the Purdue basketball program hasn't made a Final Four since before I was born.

That's a long time. Over 26 years, to be exact.

Since I was born...

...We've had a legendary coach in Gene Keady.

...We've had a larger-than life star in Glenn Robinson.

...We've put together an incredible string of Big Ten titles (that would be the "3-Pete" in 1994, 1995, and 1996).

...We've won a bunch of NCAA games, produced a few NBA players, and even won a Big Ten Tournament championship (finally) this past March.

But we've never been to a Final Four.

Now with star juniors Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson, and E'Twaun Moore piling up points, experienced seniors Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant providing toughness and leadership, sophomore Lewis Jackson running the offense, and a quartet of freshmen in the "Purdue image" adding depth, things are shaping up for a special season in West Lafayette.

So special, in fact, that many prognosticators are predicting that Purdue will finally make it to the promised land—that elusive Final Four—which will be played just down I-65 in Indianapolis.

A home-state Final Four, a la Michigan State's 2008 title-game run to Detroit: what could be better?

Simple (and I'm glad you asked).

Winning the whole stinking tournament.

These opportunities don't come along very often. Purdue has a team that's capable of capturing not only the Big Ten championship (which they have yet to win under coach Matt Painter), but also the national championship. So let's talk about that instead.

Not in a cocky "anything but a title is a failure" way, but in a "we won't be content to simply make the Final Four" tone.

Do you think the Spartans enjoyed qualifying for the Final Four and leaving without a trophy?

Purdue's incessant "hey, how cool would it be to make it to Indy" talk is setting them up for a Tampa Bay Rays-type run.

You remember the Tampa Bay Rays, circa 2008? Came from nowhere...hadn't been a championship factor forever...made the World Series...and then played like a team just happy to be there?

And where are the Tampa Bay Rays now?

For every team that's had an opportunity to win it all and has taken the "happy to be there" approach, they've quickly learned how hard it is to get back the next season when the title, not the journey, is the primary goal.

Sure, a Final Four appearance this year would be nice. It would end the long drought...help with recruiting...and give experience for the 2010-11 campaign.

But what if there's an injury? What if Johnson or Hummel test the NBA draft waters? What if there's an upset?

I'll say it one more time: when the pieces are in place, it's time to go for broke.

No next year.

No baby steps.

My advice to Painter and the Boilermakers is to put their focus where it belongs.

Quit talking about the hometown Final Four.

Start thinking about bringing the trophy home.

Big Ten Teams Batting .500: Where Mediocrity & Bowl Eligibility Collide

Tim Cary — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:39:17 -0500

As the Big Ten football season winds down, all eleven teams in the conference still have hopes of finishing their schedules with the six wins necessary to become bowl-eligible.

(And I thought parity only happened in the NFL.)

While simply having enough victories to qualify for the postseason doesn't automatically ensure a bowl berth, five teams have already hit the magic number and are looking forward to a likely postseason trip: Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Northwestern.

After that quintet, things get much murkier. Both Indiana and Purdue need wins in their final two games to finish at 6-6, so at least one of the in-state rivals will be staying home for the holidays (the two schools meet in the regular-season finale on November 21).

From there, it's anybody's guess how many six-win squads the Big Ten produces. Depending on the results of the remaining games, the conference could have as many as ten bowl-eligible programs...or as few as the five listed above. Most likely, the total number will be somewhere between those extremes.

But that raises an interesting question: is it better for the league to produce more bowl-eligible teams or less? While I want my favorite school to qualify for the postseason, I have to admit ten bowl-eligible teams could be the worst thing to ever happen to the Big Ten—and here's why...

1. With so many teams potentially qualifying for postseason play, the Big Ten is just asking for "bad losses" in this year's bowl games.

If the Big Ten does put eight, nine, or even ten teams in the postseason mix, the damage to the conference's already-battered reputation could be brutal when the dust has settled and the final whistles have blown.

Face it, fans don't remember the "respectable losses." The games the nation pays attention to and talks about for decades are the ugly ones—and you know exactly what I mean: Michigan's loss to Appalachian State will be remembered a lot longer than any of the Wolverines' wins over Notre Dame or Ohio State.

So while getting a record number of schools into the NCAA basketball tournament may be a source of pride for fans of a given conference, having a record-number of bowl-eligible teams in football (the Big Ten also produced ten teams with at least six wins in 2007) isn't necessarily a good thing.

It may simply mean a couple of .500 clubs don't make the cut, but the possibility also exists that our favorite conference could end up filling at-large spots in other bowl games and creating more opportunities for embarrassment on the national stage.

Do you really want your school taking a ACC, SEC, or Conference-USA slot and losing a game it has no business coming up short in? The only thing worse than last season's bowl debacle (Big Ten teams were 1-6 in postseason play, losing to perennial powers like Georgia, Texas, and USC) would be going 1-8 this year with defeats to Temple, Duke, or Air Force.

In order to regain any measure of respect nationally, the Big Ten needs to put its best teams into top-tier bowls against legitimate competition and start winning some of those matchups. Losing in an eighth or ninth game to a lesser opponent would only make matters worse.

Bottom line: don't buy into that "the more the merrier" rhetoric.

2. Multiple bowl teams could finish with losing records.

While it may not necessarily be logical, there's always going to be some sort of stigma associated with playing in the postseason and finishing with more losses than wins. It's a numbers thing, I guess.

Again looking at the NCAA basketball tournament, the teams that fans and media always rip on mercilessly are the 13-18 squads that get lucky at the right time, punch their ticket to the Big Dance, and then are blown off the floor by a top seed when they've barely gotten off the bus.

Depending on how the next couple of weeks play out, it's entirely possible that the Big Ten could finish with six teams (more than half the conference) all sporting identical 6-6 records. A half-dozen .500 teams mean the Big Ten could have as many as four or five teams travel to bowl games and still finish with more losses than wins.

Who's going to count on a Purdue team that got shut out 37-0 to win a bowl game? Or an Indiana squad that chokes second-half leads away?

A Northwestern team with such an inept offense that it nearly lost a game despite forcing six turnovers?

What about Minnesota, a team allowing over 35 points in its last three outings and missing its best player?

Better for the Big Ten to have a handful of schools finish just outside the bowl eligibility picture at 5-7 then to risk a meltdown on the national stage: "Look at us—we have lots of teams in bowl games...and a couple of them even had winning seasons!"

3. A strong conference always has some separation between the "haves" and "have nots".

The Big Ten is considered a good football league when Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan are perennial title contenders. It doesn't matter what the Northwesterns and Indianas of the world do: they can go 12-0 or 0-12 and it doesn't affect the national perception of the league one iota.

Same thing for the Big 12 with Oklahoma and Texas, the Pac-10 with USC, and the Big East with...

Okay, so the Big East has never been considered a good football league.

Anyway, the ideal situation for the Big Ten is to have whatever teams qualify for bowls (especially the big-name programs) win as many games as possible, then start racking up postseason victories over contenders from the other BCS conferences.

It's much more important for Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin to post 10-win seasons than for Purdue, Michigan State, and Illinois to post six-win seasons. That's just the way things work.

So what do YOU think? What's the perfect number of bowl-eligible teams from the Big Ten and why?

Of course, the BCS arrangement throws a whole different set of numbers and debates into the mix: is it better for the Big Ten to place two teams in BCS bowls (meaning a big payday for the conference and forcing all the other teams to "play up" a slot) or only one (giving each of the schools below an "easier" opponent to face but a little less money to work with)?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, opinions, and predictions: comment below or touch base with me on Twitter ! It's sure to be a crazy final couple of weeks in Big Ten country...

This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com , a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Purdue Ends Decades of Futility At Michigan, Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive

Tim Cary — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:52:45 -0500

So long, road losing streak.

Goodbye, 43 years of frustration.

Welcome back, postseason hopes.

The Purdue Boilermakers erased a 14-point second-half deficit at Michigan Stadium to shock the Wolverines 38-36, securing their first road win in over two years. The Boilers got a career-high 367 passing yards from quarterback Joey Elliott, three touchdowns from tailback Ralph Bolden, and a perfectly-called onside kick from coach Danny Hope to post their first victory in Ann Arbor since 1966.

Purdue completely changed the momentum of the game after pulling within six, 30-24, in the third quarter, as the surprise onside kick attempt caught Michigan completely unaware. Elliott found a wide-open Cortez Smith for a 54-yard touchdown on the very next play, and just like that, the Boilermakers had a lead they would never relinquish.

Defensive lineman Ryan Kerrigan continued his stellar play with a sack, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and most importantly, a takedown of Wolverine quarterback Tate-Forcier on a potential game-tying two-point conversion in the final minutes. While the defense continues to struggle against the run (Michigan’s Brandon Minor had 154 rushing yards and three touchdowns), the Boilers have been able to manufacture more pocket pressure as the season has gone on, and Forcier was the latest opposing signal-caller to struggle against Kerrigan and company.

On the offensive side of the ball, Keith Smith continues to impress. Smith posted a game-high 11 grabs for 84 yards, setting the tone from the opening play of the game. (The star junior wide receiver also wore “Fort Hood” on his eye black to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic shooting in his hometown last week.)

The win over Michigan improves Purdue’s record to 4-6, and despite a horrific five-game losing streak earlier in 2009, gives the Boilermakers a realistic chance to qualify for postseason play. The Boilers need a win over Michigan State in this weekend’s home finale coupled with a victory in Bloomington the following week to retain the Old Oaken Bucket. Back-to-back triumphs would give Purdue the six wins needed to become bowl-eligible, a significant accomplishment in Hope’s debut season.

As Indiana has shown the ability to implode seemingly at will, the Boilermakers’ fate seems to rest in Saturday’s showdown against the Michigan State Spartans. Purdue will be celebrating Senior Day, and Boilermaker fans have the chance to fill Ross-Ade Stadium and help Hope’s young squad take a significant step toward the postseason.

In a postgame interview, Hope told viewers all over the nation that “Boilermakers never give up.” While some fans may have prematurely written off the 2009 Purdue football team, Hope and his players refused to quit, and they deserve all the credit in the world for not throwing in the towel.

Who would have thought a few weeks ago this team would be the first squad in Old Gold and Black since the days of Drew Brees to knock off Ohio State and Michigan in the same season?

Who would have thought that (as much as we dared to dream) Joey Elliott could really be the second coming of Billy Dicken, circa 1997?

Who would have thought a 1-5 team could turn its season around so dramatically?

It’s happened, folks.

Oh, and something tells me the Purdue coaching staff won’t hold a grudge against skeptical fans. If that’s you, better late than never...jump on board, buy a ticket for Saturday’s big game, show your support for a gritty never-say-die ballclub, and help turn Joey Elliott and the rest of this resilient senior class into “Bowlermakers.”

After all, Boilermakers never give up.

Week 11 prediction: Purdue 30, Michigan State 26

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com.

Why Danny Hope and Rich Rodriguez Won't Be Exchanging Christmas Cards

Tim Cary — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:52:22 -0500

This is the Nov. 7 edition of Carrying On About Big Ten Football, a weekly series.

You may have heard, but Purdue won in Ann Arbor for the first time in forever Saturday afternoon.

Maybe there's hopes for the Cubs winning another World Series after all.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: PURDUE 38, MICHIGAN 36

Five things I learned from Purdue's first victory in the Big House since 1966...

1. Roy Roundtree will be a storyline in this emerging rivalry for the next few years. For those who might not know the backstory, Roundtree had verbally committed to be a Boilermaker before de-committing and choosing Michigan on National Signing Day in 2008. The 11th-hour (okay, maybe 11th hour and 52nd minute) switch led to then-Purdue coach Joe Tiller's infamous comment comparing Rich Rodriguez to "a guy in a wizard hat selling snake oil."

Anyway, with Martavious Odoms sidelined due to a sprained knee, Roundtree got the start this weekend against the school he nearly attended, and the redshirt freshman responded with a monster day: 10 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Roundtree's stats are even more impressive considering he entered the contest with only six grabs all year. Give the Wolverines' wideout credit for taking advantage of his opportunity and stepping up to the challenge (although the extra motivation from facing the school he left at the altar had to help too).

Of course, Purdue got the last laugh, and on the all-important scoreboard, the Boilers have posted back-to-back wins over Michigan since Roundtree switched allegiances. Motivation cuts both ways, right?

2. How quickly things can change. Not so long ago, Michigan was starting 4-0 (thanks to Heisman candidate quarterback Tate Forcier), Purdue was mired in a five-game losing streak (while Boilermaker fans looked forward to basketball season), and Jon and Kate Gosselin were getting more than their fair share of media attention. Fast forward a few weeks and the Wolverines have lost five straight league games, Purdue has won three of four to start dreaming of a possible bowl trip, and Jon and Kate...well

Okay, maybe some things don't change.

While it seemed unthinkable after the Wolverines' perfect September, the Maize and Blue are in real danger of missing out on the postseason for a second straight year. RichRod and his 5-5 football team need to either upset Wisconsin in Madison or Ohio State in Ann Arbor to avoid one of the worst collapses in Big Ten history. Meanwhile, Purdue sits at 4-6 and could become bowl-eligible by sweeping Michigan State and Indiana in the season's final two weeks, neither of which has a winning record at the moment.

Think about it: if I had told you on Oct. 2 that six weeks later, Purdue may have a better chance than Michigan at qualifying for a bowl game, you would have laughed at me, left nasty comments on my blog, declared me officially insane, or (most likely), all of the above.

And that's why they play the games.

3. Ralph Bolden's back...and Joey Elliott's not too shabby either. The Boilermakers' offense is multi-dimensional again after tailback Ralph Bolden found the end zone three times against Michigan Saturday afternoon. Bolden started the season with a bang, posting 234 rushing yards against Toledo in the opener and following that with an impressive 123-yard performance at Oregon. However, the sophomore's performance tailed off quickly, as he was held to a total of 400 yards on the ground in the next seven games (an average of less than 60 per contest).

Against the Wolverines, Bolden was once again finding big holes and ripping off huge gains like he did in Weeks One and Two, and his re-emergence is a great sign for Purdue senior quarterback Joey Elliott, who has turned in some his finest performances in the Boilers' biggest games. Elliott completed a season-high 31 passes in an upset of Ohio State that turned Purdue's season around, and he rolled up a career-high 367 yards at the Big House this weekend. The one-two punch of Elliott's arm and Bolden's feet gives offensive coordinator Gary Nord flexibility in how to attack defenses, and if both players are playing their best down the stretch, Purdue has a legitimate chance to finish 2009 with a winning record.

4. The Boilermakers' run defense still has plenty of room for improvement. While it doesn't even seem fair to point out the negatives after Purdue's first win at Ann Arbor in 43 years, one negative is so glaring that it simply has to be addressed: the inability of the Old Gold and Black to stop the run.

Purdue dropped an ugly shutout loss in Madison, Wisconsin last week because the Badgers rolled up 266 rushing yards on a whopping 53 attempts. From my experience watching and covering football, it's tough to pull off a win when the opponent cranks out over five yards a carry. Things weren't much better against Michigan, as Brandon Minor gashed the Boilers' D for 154 carries and three touchdowns.

Purdue ended the day "only" allowing 4.9 yards per rush, but that's due in large part to Michigan's surprising lack of willingness to stick with a gameplan that has worked against the Boilermakers all season long (i.e. pound it up the gut for sixty minutes). The Wolverines' rushing numbers plummeted due to 18 Tate Forcier carries, and the Purdue defensive line was largely able to keep the freshman quarterback in check (32 rushing yards in all).

Bottom line: if Michigan runs the ball on every play, they probably beat Purdue. Since Michigan State might try that approach, Danny Hope had better make sure his unit fixes their tackling problems in a hurry.

5. Danny Hope and Rich Rodriguez won't be sending each other Christmas cards anytime soon. As if the Roundtree recruiting saga wasn't enough to stir a bit of bad blood between the Purdue and Michigan programs, Hope's calculated decision to bring offensive lineman Zach Reckman along for the postgame handshake will certainly spice things up a bit.

To summarize, Reckman was suspended for the Purdue-Notre Dame game because he struck a Northern Illinois player as the Boilers-Huskies game concluded the previous Saturday. Rodriguez had mentioned the play in his press conference as an example of conduct that the league should look into since his linebacker, Jonas Mouton, had been suspended for a similar incident the week before.

Hope obviously felt that Rodriguez was out of line (at best) and perhaps responsible for Reckman's league-mandated suspension (at worst) and brought Reckman over to meet the Michigan coach in a "see whose life you messed with" lecture.

Hard to know exactly what was said, since Hope refused to discuss his perspective of the confrontation with the media, but a few things are abundantly clear from the way events played out at Michigan Stadium.

I'll lay them out for you.

a. Hope thinks Rodriguez needs to mind his own business and keep his focus on Michigan players, not Purdue's.

b. Rodriguez thinks he's innocent and can't believe Hope would throw something like this in his face months later.

c. And most interestingly, Danny Hope spent the final play of Purdue's first win in Ann Arbor since 1966 thinking about where Zach Reckman was and making sure he got what he wanted from his postgame chat with Rich Rodriguez. (Watch the replay and you'll see Hope search out Reckman before Rodriguez.) If that doesn't tell you anything about how much Purdue's blaming RichRod for the Reckman suspension and how many times Hope used that story for motivation as his ballclub prepared to visit Ann Arbor, nothing will.

d. November 13, 2010 is already circled on both teams' calendars...and chippy won't even begin to describe the atmosphere.

