Northwestern-Purdue: The Arby Fields Pick Five to Click Deal

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm proud to introduce the "Arby Fields Pick Five to Click Deal!"

A point of clarification, the big dude in the picture is not Arby Fields, but merely a sad looking Boilermaker. I'm hoping there's lots of sad Boilermakers after this Saturday's game.

Here's how the deal works: a couple days before each NU football game, I'll be picking five players not named Jeravin Matthews who I think will play well in the upcoming game.

I will try to make the picks sound and reasonable (not Tim Weak), but also not too obvious (you'll never see Mike Kafka or Corey Wootton on these lists). Wait a second, Wootton may not be an obvious choice anymore...but I digress.

So without further delay, here are my five "picks to click" for this Saturday's game against the Boilermakers.

1. Arby Fields. Hey, give me a break here, the list IS named after him. Stephen Simmons is once again listed as "out" on this week's injury report, so this is Arby's time to shine. If I were Fitz, I'd be sick and tired of Jacob Schmidt's two yards and a cloud of dust routine.

It's time to inject some excitement into that running back spot! Who cares if Arby can't really pass block that well? NU needs some sort of running game, and Fields is averaging five yards per carry.

Fearless Prediction: Arby rushes for over 100 yards and at least one TD.

2. Corbin Bryant. Bryant got a sack against Minnesota and did a cool dance afterwards. Just like Wootton, big No. 98 is coming off a pretty bad injury. He's slowly coming around and I think he'll have a breakout game against the Boilermakers.

Bryant is an intimidating presence on the defensive line, and I think he'll be fired up to challenge tiny Ralph Bolden in the run game.

Fearless Prediction: Bryant leads all defensive linemen in tackles against Purdue, and sacks Joey Elliott twice.

3. Sidney Stewart. Stewart caught his first career touchdown pass last year against the Boilermakers. He came down with some nasty illness that cost him a few games early this season, but he's back and playing well.

Stewart looked like his old self against Minnesota. Purdue already has to worry about Brewer, Dunsmore, Markshausen, and Demetrius Fields. Stewart might fly under the radar and have a big game.

Fearless Prediction: Stewart gets his first TD of 2009 and catches at least five passes.

4. Jordan Mabin.  He's been under the most fire early this season. He was, in Fitz's words, "assaulted" by Syracuse and had his problems against Minnesota's Eric Decker, as well. How soon we forget he was a freshman All-American just a year ago. I expect Mabin to bounce back this week and have a nice game.

Fearless Prediction: Mabin gets an interception and does not give up any touchdowns.

5. Charles Brown. He's the only guy playing hard on special teams!  He made a great open field tackle against Minnesota, and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Someone has to be a playmaker in the so-called "kicking game," so why not him?

Fearless Prediction: Brown forces a fumble deep in Purdue territory that leads to an Arby Fields touchdown and brings us full circle.