B10 West Power Ranking: It’s a Mess After Wisconsin
By Jeremy Karll
No. 6 – Purdue Boilermakers 3-4 (1-3)
Last Week: 7
Facing a top-10 team the week of firing your head coach usually never goes well. Purdue almost became the exception, though. The Boilermakers led Nebraska 14-10 at halftime before being shut out in the second half and losing 27-14.
Purdue has had their moments this season, but the inconsistency once again showed up against the Cornhuskers. The defense kept Tommy Armstrong Jr in check in the first half but needed the offense to continue scoring.
Purdue only averaged 1.1 yards per carry and David Blough threw his 11th interception of the year, also adding two touchdowns. Plus, Deangelo Yancey stepped up for a second straight week after replacing Domonique Young as Purdue’s top receiver. Purdue simply doesn’t have enough playmakers.
Still, they hung with a top-10 team and still have a chance to become bowl eligible. Sure, it’s a long shot, considering the remaining of their schedule, but Gerad Parker showed a lot during his first week as interim head coach.
Purdue’s problems won’t go away this season, but David Blough is only a sophomore and continues to prove that he’s a gun-slinger and someone they can rely on. He’s been turnover prone this year but it’s a fixable quality of young quarterbacks.
Darrell Hazell isn’t a terrible coach but he wasn’t the right man for the job at Purdue. The Boilermakers are headed in the right direction and have a chance to upset a team if they play a complete game.