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

The color commentator for Saturday's Minnesota-Illinois Big Ten Network telecast was Ron Johnson.

The sideline reporter for Saturday's Minnesota-Illinois Big Ten Network telecast was Ron A. Johnson.

Things like that make me chuckle.

And of course, a few announcer quotes made me laugh this weekend as well...

"Elliott's looking very sharp today, except for the two picks."—Wayne Larrivee (Still waiting for an announcer to say "They're playing a clean game this evening, except for the four fumbles.")

"Back here at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Illinois."—Matt Rosen

"Ryan Seacrest is here today."—Sean McDonough
"What position does he play?"—Matt Millen

"I usually get invited to parties where I have to bring my own."—Craig Coshun

"Those two with the masks on—they've figured with all the pigskins in the air that the swine flu is airborne."—Matt Millen

And the award-winner today? It's clock-management, Wayne Larrivee style . As Purdue tried to drain the clock with a two-point lead in Ann Arbor, the Boilers were stopped on third down and had to punt the ball back to Michigan. The Boilermakers (for a change) used textbook clock management, running the play clock down perfectly to one second remaining and taking the game clock to 29 seconds before calling timeout and punting. That leads to this piece of brilliance:

"Purdue elected to stop the clock and take a timeout to decide what they wanted to do. Had they wound it all the way down, Chris, and just run a dive play, Michigan would have had five seconds to go. But at this stage in the game, you want to be sure of what you're doing."—Wayne Larrivee

The difference between the play clock and game clock was 29 seconds. If Purdue had run a dive play instead of calling timeout (on FOURTH DOWN), Michigan would have gotten the ball back with about 25 seconds left and they would have been forty yards closer to scoring the winning points. You see, once the ball changes possession, the clock st...

Oh, never mind.

Maybe broadcasting is easier than I thought.

MAYBE COACHING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

We stick with Purdue-Michigan in this category because of clock management that wasn't quite so textbook. As the first half wound down at Michigan Stadium (and trailing 24-10), the Boilermakers had the ball just across midfield, facing a fourth-down play that should have been the last snap of the half.

What's the highest-percentage chance to score there and cut the deficit? Hail Mary and throw the ball into the end zone? Or a 66-yard field goal attempt for placekicker Carson Wiggs, who has one of the biggest legs in college football?

Oh, I know...let's hand the ball to the referee, voluntarily give up a possession, and go to the locker room trailing by two touchdowns. Because if we try to score on fourth down, there's a possibility that Michigan might intercept the ball in the end zone and run it back for 106 yards, so we'll just skip that play. It's not like we need points trailing 24-10 or anything.

I've seen teams run out the clock with the ball on their own 20 before. Never on the other side of midfield in legitimate scoring range though...and especially not when they're down two touchdowns.

(Maybe Hope wanted to hustle to the locker room because he was planning to talk to Rodriguez at halftime too?)

I'm afraid coaching may, in fact, be easier than I thought.

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Did you see Daryll Clark's "touchdown run" in the second quarter against Ohio State, where he extended the ball almost to the goal line, pulled it back into his body, and got credit for six points anyway?

Horrible decision by the referee to raise his arms over his head, but overturning it on replay would have been even worse. Despite the fact I'm confident Clark never got the ball into the end zone, the scrum of bodies on the goal line makes it impossible to conclusively show that fact...which means (for once) the officials made the right call on replay, even though the replay showed it was extremely unlikely Clark scored.

You see, extremely unlikely is not the same as conclusive. And since the officials got that part of it right, I won't harp too much on the Clark dive.

Especially since it really didn't affect the game except to possibly cost Ohio State a shutout. Impressive performance by the Buckeyes' D.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

What a great leap by Brandon Saine from the three-yard line to get into the end zone for Ohio State.

Awesome hit by Michigan's Stevie Brown on Jeff Lindsay.

Speaking of big-time hits...Mr. Persa, meet Tyler Sash.

How about the hurdle by Brian Linthicum against Western Michigan?

Loved the Mitchell Evans one-handed catch over the middle against Wisconsin.

And before we wrap today's edition, special kudos to Northwestern for their upset of previously undefeated Iowa...I guess the Hawkeyes' nine lives ran out after nine wins.

Carrying On is a weekly feature on FirstandBigTen.com , a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football. Submit your favorite announcer quotes and highlight plays each week on Twitter to @TimCary - you could find yourself in next week's column!

Movin' On Up?: Big Ten Basketball Teams on the Rise or Decline in 2009-10

Tim Cary — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:49:20 -0500

Some aspects of the 2009-10 Big Ten basketball conference race will create a good old-fashioned sense of deja vu for those who remember last year's action and results.

For instance, Michigan State and Purdue are still good...

...and Iowa and Indiana still aren't.

Outside of the perennial title contenders and cellar-holders, however, there are certain to be teams that improve on their 2008-09 record, while other ballclubs won't be quite as fortunate.

Is your favorite team headed the right direction?

ON THE RISE

Ohio State (2008-09: 10-6 Big Ten, lost in first round of NCAA Tournament)

The Ohio State Buckeyes gave fans a sneak preview of the success they could enjoy this winter when they advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament as a No. 5 seed in March. Thad Matta's lineup features a trio of talented returning perimeter players in Evan Turner, William Buford, and Jon Diebler, and any one of these dead-eye shooters is capable of dropping 20 points on an unsuspecting opponent.

The Buckeyes will get a big boost with the return of a healthy David Lighty, who missed 26 games a year ago with a broken foot and was ultimately granted a medical redshirt. Lighty, a 6'5" swingman, has already started 50 games in his Ohio State career, and when he's added to the dangerous combination of Turner (a preseason All-Big Ten pick), Buford, and Diebler, the Buckeyes boast as talented a collection of guards and forwards as anyone in the conference (and maybe in the country).

Matta is blessed with depth and leadership in the backcourt as well, as senior guards Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill return for their final seasons in Columbus. Simmons started 25 games for Ohio State in 2008-09, but with Evan Turner expected to pick up more of the minutes at point guard now that Lighty is back at 100%, Simmons and Hill will need to figure out their roles for this up-and-coming ballclub.

The real question for Ohio State is down low, as the Buckeyes have lost star big men Greg Oden, Kosta Koufos, and B.J. Mullens to the NBA over the past three seasons. All three centers were first-round picks after a single season wearing scarlet and gray, and the mass exodus has left slim pickings in the post for OSU.

Dallas Lauderdale, who started 31 games a season ago as Mullens filled more of a sixth-man role, will be counted on to patrol the paint, but there's not much behind him. Matta will have the chance to develop some depth early on, as Lauderdale is recovering from a broken hand that could keep him out of the first few regular season games.

If Ohio State can find a second post player to complement Lauderdale or step up should he get in foul trouble, the Buckeyes are talented enough to easily be a top-three team in the conference, and Evan Turner and company could even sneak up on the Boilermakers and Spartans for a shot at the league crown.

Minnesota (2008-09: 9-9 Big Ten, lost in first round of NCAA Tournament)

Whenever a team that qualified for the field of 65 brings back its entire starting lineup intact, expectations skyrocket, and that's definitely the case in Minneapolis. Coach Tubby Smith is banking on bigger and better things from twin towers Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III, perimeter players Damian Johnson and Al Nolen, and of course, 08-09 leading scorer Lawrence Westbrook.

Minnesota will need to be a bit more consistent on the offensive end, as Westbrook was the only player to average in double figures a year ago, but an extra year of experience for all of the Gophers' key contributors can only help. Meanwhile, when the Maroon and Gold do hit the occasional dry spell, they can just throw the ball to No. 20 and get out of the way.

If Minnesota has issues this season, they may very well take place off the court. Senior Devron Bostick and freshman Royce White have been suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules, and heralded transfer Trevor Mbakwe, a junior college All-American a year ago, won't be playing anytime soon as he waits for resolution of his pending court case (Mbakwe was charged with felony assault during the offseason).

Smith will have his work cut out for him to keep this team's focus on the hardwood, but with an experienced starting lineup and a couple of do-everything upperclassmen (Paul Carter and Blake Hoffarber) off the bench, the Gophers are in good shape to crack the top half of the Big Ten standings and make some noise in March. Minnesota is looking for its first NCAA tournament win since 1997 (although that was later vacated), and the Golden Gophers should end their string of postseason futility in the 2010 Big Dance.

Michigan (2008-09: 9-9 Big Ten, lost in second round of NCAA Tournament)

The Michigan Wolverines, like the Gophers, finished last season with a .500 record in Big Ten play and fully expect to improve on that mark this winter. Coach John Beilein welcomes back two of the league's top five scorers from a year ago, guard Manny Harris and forward DeShawn Sims.

Harris, a 6'5" junior, has started every game of his Michigan career. He averaged 16.9 points per game in his sophomore campaign, trailing only Ohio State's Turner, and also led his squad in assists, steals, and rebounds (his 6.8 boards per contest equaled Sims' average). Harris was voted to the 2009-10 preseason All-Big Ten team and is a big reason the Wolverines find themselves ranked in the Top 25 headed into a season opener for the first time in a dozen years.

The other main reason is Sims, a 6'8" senior from Detroit. He tallied 15.4 points a game last season and combines with Harris to form a dangerous inside-outside combination. Sims had a 20-point, 20-rebound outing a year ago, the first in 31 years for a Wolverines player, and has the athletic talent to duplicate that feat several times over in his senior season.

Michigan returns four starters in all, including sophomores Stu Douglass and Zack Novak, and the Wolverines will have seven of the top eight scorers on last year's team once again donning the Maize and Blue in 2009-10.

While Beilein's unconventional scheme is always difficult for opponents to handle, this year, he has a wealth of talent on the floor to employ his patented switching defenses. Look for the Wolverines to make a run at the Sweet Sixteen...or beyond...with Harris, Sims, and their experienced supporting cast.

ON THE DECLINE

Wisconsin (2008-09: 10-8 Big Ten, lost in second round of NCAA Tournament)

The Badgers have never finished lower than fourth in the conference in eight years under head coach Bo Ryan.

Let me end the suspense right now: that's about to change.

With last year's leading scorer (Marcus Landry at 12.7 ppg) and leading rebounder (Joe Krabbenhoft, 6.7 rpg) out of eligibility, things will be different in Wisconsin.

Not to say the Badgers will necessarily be bad, as it's hard to argue with a coach who wins over 92% of his games at home. And the cupboard isn't empty, with familiar names like Jason Bohannon, Trevon Hughes, and Keaton Nankivil back.

However, so many of the conference's teams look to be better in the 2009-10 campaign, and Wisconsin...well...they're just not. The Badgers will once again play stingy defense, slow-as-molasses offense, and take care of business in the Kohl Center, but that won't be enough to keep pace with the conference's elite, especially without mainstays Landry and Krabbenhoft.

Welcome to the second division, Mr. Ryan.

Penn State (2008-09: 10-8 Big Ten, NIT champions)

Last year's Nittany Lions were basically a three man show, as Penn State rode Talor Battle, Jamelle Cornley, and Stanley Pringle to a tie for fourth-place in the Big Ten standings and ultimately, an NIT title.

Unfortunately for PSU and coach Ed DeChellis, two of the three amigos are gone, and Cornley and Pringle alone take more than 40 percent of the Lions' scoring with them.

While Battle had the best numbers of the trio, (finishing third in the conference scoring race at 16.7 ppg), the loss of options 1B and 1C ensure he'll face double-teams every night out as he tries to live up to his preseason All-Big Ten recognition.

Returning starters David Jackson and Andrew Jones (both junior forwards) could lighten the load on Battle somewhat (and wil have to for the Lions to even post a winning season), but it's safe to say there won't be any trophies in Happy Valley this time around.

Predicted 2009-10 order of finish :

1. Purdue

2. Michigan State

3. Ohio State

4. Minnesota

5. Illinois

6. Michigan

7. Northwestern

8. Wisconsin

9. Penn State

10. Indiana

11. Iowa

Still Kicking: Devin Barclay Transitions From MLS To Ohio State Football

Tim Cary — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:38:19 -0500

Saturday's much-anticipated showdown between Big Ten defending co-champions Ohio State and Penn State could very well come down to a high-pressure field goal attempt.

And if it does, Buckeye placekicker Devin Barclay, despite the fact he may be making his first career start in one of the season's most important games, is more than ready.

After all, Barclay has been kicking under pressure for years—the only difference is that he's accustomed to booting soccer balls, not footballs.

Barclay, a 26-year-old former walk-on, joined the Ohio State football program after wrapping up a Major League Soccer career that included stints with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, the San Jose Earthquakes, DC United, and most recently, the Columbus Crew.

While he is still getting accustomed to his new sport, Barclay was pressed into duty Saturday against New Mexico State when starting kicker Aaron Pettrey suffered a season-ending knee injury.

After scoring his first career points in the 45-0 win, Barclay credited his soccer experience for preparing him to face the challenges of big-time college football.

"I've obviously been in another sport playing professionally at a competitive level for almost 10 years now," Barclay said. "That definitely helped me get ready.

"I'm kind of used to a pressure situation, and getting thrown into games, you learn to adapt and deal with the situation a little better having that background."

Barclay, who tallied six points (three extra points and a 29-yard field goal) against the Aggies, is a quick learner on the football field—he was completely new to the sport when he enrolled at Ohio State.

"Finishing my soccer career in Columbus, I decided to go to school here...at that time, I thought I'd try to kick field goals," Barclay recounted. "I got a lot of tutelage from Dan Stultz, who used to kick here [Stultz played for the Buckeyes from 1997-2000]. He pretty much taught me the swing and the motion.

"I got positive feedback, I really got comfortable working with him, and got comfortable with the idea of it. The rest is history. I worked with Dan for six months, sent in a tape, and that was pretty much it!"

Barclay said that the main differences between his old sport and his new one are the training ("I had to put on a little bit of weight and get myself into football-playing shape") and the actual kicking motion (trying to get the ball up in the air instead of keeping it down).

He's also getting used to slightly bigger crowds than he saw in the MLS days.

"It was exciting," Barclay confessed after kicking in front of over 100,000 people Saturday afternoon. "I didn't really need that many kicks to get myself ready to go. My adrenaline was pumping. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience—the roar of the crowd...

"I can't really describe it except that I went from spectator to participant," the junior explained. "It's an amazing feeling. We work very hard to come out there on Saturdays and to play for the fans, so when you get an opportunity to do it, you want to keep in mind all the things that got you to that point."

Maybe "once-in-a-lifetime experience" wasn't quite the right description, because Barclay's focus now is on the upcoming trip to Happy Valley, where the fans won't be quite as warm and welcoming as the Columbus faithful were on Halloween. Will the famed Whiteout take its toll on the new kicker's confidence?

"The stakes are a little bit higher, obviously," said Barclay of the looming road trip to Penn State. "They're our rivals in the Big Ten. I've just got to get myself ready for next week: it's one of the biggest games of the season."

No pressure.

Badgers Run Over Purdue In 37-0 Laugher

Tim Cary — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:05:29 -0500

On October 31, the Purdue Boilermakers football team headed to Madison, Wisconsin looking to “treat” itself to a third consecutive win.

Instead, the Boilers walked straight into a house of horrors at Camp Randall Stadium.

And that about sums up Halloween for the Old Gold and Black.

Purdue put together its most miserable performance of the season Saturday afternoon in Wisconsin, and the Badgers made them pay, posting a 37-0 shutout victory in a game that may have, remarkably, been uglier than even the lopsided final score indicated.

After not committing a single giveaway against Illinois last time out, the Boilermakers reverted to their turnover-prone ways, throwing a red zone interception and getting a punt blocked to hand 14 points to the home team.

Couple that with a complete lack of rushing defense (Purdue was gashed for 266 yards on the ground), some serious Butterfingers from the offense (okay, that was the last Halloween candy joke, I promise), and it all added up to the program’s worst loss since the 1996 season.

The Badgers set the tone for how the contest would play out on their opening drive, marching 80 yards in 11 plays without even thinking about attempting a pass. The visiting Boilermakers didn’t have an answer for Wisconsin’s John Clay, who finished the day with 123 rushing yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

As the game wore on, Clay repeatedly used his patented stiff-arm to leave would-be tacklers sprawled in his wake, and the punishing tailback was all the offense the Badgers would need to outscore a sputtering Purdue attack.

Boilermaker quarterback Joey Elliott had a day to forget, hitting on only 5 of 23 passes for 59 yards before giving way to backup Caleb TerBush late in the third quarter (with the outcome long since decided).

Elliott was victimized by an astonishing number of drops from his wide receivers, so he doesn’t deserve sole blame for the horrendous completion percentage, but still…let’s just say he won’t be sending this highlight tape home for family and friends.

The entire game in Madison can basically be summed up by examining Purdue’s first drive after halftime. Elliott threw an incompletion on first down, with no receiver in sight…a wide-open Aaron Valentin dropped an easy catch on second down…usually sure-handed Keith Smith dropped a routine pass on third down…the Boilermakers committed a false start simply trying to punt the ball away on fourth down.

When Wisconsin finally got the football, their not-so-speedy tight end (who a few of the Purdue cheerleaders might have been able to beat in a footrace) raced 54 yards down the sideline on an end-around play that had already fooled the Boilers a handful of times in the game.

Things got so bad for the Boilermakers that the Wisconsin student section actually cheered for a TerBush fourth-quarter completion to tight end Kyle Adams. It was Purdue’s first pass completion of the second half, coming more than 18 minutes of game-time after intermission.

With their record falling to 3-6, Danny Hope’s team needs to win out to qualify for a bowl game, and that task falls somewhere between difficult and impossible, considering the next destination.

The Boilermakers head to Ann Arbor Saturday to take on the free-falling Wolverines, who have dropped four of their last five contests. Purdue has historically struggled at Michigan, and will be looking for its first victory in the Big House since the days of Bob Griese, over 40 years ago.

The Boilers could snap another long slide with a win in Michigan, as they haven’t won a road game anywhere since 2007 at Minnesota. If Purdue can pull the upset, they have a solid chance to reach 6-6 on the year by beating sub-.500 foes Michigan State and Indiana to close the regular season. Unfortunately, history is against the Boilers.

But after a 37-0 beatdown, there’s nowhere to go but up, right?

Week Ten prediction: Michigan 34, Purdue 19

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com .

Carrying On: The Worst 45-Point Win in Ohio State History?

Tim Cary — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:07:14 -0500

Ohio State-New Mexico State summary, glass half-full edition:
"They had 310 rushing yards, so that's pretty fair."—Jim Tressel, describing his offense's performance against NMSU.

Ohio State-New Mexico State summary, glass half-empty edition:
"This is the worst 45-point win I've ever seen."—Ohio State fan on postgame radio call-in show.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: OHIO STATE 45, NEW MEXICO STATE 0

Just in case the previous two quotes didn't tell you everything there is to know about Saturday's Buckeyes-Aggies game, allow me to add five things I learned from my first trip to the Ohio Stadium press box.

1. If defense wins championships, the Buckeyes are a serious Big Ten title contender.

New Mexico State gained a grand total of 62 yards Saturday afternoon in Columbus. (If you're scoring at home, that means the Aggies pocketed just over $13,709 for each yard of total offense they piled up. And I thought my job paid well.)

While much has been made the past couple years of the disparity in speed between Big Ten players and their SEC counterparts, the difference seemed even greater between the Big Ten and WAC representatives Saturday afternoon at the Horseshoe.

New Mexico State tried all kinds of misdirection plays in a futile effort to slow down the Buckeyes' vaunted "Silver Bullet" defense, but nothing worked. Shovel passes, option looks, you name it: the Aggies' skill position players simply couldn't outrun the home team to the corner.

One sequence in the second quarter perfectly sums up the domination that occurred every time New Mexico State had the ball.

First down: end-around pitch to Donyae Coleman. The freshman wide receiver tried to get outside and turn upfield, only to be smothered by a wall of Buckeye defenders. Result: five-yard loss.

Second down: screen pass to Tonny Glynn. (Conventional wisdom says to beat an aggressive defense by getting them headed upfield, then sneaking in a screen pass, right?) Well, the NMSU senior running back got blown up as soon as he caught the ball, nowhere close to the line of scrimmage. Result: three-yard loss.

Third down: rush for no gain by Jeff Fleming. The Aggies' quarterback was pressured nearly as soon as he got his hands on the snap, had no time to throw, and barely made it back to the line of scrimmage to narrowly avoid a sack and a third straight negative play.

These weren't typical three-and-outs. Instead, they were "no time to throw," "no room to run," "hope it's not a turnover," "run for your life," "at least our punting game's getting work" type of three-and-outs.

Buckeye safety Kurt Coleman even confessed to a bit of boredom during the one-sided game. "There were times I found myself jumping on piles just to jump on piles," Coleman said with a chuckle. "This was a game for me to really sit back and let the front seven do all the work."

Not that the senior was complaining. "Anytime we get a zero on the board and our defense is dominant, I'm fine with being back there and not doing anything. As long as we continue to get Ws..."

With defensive efforts like this one, Coleman's Ohio State squad should have a few more Ws in store before season's end.

2. This game felt a lot like a tune-up scrimmage for next Saturday's showdown at Penn State. Except, well, when it didn't.

It was really a bizarre afternoon all the way around in front of a crowd of 104,71...sorry, I can't even type that number with a straight face. If anyone really thinks there were 104,000 people in the stadium Saturday, I have some Ohio oceanfront property to sell you.

Anyway, Terrelle Pryor was out of uniform by halftime, which came as no small surprise with Ohio State possessing a solid (but not ridiculous or out-of-hand) 28-0 lead. According to his coach, Pryor "probably had more runs in the first half than you might have designed for this game; we felt he'd had enough of that."

Um, okay.

Play him or don't play him, it doesn't bother me either way...but did Pryor really need to go "casual attire" for the final 30 minutes? The only way the sophomore could have been more relaxed would have been to bring out a leather recliner to the sideline so he could kick back and watch the second-half proceedings in style.

Okay, where was I? Oh yes, the tune-up for Happy Valley.

Thaddeus Gibson wasn't the only Buckeye talking more about Penn State than New Mexico State after the game, saying he started thinking about the Nittany Lions "as soon as that last second ticked off the clock". So, all in all, this non-conference game really just provided a glorified scrimmage for the Scarlet and Gray to work out the kinks and give their remaining Big Ten opponents something to think about, right?

Right?

I guess not. In fact, Tressel downright scoffed at the idea that anything he used against the Aggies was simply inserted to make next week's opponent wonder.

"Penn State is different than they are," he told reporters.

(Another runaway winner for Understatement of the Week.)

And that brings us to the onside kick. Yes, you read that correctly. Ohio State attempted an onside kick...against a 3-5 WAC team...in the second quarter...with the lead. In fairness to Tressel and company, the Buckeyes recovered the perfectly executed attempt, gained some momentum, and went on to blow the Aggies out of Columbus. So I'm not second-guessing the decision.

Let's just say it felt odd. That's the only way to describe it. I mean, come on, Buckeye fan, what would you have thought if I told you going into the game that Ohio State would use an onside kick AND a wide-receiver pass against one of the worst teams in their schedule?

It's just strange...seems like the Yankees busting out the hidden-ball trick to take care of the University of Miami in a spring-training game. Do you really need that?

Again, I'm not going to criticize Tressel for something that worked...it just left a funny taste watching the four-time defending Big Ten champions pull out gadget plays to dispose of Cupcake U.

3. The Ohio State offense still lacks consistency .

I hesitate to even write this section, because the last thing I want to do is sound like the impossible-to-please fan I quoted at the top, who considered Saturday "the worst 45-point win I've ever seen."

But...

There's simply no getting around the fact that the Buckeyes' offensive attack is still a work in progress. Terrelle Pryor missed on more than half of his passes, including almost every deep throw.

The OSU offensive line looks below-average, failing to open many significant holes. And most notably, the first quarter finished with a score of 0-0, shocking fans all over America as the early update came scrolling across their television tickers.

Tressel attributed the slow start to the New Mexico State game plan, which consistently put eight men in the box.

"Offensively, we're always going to have something a little bit different thrown at us because we're a little bit unique in what we do. It takes a couple series to try to uncover what it is someone's designed for you," the coach said.

Valid points, and the Buckeyes did improve as the afternoon wore on. I guess I just expect a Big Ten team to be able to grind out five yards a carry from the get-go against a defense that allows 200 rushing yards a game.

Make no mistake, OSU will definitely benefit from the return of Daniel "Boom" Herron, who missed the past few weeks with an ankle injury. Herron broke off a 53-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against New Mexico State, and his contributions (combined with those of backfield mates Brandon Saine and Jordan Hall) should help move the chains and provide a potent rushing attack.

The balance that a solid running game provides would, in this humble writer's opinion, make a big difference for the streaky Terrelle Pryor, allowing him a few extra valuable seconds to set up for downfield throws.

The only other option is for Ohio State to try and recruit Usain Bolt to play wide receiver, because he's the only guy on the planet who could have caught up to a couple of the Pryor first-half overthrows.

And I'm guessing Bolt is out of eligibility...or too busy taking care of his new cheetah...or both.

4. Placekicking could be a big storyline in the Buckeyes' chase for the Big Ten title.

I'll write more about this later in the week, but the loss of kicker Aaron Pettrey to a torn MCL could have a huge impact on the remainder of Ohio State's season. With a monster three-game stretch looming (at Penn State, Iowa, at Michigan), the Buckeyes will have to play Tressel-ball without a veteran field-goal kicker for the first time in recent memory.

To put things in perspective, Pettrey and replacement Devin Barclay combined to make one field goal in five attempts Saturday afternoon. That's 20 percent.

No big deal against the out-manned Aggies.

However, try to beat the Lions, the Hawkeyes, and arch rival Michigan while missing 80 percent of field goal attempts, and OSU's Rose Bowl hopes could fall apart in a hurry.

5. DeVier Posey is the best wide receiver and at least the second-best quarterback on the Ohio State roster.

Posey seemed unguardable Saturday afternoon, tallying five catches for 79 yards to help spearhead the Buckeyes' attack.

On one possession, he caught a 16-yard out route, came back with a 7-yard slant reception the next play, and then drew a pass-interference penalty one snap later. ("One-man wrecking crew," as I wrote in my notes.)

Despite No. 8's big numbers as a receiver, though, the play everyone was talking about afterwards was his touchdown pass, a beautiful 39-yard spiral to Dane Sanzenbacher.

If only the play had been drawn up that way.

"We really were looking to throw it back to the quarterback," Tressel said afterward, "but their corner did a good job staying home, so DeVier found the flanker over and threw a good ball in there.

"Wasn't such a great idea, but he found his second receiver."

Anytime a non-quarterback completes a pass, even to a wide-open man, it's impressive. Throwing a perfect spiral...40 yards downfield...to a not-so-wide-open target...who isn't the primary receiver...that's incredibly impressive.

Posey's final stat line for the game: 1-for-1 passing for 39 yards and a touchdown. That adds up to a pretty decent quarterback rating, if you ask me.

Meanwhile, Terrelle Pryor finished the day 11-for-23 through the air, while Joe Bauserman was a disappointing 2-for-9. From the pass Posey threw, he would fit nicely into that depth chart, definitely ahead of Bauserman, and...well...

Ah...forget it.

(Because who really wants a quarterback controversy heading into Whiteout Week, anyway?)

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

I'm not sure if it was because of Halloween weekend or what, but we had an all-time record for most crazy, hilarious, or downright strange quotes. Without further ado...

"Eight's not half of 29, but it is half of 16, which is half of 29." -- Craig James

"Phillips is a tough guy, he's battled through just about every injured body part but your uvula in his Northwestern career." -- Carter Blackburn

"You're not professing larceny, are you? Stealing candy?" -- Wayne Larrivee

"That must be jelly, because jam doesn't shake like that." -- Mark Jones

"That's tough, when you get whooped by air." -- Ray Bentley

"He was a cricket player. He did jolly well on that series." -- Mike Patrick

"Willis, the redshirt Frenchman you mentioned a few moments ago..." -- Mark Jones

"TerBush needs to go to the Salt and Pepper League for a little more seasoning." -- Ray Bentley (reader submission from @FunnelFiasco )

"It may make the stock market go up Monday, that's how good that play was." -- Mike Patrick

"I'll bet he leaves a bigger tip than you did last night." -- Wayne Larrivee

"Indiana under the leadership of Bill Lynch, pardon me, Ben Lynch, in his third season as head coach..." -- Mark Jones

"[The penalty] was not on Keyshawn Johnson, that's for sure." -- Wayne Larrivee (well, technically, that's true, since he's retired...for the record, it wasn't against MSU's Keshawn Martin either!)

"I guarantee you that he told his guys, "If you guys ever want to play again, you'd better not give this shut-up out. Shut-out out. Shut-up out. Shut. Out. Up." -- Glen Mason (reader submission from Brent)

MAYBE COACHING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Three quick tips to coaches everywhere...

#1 Don't ever let your players anywhere near the other team's punter when you have a chance to get the ball back and drive to win the game.

Trying to block a punt isn't worth the risk, as Michigan State's Mark Dantonio can certainly attest to. His Spartans would have taken over with more than two minutes to play in a one-possession game at Minnesota Saturday night, but a stupid, idiotic, un-intelligent, dim-witted...(excuse me while I turn the page in my thesaurus) dumb, mindless penalty for running into the punter allowed the Gophers to run out the clock and salt away a 42-34 win.

I've never understood why your defense would work so hard to try and get the ball back and then the coach allows his players to get even remotely close to a punter at that point in the game...especially seeing as some kickers are right up there with Italy's finest soccer players and Vlade Divac in the "Academy Award for flopping" category.

Give your offense a chance. Stay away from the punter.

#2 When you're down 18 points with 8:24 to go and faced with a decision on 4th-and-6 at the opponent's 10-yard line...hypothetically speaking, of course...kick the field goal!

If it's a 4th-and-1 play, maybe that's different, but don't outsmart yourself. Take the three points, cut the lead to two possessions, and give yourself a chance to pull within one score with your next touchdown.

Or, as Rich Rodriguez might choose to do, throw an incomplete pass and end up losing by 25 to a team that hadn't beaten an FBS school all year.

Hypothetically speaking, that is.

#3 Don't ever call a timeout down 37-0 with 2:13 to play so your team can get the ball back.

Ever.

Bad form, Danny Hope.

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Indiana's Terrance Turner caught a touchdown pass.

The referees called it a touchdown pass on the field.

The play was reviewed.

The replay appeared to show Turner's foot drag across the Kinnick Stadium turf.

Whether conclusive or not, the announcers (and most of America) agreed that the video evidence seemed to support the call on the field.

So, of course, our friendly neighborhood officials overturned the call due to "indisputable video evidence."

Stop me if you've heard this one before .

"Indisputable" is defined by good ole' Mr. Webster as "unquestionable".

I've got questions.

Let's just leave it at that.

(Translation: I think Indiana might have gotten - - - - - , but I can't really afford to get fined by the conference or anything.)

Next topic, please.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

What an amazing tightrope-walk by Minnesota's Duane Bennett on his way to a 62-yard touchdown catch...

Incredible footwork and awareness by Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins to spin around the line of scrimmage, back up, and throw a touchdown pass to Brian Linthicum...

How about the deflection from Nick Tow-Arnett to Bennett for another long touchdown? Tow-Arnett took a monster hit, but Bennett was in the right place at the right time to grab the ball out of the air and take it to the house...

I loved the Arrelious Benn twisting touchdown leap in the first quarter against Michigan...

Speaking of Illinois, wide receiver Chris James might have made the catch of the day over his shoulder down the right sideline...

Bone-crushing block from Northwestern's Demetrius Fields on Penn State's Josh Hull. Love the hard hits...

And last, but certainly not least, great hustle from Penn State's Graham Zug to come from nowhere and escort Evan Royster to the end zone on his 69-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. Royster's breaking free, past the secondary...nobody's going to catch him...and then here comes Zug, his teammate, from out of the picture, chasing him down and helping him to a Nittany Lion touchdown. That's blazing speed...

OVERTIME

(Maybe you can help me with the thought-provoking questions that keep me awake at night? )

Which is more absurd, Iowa winning despite five Ricky Stanzi interceptions (and more remarkably, four in a single quarter!) or Minnesota shrugging off 17 penalties for 157 yards in a victory over Michigan State? Discuss.

Was there a more aptly named player on Halloween than New Mexico State junior safety Stephon Hatchett? Explain.

How sad is it that the Wisconsin student section applauded Purdue's Caleb TerBush for completing a fourth-quarter pass to Kyle Adams? It took the Boilermakers over 18 minutes in the second half to throw and catch a pass attempt successfully. That's what you call "dropping" a game.

Carrying On is a weekly series featured on FirstandBigTen.com , a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football. If you hear a goofy announcer quote, see an amazing highlight, or are dumbfounded by a strange officiating decision Saturday, send it to me at @TimCary . You could make it into next week's column!

Three Reasons Why Purdue Quarterbacks Are Undefeated In The NFL

Tim Cary — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:30:36 -0400

As the calendar turns from October to November this weekend, there are only three undefeated teams remaining in the NFL: the New Orleans Saints, the Denver Broncos, and the Indianapolis Colts.

Any guesses what they have in common?

(Very good: I was hoping that you'd already read the headline!)

The Saints, Broncos, and Colts rosters all feature ex-Purdue quarterbacks, namely Drew Brees, Kyle Orton, and Curtis Painter.

Now, while Painter is a rookie third-stringer who has yet to take a snap in 2009, both Brees and Orton have started every game for their respective clubs.

Purdue University has long been known as the "Cradle of Quarterbacks", turning out such well-known passers as Bob Griese, Mark Herrmann, Jim Everett, Len Dawson, Gary Danielson, etc.

That reputation was continued, if not strengthened, during the Joe Tiller era. His 12 years at the helm of the Boilermaker football program divided up perfectly into the Brees years (Drew played sparingly in 1997 and started the next three seasons), the Orton years (Kyle took over halfway through 2001 and started the next three seasons), and finally, the Painter years (Curtis became the starter in the middle of the 2005 campaign and started the next three years).

So while Tiller deserves a great deal of credit for resurrecting the Purdue program and taking his team to 10 bowl games in 12 years, his award-winning quarterbacks also have a lot to do with his sparkling record in West Lafayette, and they're proving their worth playing on Sundays as well.

The success of the Saints' and Broncos' offenses in particular begs the question: what makes a Purdue quarterback special? Why are Boilermaker signalcallers so effective?

Allow me to list three traits (shared by Brees, Orton, and many quarterbacks who have donned the Old Gold and Black) that translate to success at every level of football.

1. Leadership

While any quarterback becomes the de facto leader of his team, some are more respected than others, and the special few become true leaders of their ball clubs in a short amount of time, usually by example.

Brees and Orton both illustrate the importance of leadership at the quarterback position. Orton was forced into the Bears starting lineup as a first-year player in 2005 (due to a Rex Grossman injury), and while he didn't put up monster numbers, he won football games for his veteran team. When all was said and done, Orton led the Bears to 10 wins in 15 starts during his rookie campaign, including a shocking eight-game winning streak.

(How quickly we forget. If you listen to the media's surprised coverage of Orton's 6-0 start this season, would you think that he put together an even longer string in his first year out of college? Probably not.)

Brees has demonstrated his leadership on and off the field, earning a reputation as one of the true "good guys" in the NFL. His volunteer and charity work, especially in helping Louisiana rebuild and recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, is well-known, and Brees was named the 2006 Co-NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Many people have defined leadership as "setting a direction that others want to follow", and a good NFL quarterback has to exemplify this trait.

2. Ball Security

The high-powered Saints offense can overcome a few turnovers here and there, as they illustrated in a 46-34 comeback win this weekend at Miami (a game they trailed 24-3 at one point). However, it's difficult for any team to win with a consistently bad turnover ratio, and Brees has done a good job of limiting his team's mistakes.

The New Orleans quarterback is averaging just over one turnover a game (losing five interceptions and two fumbles in his team's first six outings), but the 36+ points per contest more than make up for the occasional miscue.

Out in Denver, Orton has been a near-perfect model of how to protect the football. He hasn't lost a fumble yet, and his only turnover in six games is an interception on a Hail Mary attempt at the end of a half.

When your quarterback hangs onto the ball, avoids costly turnovers, and makes solid decisions, your team will have a chance to win every time out.

3. Mental Toughness

Football fans may have learned the most about what makes Drew Brees and Kyle Orton tick when they nearly lost their NFL jobs. The Chargers were convinced first that Doug Flutie, then Philip Rivers, could outplay Brees under center. The Bears favored Rex Grossman over Orton, and then coveted Jay Cutler.

But, to be a great quarterback, one of the biggest prerequisities is mental toughness, and there was no way Brees or Orton would throw in the towel because their franchises under-appreciated them.

This trait, mental toughness, is probably the most important of the three: a quarterback can be a good leader, stay away from the turnover bug, and still have things go horribly wrong every now and again.

The final test of a great player is how they overcome adversity, and I knew back in their college days that Brees and Orton had all the mental toughness they would need to succeed.

How else do you explain Brees taking his 2000 Purdue team to a Rose Bowl? A lesser player would have given up against Michigan after putting together a potential game-winning drive and watching his place-kicker miss the go-ahead field goal from 32 yards away, potentially sending a special season down the tubes.

Instead, Brees led his team right back down the field to nearly the same spot and gave his kicker another chance on the final play.

A player without Orton's confidence would never have survived going from Heisman Trophy favorite to second-stringer in literally a matter of weeks in 2004. I learned something about Orton when he watched his team's first three quarters against Ohio State that year from the bench, then entered in the game's final minutes (after not having played for weeks) and promptly drove the Boilermakers to a game-winning touchdown.

Leadership...ball security...mental toughness...no, it's really not a mystery that ex-Purdue quarterbacks are winning every time out during this 2009 NFL season.

Maybe the real surprise will be if they ever lose.

This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Another Blow for Iowa Hawkeyes, Adam Robinson and Dace Richardson Out for Year

Tim Cary — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:13:56 -0400

In today's media teleconference, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz confirmed what most already knew or suspected after the latest Hawkeye depth chart was released: His undefeated team will have to start getting used to life without offensive lineman Dace Richardson and running back Adam Robinson.

The Hawkeyes have suffered through more than their fair share of adversity this year, including losing projected tailback starter Jewel Hampton to a knee injury, missing standout lineman Bryan Bulaga for three games due to a thyroid issue, and playing without receiving weapons Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Tony Moeaki earlier because of injuries.

The news about Richardson and Robinson , who are both expected to miss the rest of the season, makes Iowa's chase for a possible national title a little more difficult. However, Ferentz and company have overcome every challenge so far this year, most notably the injuries and a horrendous road schedule (with wins at Penn State, at Wisconsin, at Michigan State), so let's not count the Hawks out in the title conversation just yet.

Iowa is averaging 123 rushing yards a game, so with the loss of both a lineman and running back this week, look for quarterback Ricky Stanzi to get some more opportunities to wing the ball around the field as the season progresses.

The schedule features a pair of winnable games against Indiana and Northwestern before the huge showdown in Columbus against the four-time defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes, so Ferentz will have some time to figure out how to best use new starting running back, Brandon Wegher prior to the matchup that could decide this year's Big Ten champion.

It won't be easy for Iowa to finish the season undefeated.

But it hasn't really been easy to this point either.

This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com , a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Boilermakers Take Care Of Business Against Cellar-Dwelling Illini

Tim Cary — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:01:18 -0400

The story of Purdue’s 24-14 victory over Illinois on Saturday was not so much what happened, but instead, what didn’t happen.

Purdue turnovers? Didn’t happen.

Letdown for the home team, coming off of an emotional upset of Ohio State? Didn’t happen.

String of unfortunate events piling up after an early deficit? Didn’t happen.

Purdue turnovers? (Sorry, but with the way the season has unfolded to date, that one bears repeating.)

The Boilermakers won their second straight football game at Ross-Ade Stadium with a solid if not spectacular performance against an Illini squad that has yet to find a victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision team in 2009.

Despite falling behind 7-0, Purdue stuck with a patient, run-heavy gameplan and wore Illinois down to the tune of 220 rushing yards. By my count, the Boilermakers ran the ball on 13 of their first 14 offensive plays, and the combination of Ralph Bolden, Jaycen Taylor, and Joey Elliott piled up enough yards to spark Purdue to a 21-7 halftime lead.

(Special credit should be given to special teams standout Dan Dierking, who got a chance to play fullback and opened some big holes for Bolden and Taylor, really setting the tone for Purdue’s ground game domination.)

After jumping on top by a couple of touchdowns, the Boilers turned things over to their defense, which has played its best football during the current two-game winning streak.

Before last weekend’s surprising win over the Buckeyes, Purdue was allowing over 30 points per game. In the two wins against Ohio State and Illinois, the Boilermakers have yielded 32 points…combined.

While it’s hard to learn a lot about Purdue’s defensive unit against one of the nation’s most disappointing offenses (Ron Zook played three different quarterbacks in a futile attempt to find a spark), the home team took care of business, shutting down whoever was taking snaps for Illinois, and in the end, it was more than enough to get a hard-earned victory.

With the momentum of two straight wins, Purdue is once again dreaming of a bowl berth. A trip to the postseason remains unlikely, but if the Boilers have really kicked the turnover bug for good (did I mention they played 60 minutes of football without giving the ball away once?), who knows how many more wins may be in store for Danny Hope’s squad?

To become bowl-eligible, 3-5 Purdue needs to win three of the last four games on their schedule (at Wisconsin, at Michigan, Michigan State in Ross-Ade, and then at Indiana). In this writer’s opinion, taking care of the imploding Hoosiers shouldn’t be too difficult, and the .500 Spartans at home is a tossup, but winnable. Even with victories over Michigan State and Indiana, though, the Boilermakers would have to pull off a big road victory in Madison or Ann Arbor in the next two weeks to have a chance.

And that makes Saturday’s trip to Wisconsin a must-win game for the Old Gold and Black. (In case you haven’t brushed up on your Boilermaker history lately, Purdue hasn’t won at Michigan since 1966.)

Knock off the Badgers at Camp Randall, and Boilermaker fans can start thinking postseason. Drop a heartbreaker on Halloween to Bret Bielema’s 5-2 squad, and those hopes are on life support.

Will Danny Hope get his first road win as the Boilers’ head coach in Madison? If Purdue can follow the same recipe that got them past Illinois–turnover-free football, solid running game, and stingy defense—the underdogs could see their winning streak continue.

For now, they’re simply taking care of business.

Week Nine prediction: Wisconsin 30, Purdue 27

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com .

Are We Done Criticizing Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor Yet?

Tim Cary — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:05:48 -0400

This is the Oct. 24 edition of Carrying On About Big Ten Football, a weekly series.

So far this season, I've watched three Big Ten football games from the comfort of the press box.

I like this.

Especially because press boxes happen to be climate-controlled.

This past weekend, I hadn't applied for any media credentials, and I had visions of enjoying my day off by sitting at home with my two televisions and watching college football all afternoon.

You see, my living room is also climate controlled.

However, I ended up receiving free tickets to the Ohio State/Minnesota game in Columbus at the last minute. And while watching college football on television is a great way to spend a fall Saturday, watching college football in person is an even better option.

Only one small problem. The Buckeyes tickets, which were generously given to me by my mother-in-law (thanks Betsy!), were in the C deck of the Horseshoe.

And in case you wondered...

...the C-deck is not climate-controlled.

Without any further ado, it's the hypothermic edition of "Carrying On About Big Ten Football."

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: OHIO STATE 38, MINNESOTA 7

Five things I noticed on a bitterly cold, wind-blown Saturday in Columbus (excuse any typos, as I'm just barely beginning to feel my fingers again)...

1. This is what I always thought Minnesota would look like without Eric Decker.

I tagged the Gophers as a one-trick pony in preseason and grew increasingly perturbed each week that opposing defensive coordinators allowed Decker to single-handedly keep Minnesota in ballgames.

You might remember that I wrote a column a month ago advocating a constant double-team on the Golden Gophers' star, and I simply shook my head as the senior continued to put up monster numbers against unsuspecting defenses: In his first five games, Decker averaged over 125 yards receiving and caught five touchdowns.

The last few weeks have finally brought Decker back to earth somewhat (three catches against Purdue and only one at Penn State), but even his presence on the field as a decoy has been effective: Minnesota amassed over 200 rushing yards against the Boilers because the Purdue scheme was fixated on stopping Decker.

And that brings us to Columbus and the sprained foot Eric Decker suffered in the first quarter against the Buckeyes. When Decker limped off the field, he took with him whatever hope of effectiveness the Minnesota offense had.

The Gophers' attack was downright anemic the rest of the way (outside of an occasional scamper by change-of-pace quarterback MarQueis Gray), and the rest of the receiving corps was exposed in the glaring absence of the conference's best wideout.

The worst part for Minnesota was the other wide receivers' seeming aversion to catching the football: it's hard to fault Adam Weber for a below 50 percent completion day when he kept hitting teammates in the hands.

When all was said and done, the visitors from Minneapolis played the majority of the game like their best player was standing on the sidelines on crutches.

Because for most of the game, he was.

2. It may be a cliche, but it's still true: one play can change everything.

I spent halftime in the concourse, trying to stay out of the wind and listening to Ohio State fans grumble about a tenuous 7-0 lead. With 30 minutes to play, Buckeye fans were starting to get nervous about their Big Ten title hopes, and Minnesota was looking forward to receiving the second-half kickoff in a tight ballgame.

As Ohio State prepared to put the ball in play, the wind was gusting the most it had all day, and the Bucks were forced to use a holder because the football wouldn't stay on the tee. The resulting kick was predictably short, which apparently surprised no one but Gopher return man Troy Stoudermire.

Stoudermire, who was badly fooled and out of position (not the best combination, if you ask me) raced forward, dove to try and field the ball, muffed it, and immediately gave Ohio State all the momentum they needed to turn a seven-point lead into a 31-point laugher.

The Buckeyes scored the first of their three touchdowns in the period just three plays later, and the visitors were left to dream of what might have been.

One play.

One muff.

In case you wondered, momentum is real. If Stoudermire sets up at the 25 instead of the five and runs the short kick back for a touchdown, this definitely isn't a 31-point game. Who knows if it's even an Ohio State victory? One play really can change everything.

3. The Minnesota defensive backfield had a day to forget.

While I'll never be more than an armchair quarterback, I'm pretty sure I would have been able to hit DeVier Posey on the Buckeyes' first touchdown pass.

Yes, he was that wide open: I don't think there was a single defender on that side of the Olentangy River. To make matters worse, Posey's other touchdown, a 57-yard bomb in the third quarter, also came on what looked like a busted coverage.

From my rudimentary understanding of this game we call football, a defensive back's job is to guard receivers. Therefore, I feel more than justified criticizing the entire Minnesota defensive backfield, because there wasn't much receiver-guarding going on in Columbus.

4. The drops were contagious.

Terrelle Pryor was extremely fortunate to tally 239 passing yards, because his receivers weren't really catching much either. I understand this sounds like nitpicking after a 38-7 Buckeyes win, but OSU missed on multiple chances in the first half to take control because of crucial drops at the worst possible times.

Most notable was a fade route from Pryor to Posey in the midst of a 19-play drive that bounced off the receiver's hands in the end zone. Not the easiest catch of the day, but a Big Ten wideout has to make that play when a touchdown's on the line.

OSU ended up missing a field goal after the 19-play march, one of two empty drives (the other ended with an interception shortly before halftime) that could have cost the Bucks if the third quarter hadn't been so one-sided.

A lot of the criticism around Columbus the last week has focused on Pryor, but maybe we should be talking a little more about the guys he's throwing to...after all, it still takes two people, the thrower and catcher, to complete a pass, right?

5. Speaking of which, are we done with the Terrelle Pryor criticism yet? Pryor is neither Peyton Manning nor Tim Tebow, but that doesn't mean the OSU signal-caller can't develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, if not the nation. I literally laughed out loud at all the Ohio State fans on Twitter during the Bucks/Boilers game last week that were ready to trade Pryor for Purdue quarterback Joey Elliott straight up.

While Pryor's not perfect and has shown the propensity to make ill-advised throws under pressure, he was the No. 1 recruit in the country for a reason. In addition to throwing for two touchdowns against the Gophers, he also ran for 104 yards on 15 carries. His ability to get outside the pocket keeps plays alive, buys receivers time, and makes the Buckeyes offense dangerous on every play.

OSU fans are going to demand consistency, and they should, but let's stop with the talk about moving Pryor to wide receiver or bringing in Joe Bauserman.

Really, Buckeye fan? Bauserman? Really?

Let me try and put it in perspective for you this way...how many quarterbacks in the country could lead their team to four second-half touchdowns with their arm and legs, while the first- AND second-string tailbacks sit on the bench with injuries?

Enough with the Pryor-bashing already.

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

I try and pull together the announcer quotes that make me chuckle each weekend, and with that said, I'm not going to even include the Bob Griese line you've all obviously heard about already. Let's stick to the funny ones.

"The first team to blink is gonna win this game." -- Glen Mason (via @snydermatt ). Don't you mean "lose", Glen? If that's true, let's blink right now and get this over with...

"The athletic director at Illinois yesterday made a statement that Ron Turner will indeed be the head coach of Illinois next year." -- Pam Ward I'm guessing that's probably news to Ron ZOOK...

"Bolden stepped on a pop top and blew out a flip flop on this one, a little Margaritaville right here." -- Ray Bentley Um, okay...

"Williams takes a shot into the corner of the end zone, but throws it to the cannon. Or is that a bell over there? It's a bell...that did not make the catch either." -- Pam Ward Of course, because a bell and cannon look so incredibly similar...

" When you try to catch a ball, and there's a little bit of wetness on it, it's a whole lot more slippier than if it was absolutely downpouring." -- Mark Campbell Did you just invent the word "slippier", Mr. Campbell?

Last but not least is Wayne Larrivee's call of an Iowa field goal attempt. To fully appreciate this, you have to check out Chip Caray's mistaken call of a pop-out to left field as a playoff-clinching base hit a few weeks ago. Caray screamed "Base hit," only to try and cover his tracks when the ball was caught easily and he realized his mistake.

And that brings us to Larrivee, who had no idea the Iowa kicker, Daniel Murray, actually got his kick inside the uprights (until the referees raised their arms over their heads). His excited call (my favorite of the week, and you can even watch it here ):

"And he hooked it! (long pause) ...Through the uprights!" -- Wayne Larrivee Nice save, Wayne...

MAYBE COACHING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

While honorable mention for this week's coaching section goes to Bill Lynch, whose Hoosiers failed on two fourth-down conversions in a meltdown against Northwestern and headed back to Bloomington wishing they'd kicked some field goals, I'm actually going to venture outside the Big Ten for my weekly criticism.

That's because I love cheering for underdogs, and I couldn't believe how Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin blew a chance to beat the nation's No. 1 team.

In case you missed the game, the Volunteers were down 12-3 to Alabama late in the fourth quarter, scored a touchdown, and recovered the onside kick with less than 90 seconds to play (trailing by two). Tennessee quickly drove the ball into field-goal range and had a 1st-and-10 at the Bama 28-yard line with 48 seconds left and the clock running.

One small detail that factors in here: so far on the afternoon, the Volunteers were a disappointing one of three kicking field goals. The Vols had missed one kick and gotten another blocked, so simply reaching their kicker's range was a long way from ensuring a successful three points.

So WHY ON EARTH did Kiffin call for a handoff on first down and let the clock run all the way down before spiking it to set up one final kick? You have a first down, a chance to beat the country's No. 1 team, and your kicker's had a horrible day...sure, that sounds like a perfect time to turn conservative, quit gaining yards, and start running clock.

I understand the Vols were out of timeouts, but fake an out route and throw a slant for seven yards, then spike the ball...or try a fade into the end zone...or something.

Assuming a 44-yard field goal is a high-percentage play when your kicker's missed on two of his three opportunities and passing up the chance to get closer or attack the goal line is stupid...

...and I wasn't surprised at all when the potential game-winner was blocked.

Maybe coaching is easier than I thought.

MAYBE HANGING ONTO THE BALL IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

As a Purdue fan, I figured I'd seen it all in the turnover department, but this blew even me away.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers lost 9-7 Saturday because they committed eight turnovers.

Yes, eight.

Fumble, interception, fumble, fumble, fumble, fumble, interception, interception.

Holy cow, it hurts just to type that.

If you're scoring at home, that's seven points and eight turnovers for the Huskers. Again, it really doesn't have anything to do with the Big Ten, but I feel better about the Boilermakers right now (who had a grand total of ZERO turnovers in this weekend's win over Illinois), so I felt like bragging!

Maybe hanging onto the ball is easier than I thought.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

No competition for this week's top play: That would be the game-winning pass from Ricky Stanzi to Marvin McNutt as time expired in East Lansing. What a ballgame (and I absolutely loved the goal-line stands by each team in the fourth quarter...that was Big Ten defense at its finest).

Nice diving effort by Northwestern's Mike Bolden to keep a punt from bouncing into the end zone. Bolden wasn't the guy that ultimately down the ball, but he saved a certain touchback with a highlight play.

Speaking of the Cats, I had to rewind the Zeke Markshausen over-the-shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone against two defenders. Big-time play from a guy who seems to be getting better each time out.

Ray Fisher had himself a day for the Hoosiers, although I'm sure he'd rather have the win. Fisher broke free for a 35-yard punt return that nearly went to the house, and he topped that with a 93-yard kickoff return that did go for a touchdown. Time to stop kicking to the Hoosiers' special teams star.

Perfect call and better execution on the Spartans' fourth-quarter hook-and-ladder that nearly led to an upset of undefeated Iowa. Brian Linthicum and Blair White combined to help Michigan State convert a 3rd-and-18 play, only to have their hearts broken on the game's final snap.

Remember, if you see an amazing highlight, hear a crazy announcer quote, or just want to talk football, send a message to @TimCary on Twitter. You could find yourself in the next edition of "Carrying On", a weekly feature on FirstandBigTen.com (FBT is a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football).

No Redshirt For Purdue's Al-Terek McBurse: Is That A Good Thing?

Tim Cary — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:27:08 -0400

After the first six games of Purdue's 2009 football season, super-hyped freshman running back Al-Terek McBurse hadn't seen the field for a single play. Quite a surprise, since McBurse was the only four-star recruit in the Boilermakers' entire class (according to some recruiting services), and much had been expected of the first-year speedster from Florida.

However, with the Boilers set to feature breakout sophomore tailback Ralph Bolden, backed up by senior and former starter Jaycen Taylor, there wasn't a lot of extra carries to be had.

As the weeks ticked by and McBurse never left the bench, redshirting the promising back seemed to be a no-brainer.

Let's face it, with Purdue 1-5 (before the OSU game) at the season's halfway mark, what would be the point of playing McBurse now? Conventional wisdom would say that the season's obviously a hopeless cause and everything in West Lafayette is pointed toward the future, and burning one of McBurse's four years of eligibility doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

Try telling that to Danny Hope.

The Boilermakers' new head coach didn't hesitate to insert McBurse into Saturday's game against Ohio State--not as a tailback, but as a kickoff returner--and the freshman responded with 3 returns for 61 yards.

On the surface, those may seem like pedestrian numbers, but there's one important statistic missing. Purdue didn't fumble a kickoff for the first time in three weeks, and the Boilermakers' improvement in the all-important turnover battle was a critical key in pulling a stunning 26-18 upset of the heavily favored Buckeyes.

Now, let me be honest, I'll admit to screaming at my television as I saw McBurse's first year of eligiblity go down the tubes after he wasn't utilized at all in the season's first six games.

But I've come around to the coach's way of thinking, and here's why:

Danny Hope hasn't given up on the 2009 Purdue Boilermakers. While logical fans are already scheming for and dreaming about next year, the never-say-die head coach is still fully engaged in trying to figure out how to win games this year.

And as a Boilermaker supporter, I like that.

After my initial outburst of disgust at Hope's "ill-advised" decision to waste McBurse in the second half of a meaningless season, I decided to put myself in the young freshman's shoes for a few minutes.

How would I like to sit on the bench as an explosive playmaker and watch my teammates drop kickoffs every single week, not being able to do a thing about it? After all, some plays in football are extremely difficult to execute, but catching a kickoff isn't one of them.

Hope had tried Aaron Valentin (fumble), Jaycen Taylor (fumble), Keith Carlos (fumble), and pretty much everyone short of Joe Tiller to try and perform the elementary task of receiving a kickoff without yielding the football to oncoming opponents.

And the merry-go-round at the returner spot was costing Purdue football games.

As Boilermaker fans sat at 1-5 last week, and looked down the remaining schedule, we started to play the "who else can we beat?" game, and there weren't many answers.

If Hope's team were to finish 1-11 or 2-10 in his first year, who knows how many of those redshirters even stay in the program? For all that, who knows if Hope still has a job in 2010?

Playing for the future is a dangerous thing to do, so Hope chose to fill a need with an explosive threat-in-waiting. He decided to go for broke.

And it paid off, as I will treasure the memory of Purdue 26, Ohio State 18 for a long, long time.

Who knows? With the momentum from the program's biggest victory in years, there may be some more wins left in 2009.

Personally, I'm hoping one of them is sparked by an Al-Terek McBurse kickoff return touchdown.

And I'm glad he's not redshirting.

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com .

Lucas Oil Stadium: Showcasing Indianapolis Sport

Tim Cary — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:36:39 -0400

Article originally posted on www.stadiumjourney.com

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is one of the country’s newest venues, opening just in time for the Colts’ 2008 NFL season. This beautiful building, constructed across the street from where its predecessor (the RCA Dome) once sat, holds 63,000 screaming Colts fans (about 62,500 of which seem to be wearing Peyton Manning #18 jerseys) for eight regular-season home games every year.

Notable features of the stadium include a large window at one end (that can be opened to give more of an outdoor feel, as well as provide a scenic view of downtown) and a two-panel retractable roof, which the Colts can decide to open or close up until 90 minutes before kickoff. (That’s some serious home-field advantage!)

My first visit to Lucas Oil Stadium was for a preseason game in August 2009. I left impressed, to say the least.

FANFARE SCORE: 32

Food & Beverage: 4

Lucas Oil Stadium boasts about 150 concession locations, serving a variety of options to meet any fan’s taste preference. From traditional ballpark fare such as hot dogs, pizza, and pretzels to a more assorted range of flavors (Italian, Cajun, and Bar-B-Que), this venue is well equipped to feed the diverse taste buds of a Midwestern audience.

The prices certainly won’t please a penny-pincher (I think I spent $4.00 on a package of M&Ms), but are similar to what other NFL stadiums (especially newer ones) would charge.

Atmosphere: 4

While Lucas Oil Stadium hasn’t been around long enough to develop its own history, Colts fans (and NFL fans in general), will enjoy this venue for decades to come. In addition to the action on the field, two extremely large video boards (located in diagonal corners) help make sure no replay is left unseen. (The Colts considered hanging an arena-style video screen a la the new Cowboy Stadium, but thought better of it).

The plaza on the stadium’s north end contains a virtual treasure trove of memorabilia dedicated to great moments in Colts history, and also the city’s connection to racing. With a moniker like “Lucas Oil Stadium”, the replica cars and other displays should come as no surprise, and they really help give this stadium an Indiana feel.

Neighborhood: 5

The downtown area is a perfect place to grab a meal, or drink before the game, if you’re so inclined. Dozens of restaurants are available within walking distance of the stadium, including fine dining at Weber Grill (a bit classy and pricey, no tank tops allowed), sports bars galore (during the Big Ten basketball tournament, fans from each of the conference’s 11 schools are assigned a different watering hole), and everything in between.

I have especially enjoyed trips to RAM (a restaurant and brewery with nearly a dozen different burgers alone)…it’s a great place to keep an eye on all the different games on TV…and downtown also boasts a Hard Rock Café, where a visitor could spend an hour just checking out all the rock-and-roll artifacts. Each of these options is located less than 3/4 of a mile from Lucas Oil Stadium.

Fans: 5

Fans in the state of Indiana are nothing if not devout. While their first love may be on the hardwood (the Pacers used to begin player introductions with a video that boasted, “In 49 states, it’s just basketball…but this is Indiana”), they know their sports and you’ll enjoy the opportunity to take in an NFL game with 63,000 of them.

While I didn’t come away thinking Lucas Oil Stadium was the loudest venue I’d ever been in, I attribute that to the fact I was watching a preseason game. I also think having the roof closed (it was open the day I visited) would amp up the decibel volume a bit.

Access: 4

We didn’t have any problems parking near Lucas Oil Stadium. In addition to the building’s main lots, we found a garage a few blocks north that was an easy option. Traffic around game time was a little slow (we actually missed the first Colts drive of the contest because we hadn’t planned for how long it would take us to get from the highway to the stadium), but that’s to be expected if you’re still in your car a few minutes before kickoff.

Restrooms were plentiful (the venue’s website boasts 1,400 toilets), and lines weren’t a factor.

Return on Investment: 5

My trip to Lucas Oil Stadium was honestly more about seeing the Colts’ new digs than actually getting to watch the football team play (those of you that have attended preseason games know exactly what I mean). The stadium met and exceeded my expectations, and I envy the Indianapolis fans that get to enjoy it multiple times each year.

Lucas Oil Stadium will be hosting the NCAA men’s Final Four in April, and the venue has also been awarded one of the sporting world’s crown jewels, the Super Bowl, to be played in February 2012. Fans around the country will learn during these showcase events, if not before, what a beautiful facility Indianapolis has designed and built for spectators to enjoy sports in.

Etc.: 5

In my experiences traveling around the United States and watching sporting events live, I’ve been consistently blown away by the increasing level of quality and sheer “wow” factor of the newer venues that have been built. Lucas Oil Stadium is one of the finest examples of this trend. The city has done an admirable job of building an arena that connects with the city’s history, features the newest modern conveniences, has good sight lines (we sat in one of the top rows and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves), is located in a downtown area full of choice restaurants, and will prove comfortable to the fans who attend in any weather scenario. I highly recommend a visit to Lucas Oil Stadium when your travels take you through the Midwest; there can’t be many finer places to watch Peyton Manning work his magic.

Purdue Boilermakers Stun No. 7 Ohio State, Give Danny Hope First Big Ten Win

Tim Cary — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:31:30 -0400

Throughout their five-game losing streak, the Purdue Boilermakers have been victimized repeatedly by the turnover bug.

Turns out other teams can catch the bug too.

The Ohio State Buckeyes visited Ross-Ade Stadium Saturday and immediately began to do their best Purdue impression, committing five giveaways (including a fumble on the game’s second snap) and dropping a 26-18 stunner that shocked fans throughout the college football world.

The Boilermakers snapped an insanely long losing streak against ranked teams, defeating a Top 25 opponent for the first time since 2003, and delivered Danny Hope a signature victory that was a long time coming.

Hope’s first-ever Big Ten win is one that folks in West Lafayette won’t soon forget, and can directly be attributed to improvements in all three phases of football.

The offense moved the ball consistently, led by Aaron Valentin’s two touchdown catches and Keith Smith’s fourth straight 100-yard receiving game.

The defense benefited from two third-quarter Brandon King interceptions, harassed Terrelle Pryor on nearly every play, and got the game of a lifetime from defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, who amassed nine tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.

And last but not least, the much-maligned special teams unit came up big for the Boilermakers in the upset win, as placekicker Carson Wiggs connected on four field goals, including a 55-yarder at the end of the first half to put the home team on top for good.

Purdue didn’t completely eliminate the mistakes that have haunted them, committing three turnovers, including a red zone interception on an inexplicable halfback pass from seldom-used Dan Dierking, but the Boilers won the turnover battle for the first time in forever.

Hope’s players (who gave him the game ball after the upset victory) have talked for weeks about needing to make the one big play that can turn losses into wins, (especially after heartbreaking defeats against Notre Dame and Northwestern), and the Boilers finally did that with a fourth-down stop of the Buckeyes in the game’s final minutes.

Quarterback Joey Elliott deserves special mention, as the fifth-year senior played arguably the finest game of his career to date. Elliott hit on 31 of 50 passes for 281 yards, leading at least one Ohio State player to dub him the best signal-caller the Bucks have faced all year.

The Purdue victory snapped a 16-game Ohio State conference road winning streak, one short of the league record, and it honestly couldn’t have come at a more important time for Hope and his struggling squad.

If the Boilermakers can build on the momentum they found as the final whistle blew Saturday (and the half of Ross-Ade Stadium not wearing red poured onto the field), fans may look back on this game as the day Purdue turned the corner.

Hope’s predecessor, Joe Tiller, used a 1997 upset of Notre Dame to springboard his program to the best run in school history (10 bowl appearances in 12 years). Only time will tell if Saturday’s 26-18 win will do the same for this group of Boilers and their first-year coach.

At least this week, optimism reigns supreme.

What a difference seven days makes.

Week Eight prediction: Purdue 34, Illinois 27

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com .

Carrying On About Big Ten Football: October 17

Tim Cary — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:58:30 -0400

Welcome to the Pet Peeves edition of "Carrying On About Big Ten Football". This week's column will be completely normal with the exception of random PET PEEVE alerts every few paragraphs to catch you up on the things in sports that have been frustrating me.

In other words, certain aspects of the sports world have been so overwhelmingly annoying to me that I haven't been able to concentrate on enjoying Big Ten football. And I feel like talking about them.

If you're not the type who likes to listen to complaining, you may want to skip this one.

You've been warned.

PET PEEVE ALERT: I'm sick of the Brett Favre coverage. Okay, that's not very accurate. I've always been sick of the Brett Favre coverage, and I don't understand how anyone can cheer for him after retiring and un-retiring a million times because he likes media attention a lot more than training camp practices. So, I'm admittedly biased.

(By the way, you know Favre started his career a Falcon, right? I guess there's more than one Falcon involved in staging and stringing out elaborate productions to hijack national news feeds and draw attention to themselves...but enough about Balloon Boy.)

So did you see the end of the same Vikings/Ravens game I did yesterday? The one where Favre and company choked away a 27-10 lead, went back on top late, and then escaped a loss to a .500 Ravens team because their field goal kicker missed on the last play of the game? My headline for that story is: "Ravens kicker blows chance to upset Vikes".

The USA Today sub-headline is: "QB's heroics thwart furious rally by Ravens".

What?

How did Favre's heroics stop the Ravens' rally? Favre's heroics consisted of sitting on the sideline with his head buried, not wanting to watch Baltimore ruin his perfect season on a mid-range field goal attempt. Did he block the kick? Did he throw a Hail Mary?

No. He won because Baltimore missed a makeable field goal.

Sounds like "heroics" to me. END PET PEEVE ALERT.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: BIG TEN WINNERS 117, BIG TEN LOSERS 56

My plan for this week's microscope section was to lay out five things I learned from the prime-time showdown between Illinois and Indiana Saturday night. But let's face it, who wants to dwell on a matchup between teams that entered the evening in 10th and 11th place, anyway?

Instead, we'll ignore Michigan (because they scheduled and destroyed a 1-AA team, the Tennessee Titans...I mean Delaware State Hornets) and lay out one thing I learned from each of the five games between conference teams.

PET PEEVE ALERT: Delaware State lost twice Saturday. Shouldn't there be a rule against allowing a school to forfeit so they can go lose to someone else? The Hornets chose to lose a league game against North Carolina A&T so they could grab a monster payday in Ann Arbor (and get destroyed in the process). When's the last time a college football team lost twice on the same day? It shouldn't be allowed. END PET PEEVE ALERT.

1. INDIANA 27-14: IU's Mitchell Evans is an underrated weapon.

Evans, a wide receiver and Wildcat quarterback, caught three passes for 17 yards and rushed nine times for 84 yards (including a 31-yard dash) in the Hoosiers' home win over Illinois. My notes during the game contained this verbatim phrase: "He's fast."

That's the kind of hard-hitting analysis you pay me for right there.

The "fast" junior gives Indiana variety at the quarterback spot and a different look from main pistol man Ben Chappell. If that wasn't enough, Evans even tried a pooch punt that went a whopping eight yards...but bounced off an Illini player to give the home team a new set of downs. It was that kind of night.

Although the Hoosiers were picked to finish at the bottom of the Big Ten, they have a winning record and need only two wins in their last five games to become bowl-eligible. It won't be easy (and if they can't pick up a W in Evanston this weekend, the task becomes nearly impossible), but there's a chance.

2. IOWA 20-10: No one should ever pick against the Hawkeyes.

I can say this with a great deal of certainty, as the last three times I had the opportunity to pick against Iowa, I did (at Wisconsin, vs. Michigan, at Penn State). In each of these three instances, obviously, I choose poorly.

And that, my friends, is why my wife is destroying me in FBT's Ten by Ten competition.

Anyway, I apologize to Hawkeye fans everywhere for underestimating Iowa on a regular basis. Kirk Ferentz's squad has rolled up a legitimate 7-0 record and survived three of the five difficult road games that self-proclaimed experts everywhere were convinced would be the Hawks' undoing.

In the latest win, a comeback victory in Madison over Wisconsin, Iowa shut out the Badgers 17-0 in the second half to remain unblemished. Ricky Stanzi's consistency (or lack thereof) has been a big storyline for the Hawkeyes, but a quarterback is ultimately judged by winning percentage...and I'd say 1.000 is more than acceptable.

PET PEEVE ALERT: There is absolutely no excuse for ranking a defeated USC team ahead of unbeatens like Iowa, Boise State and Cincinnati. Boo to the media . Boo to the coaches . Kudos to the BCS computers (wow, never thought I'd say that).

Can we stop with the farce already and rename the national championship the "Best-Performing Team Among Pre-Determined Possibilities Florida, Texas, USC, Notre Dame, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Alabama"? END PET PEEVE ALERT.

PET PEEVE ALERT: Never mind, I'm not done. Here's the other sentence from this morning's USA Today that bugged me, as I was reading about the USC Trojans: "[Pete] Carroll gushed about his quarterback [Matt Barkley], a likely Heisman favorite of the future."

Heisman talk for Barkley already? After playing five games? The kid's thrown for a grand total of five touchdowns and three interceptions. Yep, he's in (or will soon be in) the running for best player in the country.

Can we stop with the farce and rename the award the "Best Performing Quarterback or Running Back From Pre-Determined Teams Florida, Texas, USC, Notre Dame, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Alabama"? END PET PEEVE ALERT.

3. MICHIGAN STATE 24-14: Is this the year of the go-to receiver in the Big Ten?

While the conference may be more often known for great running backs, it seems like teams--more than ever--tend to live and die with their No. 1 receivers. What would Minnesota be without Eric Decker? Purdue minus Keith Smith?

Fans in East Lansing got a show from two of the league's best, as Northwestern's Zeke Markshausen caught 16 passes for 111 yards and a score, while Michigan State's Blair White grabbed 12 for 186 and two touchdowns.

Translation: Markshausen and White combined for over half of the game's receiving yards and their touchdowns accounted for more than half of the contest's points.

Somebody cover these guys, please!

4. PENN STATE 20-0: So this is what it means to "whitewash" opponents? Penn State's defense put on another clinic in snowy Happy Valley Saturday, which is really ceasing to be news at this point. In their six wins this season, the Nittany Lions are allowing an average of 6.7 points per game.

Wow.

Imagine what the numbers might be like if key linebackers Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman hadn't been in and out of the lineup with injuries.

They say "defense wins championships", and although the Lions' schedule won't do them any favors (still looming: a date with the Buckeyes, sandwiched around trips to Michigan and Michigan State), last year's co-champions could find themselves hoisting a trophy again if the Hawkeyes happen to slip up.

5. PURDUE 26-18. Yes, the Boilermakers can beat teams other than themselves.

Purdue finally managed to avoid self-destructing long enough to pull off a big victory, giving first-year coach Danny Hope a signature upset win over Ohio State and snapping a five-game losing streak in the process.

Aaron Valentin, who's shown a knack for making big plays and even bigger turnovers, caught two touchdown passes and (thank goodness for Purdue fans) managed to hold onto the ball to spark the Boilermakers to their first win over a ranked opponent since 1743. (Okay, maybe 2003. It only felt that long.)

The biggest question remaining about this year's Purdue squad won't be answered for another week: is the Ohio State upset an anomaly for a team long known as "Spoilermakers" (due to occasional upsets by an otherwise irrelevant program), or will the win over the Buckeyes jump-start Hope toward bigger and better things (as a 1997 victory over Notre Dame did for then-coach Joe Tiller on his way to 10 bowl trips in 12 seasons)?

With the struggling Illini coming to town Saturday, the Boilermakers have a golden opportunity to make a statement about the promising future of their program...or whether the beatdown of Terrelle Pryor was only a fluke.

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

In the space of fifteen minutes Saturday afternoon, I saw graphics on Big Ten Network and ESPN referring to Jim Tressle , Delarware State , and Toby Gerhard (as in Gerhart, the leading rusher in the Pac-10).

I think I'm going to rename this section "Maybe Spelling Is Easier Than I Thought".

Other quotes that made me chuckle...

READER SUBMISSION OF THE WEEK-
"The guy who's picked up the snac...sn...the s...sn...s...s...sn...the slack, excuse me. I wanted to say 'snack', I'm hungry over here!" -- Ray Bentley (via @kohenari).

UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE WEEK:
"This team [Purdue] has a tough time hanging onto the football." -- Wayne Larrivee

SAY WHAT? AWARD OF THE WEEK:
"These guys" [Purdue again] take pride in special teams." -- Chris Martin
Um, is that the same team that lost to Northern Illinois because they fumbled two punts? The squad that gave Minnesota three touchdowns a week ago off of a 7-yard shanked punt, a fumbled kickoff, and a blocked field goal? And let's not get into all the turnovers against Northwestern.

On Saturday against the Buckeyes, Purdue fans literally (and audibly) cheered successful fair catches and punts that crossed the line of scrimmage. I've never heard anything like it...but things had gotten that ridiculous in West Lafayette, where simply not muffing a punt is now cause for celebration and rejoicing.

Anyway, there's a lot of choice words we could use to describe Purdue's special teams, but pride is nowhere on the list.

BAD PUN OF THE WEEK:
"Moye, oh Moye, what a catch!" -- Matt Millen, describing a reception by Penn State's Derek Moye.
"I'm sorry about that." -- Matt Millen
"You should be." -- Sean McDonough

PET PEEVE ALERT: There should be a national law prohibiting announcers from discussing replays and reviews until the referee has ruled whether or not the call stands. Period. Not a single word. I don't know what the solution is: use all of the quarter's commercials back to back...take us to the studio for a four-minute game break...I don't care, but don't let the commentators open their mouths while the network shows us all 73 angles of the replay.

I've had it with announcers who decided what actually happened while the play was going on live (whether his knee was down or not, whether he stepped out of bounds or not, etc.), then use all 73 shots to point out why they were right...and, predictably, are stunned when the replay official doesn't agree with them.

I'm also sick of broadcasters who repeat the phrase "indisputable evidence" ad nauseam, but don't understand what it means. If the official on the sideline said the player stepped out of bounds...and on the replay it looks like he may have stayed inbounds...unless there's a shot of every step he took that shows green grass between his foot and the sideline...the call stands.

Sometimes I wish announcers would get rid of the "indisputable evidence" buzzwords and describe what the replay official is looking for this way: "If there's one single person out of our millions of viewers who isn't positively laughing out loud right now because the call was so obviously wrong, they won't overturn it."

The call on the field stands, whether correct or not, as long there's any sliver of doubt one way or the other. Remember that the next time you hear announcers walk you through 35 straight pictures of if the ball possibly moved as the player went to the ground or not. If they're debating it (as they always do), the referee won't overrule it. END PET PEEVE ALERT.

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

While we're talking about referees, allow me to offer my apologies to Ohio State fans everywhere for the horrendous "forward progress" call after an apparent Keith Carlos fumble late in the first quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Carlos was stood up by Buckeyes defenders, stripped of the ball by Kurt Coleman, and Ohio State celebrated another Purdue turnover that would set the visitors up for points in the red zone...only to be stunned when the referees gave the Boilermakers the ball back because the receiver's forward progress had been stopped.

Normally, a player's forward progress is stopped by the referee blowing upon the whistle in his mouth to alert the players, the crowd, and nervous alumni everywhere that the player may no longer advance the football he is carrying.

Or, in this case, I guess the referee can just swallow his whistle, watch the play unfold, feel sorry for Purdue, and decide after the fact it didn't look like Carlos was going to go anywhere, so his forward progress must have, in fact, been stopped.

(In fairness to the official we're ridiculing, he probably assumed it really wouldn't matter one way or the other since Purdue would turn the ball over again in the next few plays because--face it--that's what they do.)

Of course, a referee's judgment call (even if he made his judgment well after the play had ended) is non-reviewable (Buckeye fans, you might remember this from the '02 national title-winning pass interference call against Miami that came AFTER the Fiesta Bowl postgame fireworks), so Ohio State lost a golden chance for points, and Purdue added insult to injury by putting together a long drive to take the lead.

Those of you that have read this blog for a while know I'm a biased Purdue fan, but still...

...maybe officiating is easier than I thought.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

I loved the juke move by Indiana wide receiver Damarlo Belcher to embarrass Illini cornerback Dere Hicks en route to the end zone. Nasty.

Impressive catch by Brandon Saine on a swing pass thrown behind him to the wrong shoulder (hmm, that sums up Terrelle Pryor's day, doesn't it?).

Awesome interception by Iowa's Amari Spievey (one of a pair he had on the day) to end the Badgers' last chance at a comeback in the final minutes.

Speaking of picks, Purdue defensive back Brandon King may have had the play of the weekend with a brilliant diving snatch on an out route he had no business jumping. King's highlight play was his second pick of the quarter and helped the Boilermakers outscore Ohio State 14-0 in the pivotal third period.

What was your favorite highlight? How about a crazy announcer quote? Don't forget to send them in each weekend to @TimCary : you could make it into next week's column (also featured on FirstandBigTen.com )!

Ohio State-Purdue: How Likely Is an Upset Victory for Boilermakers?

Tim Cary — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:37:20 -0400

There's no question a Purdue victory over Ohio State Saturday afternoon in Ross-Ade Stadium would be a monumental upset.

The Boilermakers are struggling through a five-game losing streak, consistently failing to make critical plays, and turning the ball over about as often as the words "balloon boy" have been uttered in the last 48 hours.

The Buckeyes, on the other hand, are once again ranked in the nation's Top 10, hardly ever lose conference road games, and have won at least a share of the Big Ten championship in four straight seasons. OSU is also in good shape for their fifth consecutive title, as they enter Saturday's game with a 5-1 record and four-game winning streak.

If there's any small consolation for the Boilers, it's that Ohio State's offense has struggled recently (Wisconsin gained twice as many yards as the Bucks in Ohio Stadium last weekend), and Purdue has also played OSU relatively close in the last ten years (winning in 2000 and 2004 at Ross-Ade).

The visiting Buckeyes are double-digit favorites, and Purdue fans (myself included) are hard-pressed to see any scenario on paper that would allow the Boilers to pull a shocker.

Well, I take that back--I guess there's one scenario: Ohio State will be without the services of defensive lineman Dexter Larimore and running back Daniel Herron, so if coach Jim Tressel should decide to rest his other 20 starters for some reason, the Boilermakers' prospects would improve somewhat.

Now that you see my pessimistic outlook on Purdue football...and with an Ohio State win in West Lafayette seeming to be a virtual certainty...I took an informal poll on Twitter today to give disappointed fans a chance to list things that are more likely than a Purdue win over the conference-leading Buckeyes.

Highlights of the responses include:

The Lions in the 2009 playoffs—more likely than a Purdue upset of Ohio State.

A snowless Indiana winter—better chance of that than a Boilermaker win.

A balanced budget—okay, so the odds of both are about nil.

Hoosiers in the Final Four—also a toss-up, but IU probably does have the better chance.

Chicago hosting the 2018, 2020, and 2022 Olympics—even though they're not even one of the 2018 bid cities , their chances are still better than the Boilers'.

And my favorite: Bobby Knight wearing Old Gold and Black is more likely than a Purdue win over the Buckeyes.

Feel free to add your own fill-in-the-blank answers in the comments.

And yes, I'd love to be wrong.

Special thanks to Twitter readers @mrboilermaker , @yagelski , and @sarayelich for their contributions to this column. This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com , a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Illinois Fighting Illini Back at Square One with Two Quarterbacks

Tim Cary — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:13:12 -0400

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Illinois football coach Ron Zook isn't ready to say who will start at quarterback for his team when they travel to Bloomington Saturday night to face the Indiana Hoosiers.

Sure, that makes sense.

Zook benched the school's career leader in total offense, looking for a spark for his disappointing football team, and the backup, junior Eddie McGee, responded by completing a grand total of two passes in 11 attempts against Michigan State.

The only touchdown McGee threw was to the wrong team, as the Spartans' Danny Fortener broke perfectly on a ball well behind the intended receiver and waltzed into the end zone untouched.

I realize Juice Williams hasn't had a great year, but how is that an improvement?

After going down 24-0 to the Spartans in the third quarter, the Illini coaching staff pulled the plug on the Eddie McGee experiment, reinserting Williams into the lineup.

The knee-jerk reaction to McGee's repeated off-target throws came at least two series too late (as the home team never recovered from the pick-six), and left fans to wonder what might have been if the team's senior leader had gone all 60 minutes against MSU.

Wait, what was that? It wasn't a knee-jerk reaction?

"Believe it or not, contrary to what people think, everything we do is very well thought out," an obviously frustrated offensive coordinator Mike Schultz said after the Illini's third straight loss.

Um, okay.

Williams is obviously the better of the two options, as he was at least able to get the Illini offense on the scoreboard against the Spartans.

Juice led two late scoring drives to make the final score respectable, and I have no idea what McGee did in his 31-yard masterpiece of a game to give Zook and company serious thoughts about sending him onto the field at Indiana Saturday.

But not a lot makes sense in Illinois these days.

Williams, to his credit, remained politically correct after the latest loss when discussing the play of his good friend and quarterback competitor.

"Eddie's a great player; Eddie can get the job done," said Williams. "I can't sit here and say I would have done better or led us to victory."

All right, Juice, allow me.

Juice Williams would have done better than McGee's 2-of-11 performance against Michigan State. He wouldn't have been overwhelmed by the Spartans' rush, he wouldn't have thrown passes in different zip codes from wide-open receivers, and he would have given the Illini a chance to win the game.

With a majority of the season still to go, Williams deserves the chance to finish what he's started and try to turn things around for the Illini. And for what it's worth, he still believes in his team.

"We've got seven more games at least, we want to go out there and try to win all of them," Williams told reporters.

"We can't let the past dictate what we do in the future."

Sounds like advice his head coach would be wise to heed.

Ron Zook, we forgive you for an ill-advised decision to sit one of the best players in school history and look to your backup quarterback for a spark.

It didn't work.

Let's move on. End the quarterback controversy now.

Zook characterized his signal-callers' strengths as experience (Williams) and passion (McGee).

I'm going to go out on a limb and say "experience" directly leads to a higher winning percentage than raw emotion, and if Zook wants to be coaching in 2010, he needs a better winning percentage pronto.

Unfortunately, it remains to be seen if Zook accurately comprehends his predicament and the obvious disparity between his options at quarterback.

"It's not as easy as everybody thinks: musical chairs. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination done with Eddie, or done with Juice," said Zook.

Oh boy.

Zook even hinted at the possibility of using both quarterbacks in Bloomington.

"Whoever takes the first snap, I don't think that's quite as important. The offense doesn't change, and our football team is very, very comfortable with whoever's at the quarterback spot," said Zook.

Personally, I beg to differ with the idea that "the offense doesn't change." While it's true that the scheme is comparable with both McGee and Williams under center (and to be fair, that's probably what the coach was referring to), the execution was anything but similar in Saturday's showcase.

Williams threw a touchdown to an Illini receiver, while McGee was picked off for a touchdown by the Spartans. McGee completed 18 percent of his passes, while Juice threw for over 100 yards off the bench.

The urgency of Zook's upcoming decision has everything to with the Illini schedule. Winnable games at Indiana and Purdue the next two weekends have the potential to turn the Illinois season around, maybe even to the extent of building enough momentum and making the progress necessary to reach six wins, earn a bowl berth, and save Zook's job.

While Cincinnati still looms, thanks to a quirky schedule which includes two post-Thanksgiving non-conference games, it's not all that far-fetched (at least on paper with the talent on the Illinois roster) to see Juice, Arrelious Benn, and their big-play offensive potential post wins over the Hoosiers, Boilermakers, Golden Gophers, Wildcats, and Fresno State.

So how will this quarterback battle ultimately play out? Will the coaching staff compare statistics? Hold a competition? Flip a coin?

"I'm judging them more on just a gut feel," Zook told reporters today.

I have no idea why Illinois fans are losing faith in their coach.

Bottom line, at least McGee understands the priorities in Champaign. When asked if he was eager to get another shot at starting, he quickly responded, "I'm just eager to get a win."

To this humble writer...that sounds like a recipe for Juice.

Purdue Can't Snap Skid in Minnesota, Turnover Woes Continue

Tim Cary — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:12:57 -0400

The script has become all too familiar through the last five weeks.

Purdue takes first quarter lead.

Purdue self destructs.

Purdue loses.

The end.

The Boilermakers dropped their fifth straight game Saturday afternoon, falling 35-20 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers after jumping out to an early 10-0 lead in their first trip to new TCF Bank Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Old Gold and Black, it was all downhill after the fast start, as Minnesota racked up 35 points in the second and third quarters to put the game out of reach.

Danny Hope’s team continued its longstanding trend of shooting itself repeatedly in the foot, most notably with a not-so-special special teams unit.

In an eight-minute span of the third quarter, Purdue was victimized by a seven-yard punt, a fumbled kickoff, and a blocked field goal. Each of the three miscues led directly to Gopher touchdowns, and the Boilermakers never recovered.

The Boilers have owned a first-quarter lead in each game of the losing streak, but have yet to make those leads stand up once adversity hits.

“Mistakes piled on mistakes” doesn’t really make for a catchy marketing slogan, but that pretty much sums up the Hope era to date.

Purdue managed to slow down Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker, one of the nation’s top players, as Decker only caught three passes in the game (the first time this year he didn’t tally at least eight grabs).

However, the Boilermakers allowed 207 rushing yards to their opponents, so the Gophers only needed to attempt a total of 10 passes in picking up their fourth win of the season.

With a bowl berth seemingly out of reach, expect the Purdue coaching staff to start making some difficult decisions regarding playing time and the possibility of redshirting some talented freshmen. Most notably, the Boilers would do well to save a year of eligibility for speedsters Al-Terek McBurse and Gary Bush, who have yet to see the field in 2009.

Right now, the remainder of this season should be about fixing this team’s psyche and helping the Boilermakers learn to win.

If the first half of Hope’s inaugural season is any sign, there will be a few more close games before the season ends. Purdue fans would love to see their team figure out how to cut down on silly mistakes, finish the deal, rack up a few more victories, and build momentum for 2010.

Also on the to-do list: re-discover running lanes for Ralph Bolden (they’ve become increasingly rare as the weeks have gone by), teach receivers not to drop wide-open passes (Keith Carlos, this means you), and find a kick returner that can catch the ball and advance it successfully without putting it on the carpet.

The best player (by a long way) for Purdue right now is junior Keith Smith, who continued his run of impressive performances with seven catches for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Smith seems to get better each week, and hasn’t yet succumbed to the turnover bug that appears to have infected the rest of the roster.

I don’t think Hope can clone his leading receiver, but perhaps sending him back to return kicks could at least stop the bleeding? At this point, answers are few and far between.

It’s hard to imagine this mentally fragile squad hanging with the powerful Ohio State Buckeyes for very long Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium, but after five straight defeats, a competent, mistake-free performance (even in a loss) would be a step forward…and a building block for a team that needs one in the worst way.

Week Seven prediction: Ohio State 37, Purdue 17

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Carrying On About Big Ten Football: October 10

Tim Cary — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:36:29 -0400

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.-- As many of our readers know, I wrote a column less than two months ago predicting the result of every game in the Big Ten.

I mulled over possible outcomes, considered matchups, carefully weighed home-field advantages, searched for breakout players, tried to predict momentum swings, and came up with a finished product I was very proud of.

This self-proclaimed masterpiece predicted a 6-0 start and (ultimately) a league co-championship for Ron Zook's Fighting Illini. In my way of thinking, the Illini would rebound from a disappointing 2008 season and return to Rose Bowl-type form, led by Juice Williams, Arrelious Benn, and an explosive offense.

Well...

I'm an idiot.

That thought rang through my head as I stood on the Memorial Stadium turf Saturday afternoon and watched Illinois struggle through a 24-14 loss to the visiting Michigan State Spartans that wasn't nearly as close as the respectable final score indicates.

I wasn't watching a Rose Bowl team.

Or a bowl team.

Or an explosive offense.

(So is it too late to edit that predictions article a bit?)

Oh well. Pride goes before a fall, right?

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: MICHIGAN STATE 24, ILLINOIS 14

Five things I took away from the Spartans' convincing road victory over Zook and company...

1. The Illinois offensive line struggled big-time. While you probably know that Juice Williams (who has more yards of total offense than any player in Illini history) was benched this week...and that his replacement, Eddie McGee, threw for an underwhelming 31 yards in his first career start...and that McGee was relieved in the third quarter by first-stringer turned second-stringer turned first-stringer Juice Williams...

...what you may NOT know is that it didn't really matter who played quarterback for Illinois on this sun-splashed Homecoming afternoon. Face it, Joe Montana could have donned the orange and blue and Michigan State still would have come away with a victory, thanks to the poor play of the Illinois offensive line.

(This is also because Montana's 53 years old and slightly arthritic nowadays, but I digress.)

While it may often be possible for a quarterback to take little things like "a pocket" for granted, the two-headed monster of McGee and Williams had no such luxury against the Spartans' defensive front. Over and over again, the Illinois signalcaller would be forced to prematurely give up on the designed play and simply run for his life instead.

I guess we could call it a non-existent space/time continuum: the Illinois quarterback didn't have SPACE to step up or TIME to let receivers get open, thus yielding a horrid combined completion percentage of 32.1%. Williams was slightly better than McGee (which isn't really saying much, considering McGee only hit on two more passes than I did), but that's mostly because Juice showed a greater escapability, allowing him to every so often elude the Michigan State rushers that continually flooded the backfield.

The Spartans finished the game with six sacks, leading Illinois coach Ron Zook to remark, "I felt like maybe we had some struggles up front."

In related news, we now have a runaway winner for "Coach's Understatement of the Year".

2. Keith Nichol enjoys faking a handoff and rolling to the right. At least, that's what I decided after the Spartans' sophomore quarterback made the exact same play approximately 1,983 times (give or take a thousand) Saturday. With usual starter Kirk Cousins battling an ankle injury, Nichol played nearly the entire game, and the Spartans got a solid, if not spectacular performance from the Oklahoma transfer in their third victory of the season.

Nichol finished 13-25 for 179 yards and dipped into the "play-action rollout" well over and over again to keep the Illini off balance, starting with the opening snap. The Spartans nearly had a touchdown to tight end Brian Linthicum on the game's first play, but Nichol overthrew his target. Not to worry, since Michigan State hit on several long gains with the exact same design as the afternoon wore on.

Overall, I came away from my first time seeing the Spartans in person thinking that MSU receivers do an above-average job of getting open and creating space, while Nichol does a slightly-below-average job of hitting the open man. Tough to complain any time your backup quarterback leads his team to a conference win on the road, so maybe I'm just nitpicking, but I'd still take a 100% Cousins over a 100% Nichol by a mile, as I've said before.

Of course, on this particular day, Cousins wasn't 100%, and Nichol did enough to propel the Spartans to the victory before sustaining a shoulder injury late in the fourth quarter. Cousins only saw the field to take a knee on the last couple plays, and with Nichol day-to-day, it will be interesting to see which quarterback will start this weekend against Northwestern.

(In a completely unrelated random side note, do you ever wonder how much attention players pay to stats? I couldn't help but think how drastically Cousins' per-game passing yardage numbers will dip because he had to come on for Nichol to run out the clock. No pass attempts, no pass yardage, but one more game played to knock down those averages. Maybe I'm the only person who thinks that way...)

3. Anthony Santella might be the Illini's best player. Santella, a junior punter, averaged nearly 45 yards on eight punts against Michigan State. Of course, I'm not sure if he's effective because of natural talent or simply due to the fact he's had so many repetitions kicking after futile Illinois possessions. Santella consistently forced the Spartans' return man to turn around and run backwards before fielding his long booming punts, and he put the cherry on top of a solid outing with a textbook third-quarter punt that bounced inside the 5-yard line and was downed inside the 1.

"I thought Anthony had a real good game," Zook said of his punter in his postgame press conference. And while there weren't many players on his team the coach could say that of with a straight face, it was true in Santella's case.

I wonder if Mr. Santella's ever played quarterback.

4. Rushing yardage was key, surprisingly enough. No player on either team entered Saturday's game averaging more than 43.2 yards per game on the ground, which shocked me when I first encountered that factoid in the pregame notes.

So of course, it makes perfect sense that Michigan State would dominate the game due to its not-so-heralded rushing offense, right? The Spartans rolled up 149 yards on the ground in the first half alone, compared to only 29 for the Illini. Glenn Winston had 14 carries for 69 yards before leaving with what would unfortunately prove to be a season-ending knee injury late in the second quarter, and Larry Caper added 64 yards before intermission for the Green and White.

The Spartans headed to the locker room with a 17-0 halftime lead (that could have been even larger if not for a fumble on the Illinois goal line) and weren't seriously threatened the rest of the way, thanks to their backfield production.

With Winston now sidelined for the remainder of the season, it will be interesting to see if the combination of Caper and Caulton Ray can continue to move the chains for Coach Mark Dantonio the way Caper and Winston did during the first thirty minutes in Champaign.

5. The Illini program needs a culture change. Contrary to popular opinion, a culture change doesn't have to mean installing a new head coach. Look back a few years when Penn State fans were ready to run Paterno out of town...or remember how many times Iowa fans were prepared to send Kirk Ferentz packing for the NFL. Both of those often-discussed potential moves seem a bit silly now.

"It's not a lost cause," Zook said. "This team's not gonna quit. They're going to keep on keeping on. We have to fight through this thing."

Juice Williams echoed his coach's words, saying no one in the Illini locker room would have believed they'd start 1-4, but "it's happening, we've got to deal with it...we have to bounce back."

For Illinois right now, a culture change simply means finding ways to change the little things that separate consistently losing programs from consistently winning ones. When things aren't going your way, problems tend to snowball.

Here's a partial list of the little things that could have meant the difference for Illinois between an important win and yet another disappointing loss:

-Garrett Edwards nearly intercepted Nichol in the first quarter, couldn't quite make the play...and Michigan State scored a touchdown on the very next snap.

-Juice Williams entered the game and nearly hit a wide-open Arrelious Benn down the seam for a certain touchdown on his first play, but Benn couldn't quite get his hands on the ball.

-Speaking of Benn, he hit his head on the turf on the opening kickoff and, in Zook's words, "was having trouble" the rest of the way. That's the kind of thing that only seems to happen when you're 1-4.

-Illinois made a big stop in the fourth quarter, got the ball back, and promptly committed a blatant illegal block that moved the ball back to the 11-yard line, squandering the precious little momentum they had accumulated at that point in their short-lived comeback. Inexcusable penalty.

I guess I can sum up the day by pointing out that the loudest cheer of the game was for Bruce Weber's basketball team when they were recognized between quarters. I was also baffled to see cheerleaders running the school flags in the end zone after a first down instead of a touchdown. Right now, that's the difference between Illinois football and defending champions Ohio State and Penn State, among others.

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Before we get into this week's quotes, I'm officially setting the over/under for the number of times Brent Musberger can use the term "Herbie" (to refer to partner Kirk Herbstreit) in any given telecast at 73.5 times.

I'm also setting the over/under on how many times Matt Millen can drool over wide receivers in any game at 44.5. (At least he can't draft any more of them.)

And now on to the rest of the craziness...

"Maybe too many cooks in the chicken, or in the kitchen, excuse me." -- Ray Bentley

"You want some chicken?" -- Pam Ward

"I've got chicken on the mind." -- Ray Bentley

"We'll have a live report from Baton Rouge on the status of Florida quarterback Tim Tee-boo." -- Wendi Nix (how can you mispronounce the name of the most famous player in college football?)

"You are smooth...as you should be on the Bud Light Halftime Report." -- John Saunders (this is easily the shameless corporate plug of the day)

"Good kinisthetic sense. Oh yeah, I said it. Good kinisthetic sense." -- Matt Millen

"What does that mean exactly?" -- Sean McDonough

"Body part awareness. That's what that is. And if it didn't, it does now. I just made it up." -- Matt Millen

"You know what we call that in coaching? That'd be a coverage sack. He didn't sack him, but..." --Glen Mason (after a three-yard gain)

In the "mis-named schools" category, reader @keithrgodfrey points out the Purdue/Minnesota announcers mentioning Northwestern's defense when referring to the Boilers or Gophers...while I grew tired of listening to the Indiana radio team referring to Virginia as "West Virginia".

I guess I should say it yet again...

Maybe broadcasting is easier than I thought?

MAYBE COACHING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

When Illinois scored with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter to cut into a 24-0 Michigan State lead, the Illini chose to kick an extra point, closing the margin to 24-7.

And I'm still not sure why.

You see, when Illinois trailed 24-0, they were down three possessions (assuming touchdowns and accompanying two-point conversions).

By not trying a two-point conversion after the initial touchdown, Illinois continued to trail by...you guessed it...three possessions (17 points).

Obviously, Zook's crew didn't play well enough to win the game, but still, when they scored their second touchdown with a minute and a half remaining, they could have conceivably pulled within 24-16 by going the two-point conversion route. Then the Illini would have only needed an onside kick recovery and final touchdown to tie, since they would have trailed by a single possession.

Unless they chose to kick extra points instead.

Final score: Michigan State 24, Illinois 14.

Maybe coaching is easier than I thought

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Why on earth did the referee in the Northwestern/Miami game consistently refer to the visiting team as "Miami of Ohio" when describing penalties, replays, etc?

I mean, technically, that's how we all know the school from Oxford, Ohio, but how many "Miami"s were really participating in the game at Ryan Field Saturday? Wouldn't a simple "Miami" have sufficed?

What's next? Referees in Columbus saying, "First down, THE Ohio State University"?

Or maybe you'll hear this in Atlanta before too long: "Georgia Institute of Technology is charged with their final timeout."

And make sure you stay away from the Rose Bowl. Games there could start lasting five hours if referees choose to describe the home team as "University of California, Los Angeles."

Keep it simple, please.

Maybe officiating is easier than I thought.

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

Great hitting in Saturday's games...did you see the hit Northwestern's Jordan Mabin put on Redhawk wide receiver Brayden Coombs? Of course, Miami's Jordan Gafford returned the favor when he blew up Zeke Markshausen later in the contest.

Iowa appears to have mastered the diving catch. Brilliant receptions by Trey Stross and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, on the same drive no less...definitely worth rewinding for.

Meanwhile, at the Horseshoe, the Buckeyes have mastered highlight interceptions. Jermale Hines' one-handed tip to himself was my favorite play of the weekend, and Kurt Coleman tight-rope walked the sideline to perfection as Ohio State demoralized Wisconsin with a pair of pick-sixes.

How did Purdue's Keith Smith get so open on the Boilers' last touchdown against Minnesota? I started wondering if the Gophers were still in a timeout, because I couldn't see another player on the television screen as Smith strolled into the end zone against a busted coverage.

Special kudos to Wisconsin holder Chris Maragos for his field awareness and full-out extension to the pylon as the Badgers scored on a fake field goal. For a defensive player who doesn't run with the ball all too often, Maragos came up with one of the weekend's top moments.

Carrying On About Big Ten Football is a weekly column published on FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

Previous editions of "Carrying On" are available here:

Carrying On About Big Ten Football: October 3

Tim Cary — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:01:58 -0400

Random trivia you care nothing about, part 1: this week's Microscope game, the showdown between in-state rivals Michigan and Michigan State, was ultimately decided on an overtime touchdown run by Larry Caper, a native of Battle Creek, Michigan.

Random trivia you care nothing about, part 2: this week's column, with a focus on the showdown between in-state rivals Michigan and Michigan State, is written by Tim Cary, a native of Battle Creek, Michigan.

Moving right along...

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: MICHIGAN STATE 26, MICHIGAN 20 (OT)

Five things that jumped out at me from the latest epic installment of the Wolverines/Spartans rivalry this weekend...

1. The Paul Bunyan Trophy game is not for the faint of heart.

In case you didn't notice, there was some serious hitting going on Saturday afternoon in East Lansing, Michigan. It was one of those games where you halfway expect to hear the public address announcer warn all the participants before kickoff: "Memo to wide receivers: go over the middle at your own risk."

I didn't need surround sound in my living room to hear the massive thuds, crunches, and collisions that permeated the 60+ minutes of football.

There were a handful of plays in particular where the quarterback put the ball on the money to his intended target, only to see the receiver rudely separated from said football by a violent encounter with the nearest defender. (Let's just say Carlos Brown won't forget Chris L. Rucker anytime soon.)

Bottom line: these teams don't like each other all that much. And it was obvious Saturday.

2. Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback Michigan State has. I was incredibly impressed with the way the Spartans' starting quarterback played against the Wolverines Saturday, and I don't have the foggiest idea why Mark Dantonio is willing to pull Cousins off the field and insert Keith Nichol.

I've spoken out against two-quarterback systems before, so I'll save some of the rhetoric and simply pose this two-part question: Do the Spartans need Keith Nichol on the field to win? Or is his playing time simply to help him be prepared if Cousins were to get hurt?

I don't buy the idea that Michigan State needs Nichol, nor do I agree with the often-repeated stereotype that Cousins is the passer, Nichol the runner. (Did you see Cousins' 42-yard run in the fourth quarter?) If Dantonio's coming from the other side of the argument, that Nichol is getting valuable preparation in case he's ever needed, that possibility of gaining experience isn't worth giving up snaps that belong to the team's best quarterback when he's healthy and ready to go.

Just like momentum, there's no quantifiable way to measure rhythm, but changing quarterbacks (especially in a close game) has to hurt...who knows what the Spartans' record would be now if Michigan State had pulled a Wisconsin and settled the race in camp instead of letting it linger until Week Five?

On Saturday against Michigan, Kirk Cousins made smart decisions, hit open receivers, completed 71% of his passes, moved the offense, and did absolutely everything right outside of two interceptions. Both picks were wounded ducks because his arm was hit mid-throw, and I lay the overwhelming majority of the blame at the feet of Cousins' linemen for the pair of turnovers.

To me, the Spartans' quarterback derby (if there is one) was perfectly illustrated by this sequence of plays late in the first half:

2nd and 10: Keith Nichol completely misses open receiver.

Between snaps: Kirk Cousins checks in, crowd cheers loudly

3rd and 10: Kirk Cousins immediately completes 15-yard pass to B.J. Cunningham.

That's it: two consecutive plays, two signalcallers, two very different results.

Play Cousins.

3. And now, playing the part of Javon Ringer will be...Glenn Winston. While any comparison between the former MSU standout tailback and Winston (a sophomore averaging a paltry 3.0 yards per carry) seems to fall somewhere between premature and blasphemous, hear me out.

Against the Wolverines, Winston showed the ability to be the backfield workhorse that Michigan State's offense has traditionally relied on. Winston carried the ball 24 times against Michigan, surpassing his total from the first four games COMBINED (22). The duo of Winston and freshman Larry Caper (13 carries) teamed up to provide a balanced offensive attack and an effective complement to the downfield passing game of Cousins and Nichol.

While Winston's workload still falls well short of some of the legendary performances in this rivalry--Ringer toted the rock 37 times in Ann Arbor last year, and who can forget Chris Perry's 51 carries against MSU in 2003?--he definitely helped wear down the Michigan defensive front as the game rolled along.

Don't forget, the team with the most rushing yards has historically dominated this rivalry, and that stat held true as the Spartans outgained the Wolverines 193-29 on the ground.

Give much of the credit to the sophomore tailback from Detroit and his 24 rushing attempts; after he had only averaged 5.5 carries a game in the season's first month, look for Winston to figure heavily in the Spartans' gameplan for the rest of 2009.

4. Tate Forcier has "it". Whatever that intangible quality is that separates great quarterbacks from good ones, Michigan freshman Tate Forcier was born with a heaping helping of "it". You know exactly what I'm talking about: with 4:30 to go and the Wolverines down 14 points, what were the odds of a team that had only scored 6 points in the first 55 minutes of the game rallying on the road for a pair of late scores? Throw in a rainstorm, a quarterback making his first career start away from Ann Arbor, and then explain to me exactly how Forcier singlehandedly willed his team to tie the game with two seconds left in regulation.

The final touchdown drive was not a thing of beauty, but it was still something to marvel at, if that's possible. With no timeouts, Forcier nearly went down inbounds a handful of times that would have ended the game, bobbled or bounced a few soggy snaps, and by the end, seemed to be so gassed he didn't have a single play left in him. But the great ones always make that last play, and I wasn't surprised at all when the freshman bought enough time to find Roy Roundtree in the end zone for the game-tying score.

If the Wolverines had pulled out the win in overtime, "The Drive" might have a permanent place in Maize and Blue lore. As it is, Forcier's latest heroics (albeit in a losing effort) combine with the freshman's game-winning drives against Notre Dame and Indiana to show what Michigan fans have to look forward to for the next few years.

5. Michigan State suffered through a familiar script, but managed to (finally) write a different ending. The Spartans have had chances to make plays in close games already this season (see "Central Michigan onside kick" or "decision-making on final drive against Notre Dame" as examples 1A and 1B), but have managed to consistently snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Against Michigan, some of the Spartans' same traits that have victimized them throughout 2009 once again reared their ugly heads.

Stupid penalties? Check. Michigan State was flagged eight times for 95 yards, compared to only one whistle against Michigan.

Failure to hold a late lead? Check. When you have a 14-point lead at home and less than 5 minutes to play, the result shouldn't be an overtime coin flip. Letting Stonum race for a 59-yard touchdown (due to poor pursuit angles and over-running the play) is inexcusable.

Questionable playcalling? Check. The Spartans passed up a 49-yard field goal try that could have put them up three possessions with five minutes to go, digging into the "Jim Tressel vs. USC" playbook for an unsuccessful fourth-down call instead.

The good news for Michigan State is that after all the late miscues, overtime went the Spartans' way, whether due to good luck, better execution, or some combination thereof. Credit Chris L. Rucker and Sparty's worn-down defense for making yet another big play in overtime to intercept Forcier, and when Caper danced into the end zone with the game-winning score, Michigan State had finally snapped its disappointing losing streak (and possibly turned around its season).

There's no such thing as an ugly win, right?

MAYBE BROADCASTING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Note: These aren't all from Big Ten games, but sometimes a quote's too good to leave out!

"They rush three, drop nine." -- Chris Fowler (reader submission from @snydermatt)

"He's a guy who had spent so much time in Joe Paterno's doghouse that he had his own dish." -- Mike Patrick

"Effortl...effortly...eff....effortlessly." -- Craig Coshun

"And they are tied up at 7-6." -- announcer on ESPN Sirius radio (reader submission from @lisahorne)

"They need disputable evidence to overturn it." -- Pam Ward (reader submission from @lisahorne)

"Jamie, we're gonna get back to you. Your mic is not working. I liked your report, though." -- Dick Stockton

"He's like the little girl with the curl. When he is good, he is brilliant. When he is bad, he is really bad." -- Mike Patrick (what does that even mean?)

I also got a kick out of the Big Ten Network halftime graphic that said:

TERRELLE PRYOR
3 TD passes - thrown to 7 different receivers

MAYBE COACHING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Back to Michigan/Michigan State for a minute...the Wolverines faced a 4th-and-1 at their own 16-yard line in the third quarter. Like any intelligent football team would do, Michigan lined up in punt formation...and promptly ran their punter, Zoltan Mesko, for a three-yard loss.

Are you kidding me?

To be honest, I don't have a problem with RichRod deciding to roll the dice and go for it, even at his own 16-yard line. Put some faith in your offensive line, hand the ball to one of your big running backs, and get a yard. Not the best place on the field to gamble, but this column won't rip on coaches for taking an occasional risk.

However, if the plan is to gamble and try to get a yard, snapping the ball to the punter ten yards behind the line of scrimmage seems slightly counter-productive. Line up and go get the first down...or punt the ball...don't split the difference, out-smart yourself, and hand the ball to your opponent in the red zone.

In fairness to Coach Rodriguez, he said in the postgame press conference that it was Mesko's fault, not his. "He was supposed to kick it- it was a read," Rodriguez told reporters.

It was a WHAT?

Explain to me how any coach anywhere in America has a play that allows for a punter to decide on his own to fake a punt in the shadow of his own goalposts whenever he gets the urge to run.

I knew we paid coaches too much money. The players make the decisions anyway.

Now that you're done pointing fingers, let's just delete that particular "read" right out of the playbook, alright, Mr. Rodriguez?

Maybe coaching is easier than I thought.

MAYBE OFFICIATING IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

Michigan's Junior Hemingway catches pass.

Michigan's Junior Hemingway is swarmed by three Spartan defenders.

Michigan's Junior Hemingway tries unsuccessfully to wriggle free and escape the tackle.

Michigan's Junior Hemingway is finally knocked to the ground by MSU safety Roderick Jenrette.

In most football games, this is considered a tackle.

And the brilliant officials in East Lansing promptly flagged Jenrette for a 15-yard penalty on a "late" hit.

Um, by definition, doesn't the word "late" mean the play was over?

I miss the good old days when football players were allowed to tackle the guy with the ball.

Sigh.

Maybe officiating is easier than I thought.

(In case you wondered, Michigan fumbled on the very next play and Michigan State recovered. What do they say on the playground? "Ball don't lie?")

THANK GOODNESS FOR MY DVR

What a play by Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks to get his foot down in the end zone in Minneapolis! Excellent awareness from the Badgers' tight end.

Brilliant one-handed catch by Indiana's Tandon Doss against the Buckeyes - how did he snag that?

Penn State's punter, Jeremy Boone, boomed a monster 66-yard punt that died inside the Illini 5-yard line with no return. That's about as good as it gets. Well, until the second quarter, when he had a punt downed at the 1-yard line! Special teams player of the week, anyone?

Purdue's Keith Smith also made a great touchdown catch in the back of the end zone, having the presence of mind to get his foot down inbounds. Wonderful play by the Boilers' go-to guy in a losing cause.

Ohio State running back Brandon Saine caught a fourth-quarter floating pass from Terrelle Pryor while falling on his back. Still not sure how.

MAYBE HOLDING ONTO THE FOOTBALL IS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT

This segment isn't a normal feature of "Carrying On", but how else do I describe Purdue's performance against Northwestern? The Boilermakers squandered a 21-3 lead by committing a half dozen turnovers in a 27-21 loss. The most remarkable sequence, late in the first half, is something I've honestly never seen before. Ever.

Let me set the stage: the Boilermakers were up 18 points with the ball and less than 2:30 to go before intermission.

Purdue throws interception.

Northwestern drive and touchdown. (score: Purdue 21-10)

Purdue fumbles ensuing kickoff, recovered by Wildcats.

Northwestern drive and field goal. (score: Purdue 21-13)

Purdue fumbles on first snap, recovered by Wildcats.

Northwestern drive and field goal. (score: Purdue 21-16)

Purdue fumbles ensuing kickoff, recovered by Wildcats

Fumble overturned on video review.

Purdue kneels the ball and heads to locker room for halftime.

Before the video review overturned the final fumble, Purdue had committed four turnovers in five touches of the football. That's barely two minutes of game time. Mind-boggling.

Or as I wrote on Bleacher Report, "I'm tempted to call the ugly execution a pee wee football performance, but that would be an insult to grade-schoolers everywhere."

Maybe holding onto the football is easier than I thought.

This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football. Show off your football genius by playing Ten by Ten on FBT!

Butterfingers Cost Boilermakers Dearly as Losing Streak Continues

Tim Cary — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:11:35 -0400

With about 12 minutes left in the second quarter of Saturday’s Homecoming game, Purdue led the visiting Northwestern Wildcats 21-3.

Joey Elliott, the Boilermakers’ senior quarterback, already had three touchdown passes and Purdue fans were dreaming of a rout.

Too bad games last more than 18 minutes these days.

The Boilers’ offense didn’t score again, and Purdue turned the ball over six times en route to dropping their fourth straight game, this one by a score of 27-21.

The half dozen giveaways included three in less than two minutes of game time, allowing the Wildcats to pull within five points before intermission.

It got to the point where every time a Purdue player was hit or tackled, the crowd was just waiting for the ball to come loose. I’m tempted to call the ugly execution a Pee Wee Football performance, but that would be an insult to grade-schoolers everywhere.

Purdue escaped further embarrassment in the first half when a fourth turnover was reversed on a video replay. If that call had stood, the home team would have had a mind-boggling four turnovers in a span of five touches of the football.

After what could be the most dreadful performances in school history, Purdue still had a chance to win the game, driving the ball to the Northwestern 7-yard line in the final minute, but fittingly, the Boilermakers stalled out short of the end zone in a game that Danny Hope’s team really didn’t deserve to win anyway.

The most optimistic fans will give Hope the benefit of the doubt as he tries to overturn a culture of losing in West Lafayette, where it’s been expected that anything can go wrong will (at least since Kyle Orton’s infamous fumble in 2004).

These fans point out that on paper, Purdue doesn’t have a ton of talent and has at least been competitive each of the past four weeks.

Personally, I tend to fall into this camp. Hope deserves a chance to win with his own players, as the speedy Florida recruits still aren’t seeing the field on a regular basis.

Instead, the holdovers like Aaron Valentin and Jaycen Taylor are fumbling away opportunities, and things seem to be going from bad to worse.

However, there are other fans who are ready to pull the plug on the Danny Hope era after less than half a season. Questionable timeouts and ill-advised decisions (throwing the ball from your own 2-yard line with a 21-3 lead late in the first half is only a good idea if it works) have been plentiful as the losses have piled up, and let’s face it, college football fans are not known for their patience.

If there was a bright spot on Saturday, it was the improved play of Joey Elliott, who hit on 20-of-28 passes for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Of course, the lone interception and a brutal overthrow of a wide-open Valentin in the end zone on the Boilermakers’ final play of the afternoon is what most (including Elliott, certainly) will remember.

Talk of going to a bowl game in Hope’s first season is long gone. Running back Ralph Bolden has cooled down after his monster debut (2.9 yards per carry against Northwestern), Purdue’s mental toughness is obviously lacking, and the Boilermakers have missed on chances to make one critical game-winning play in four straight losses.

And then there’s the bad news. That would be the upcoming schedule, which features trips to difficult venues in Minneapolis, Madison, and Ann Arbor with home games against the Buckeyes and Illini sandwiched in the middle.

If Purdue doesn’t turn the ball over six times in each game, they could win some of those contests.

But right now, that’s hard to fathom.

Week Six prediction: Minnesota 34, Purdue 23

For more Big Ten football coverage from Bleacher Report writers Tim Cary, Kristofer Green, and Kevin Paul, visit www.FirstandBigTen.com.

Purdue's Keith Smith Catching On At Wide Receiver

Tim Cary — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:10:18 -0400

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.—Whenever the Purdue Boilermakers needed a big play from one of their wide receivers Saturday night against Notre Dame, quarterback Joey Elliott was always looking for the same target.

And Keith Smith delivered.

The junior wide receiver piled up a game-high 136 yards on 11 catches to lead the Boilermakers, including a fourth-quarter touchdown reception. Smith equaled his career-high in yardage despite Notre Dame desperately trying to contain his production.

“He understood what we’re trying to do and what they’re trying to do to him,” Elliott said of his go-to receiver. “He was able to get open and have a great game.”

Smith is still getting accustomed to his third position since coming to Purdue from Fort Hood, Texas. The junior was recruited as a high school quarterback, switched to safety in 2006 when the Boilermakers lost Torri Williams and Aaron Lane to injuries, and finally made the move to wideout late in 2007.

In Smith’s first year playing as a receiver, he appeared in all 12 games, finishing with an eye-popping 12 grabs for 136 yards and a touchdown in the 2008 season finale against Indiana. The strong showing in the final game pointed to even bigger things from Smith this fall, and so far, he’s delivered.

“I remember back when they put Keith at scout receiver, I knew from that day that he was going to be a big-time receiver,” Purdue cornerback David Pender said after Smith’s latest performance against the Irish.

“He stepped up big today—he really motivated us. We could tell the drive that he had, the fire in his eye: We wanted to come out and play hard and match what he was putting out on the field.”

Teammate Brandon King agreed with Pender’s assessment, calling it a “breakout game” for Smith. The good news for the Boilermakers is that their new No. 1 wide receiver seems to be getting better every time he steps on the football field.

“Going through the last couple weeks, I’m building confidence and the team’s building confidence,” said Smith. “Even though we’ve come up a little short, we’re gonna swing this around. Conference play starts next week and that’s when it really counts.”

Smith is averaging seven catches a game to lead the Boilers, but his versatility has helped other parts of the offense as well.

In Week Two against Oregon, the former quarterback threw a bullet to Aaron Valentin on a critical fourth-down halfback pass for a dramatic touchdown. The score pulled Purdue within a possible two-point conversion of tying the Ducks in the final minute, and is a definite sign of the options Smith, coach Danny Hope, and the Boilermakers have in their bag of tricks.

Speaking of tricks, don’t be surprised if Smith lines up to take some snaps in the “Wildcat” formation against the Wildcats of Northwestern this weekend. Hope plans to use the playmaker in as many creative ways as possible to help the Boilermakers get back on the winning track.

“He’s a heck of a football player,” said Hope. “He really is, he’s a great football player. He does all the things you want him to do. He makes people miss, he blocks, he catches the ball great, and he seems to be getting stronger as the season goes on. He’s an outstanding player.”

Smith likes the idea of being Purdue’s go-to guy, especially in crucial situations. “I have to make myself open and available no matter what on third downs,” Smith said. “He [Elliott] trusts me, and I have to make those plays.”

So far, so good.