Purdue looked rusty and undisciplined with all the turnovers and penalties but I think they have a better outlook than NW this season. Their RB looks solid.
This Thursday Purdue or Northwestern?
- Thread starter Hawkeyeinsoutherncalifornia
- Start date
Purdue’s national title hopes are over in August
There's no other school that gets these calls outside of NW. And it's not just the calls they get, but also the calls they don't ... like that incredibly obvious offensive PI call that was ignored. It is baffling. NW is the dirtiest team in the Big Ten - nobody tackles the head more than they do, nobody takes as many hits out of bounds as them. The offsetting penalty with the illegal formation was criminal. NW always seems to get the benefit on calls.
Some observations from today:
PU has a terrible OL
NW has a terrible OL
PU has troubles on the DL
NW has a poor DL
Five words you never seem to hear during an NW game are: "Paddy Fisher with the tackle"
Neither team looked like a contender tonight
Physical teams will dominate both lines from PU and NW
Some observations from today:
PU has a terrible OL
NW has a terrible OL
PU has troubles on the DL
NW has a poor DL
Five words you never seem to hear during an NW game are: "Paddy Fisher with the tackle"
Neither team looked like a contender tonight
Physical teams will dominate both lines from PU and NW
It is close, but Northwestern is a better football team than Purdue. For some reason everybody was jumping on the Boiler bandwagon. NU is better. Way to go Cats..
Any puss?
Typical play when you're a tough guy. No brains when it comes to fighting. Most linemen do this. He just did it at the wrong time...
Yea about a tblspun then bled profusely.
Northwestern's DL is usually pretty good - the fact that they were usually so staunch against the run tells me that the DL is okay. It also tells me that the PU OL isn't as bad as you're saying ... because the PU QB had enough time to throw on most occasions.
Both teams were a little weaker in the secondary. Both teams tightened things up in the 2nd half (in term of coverage) ... and then the scoring flowed more like a trickle.
PU still has a lot of work to do in order to be more consistent against the run. Larkin was able to gash them for big run after big run.
PU quarterbacks still have to be a little bit more careful about throwing the ball when things break down. Most of the picks were when the QB was either trying to force something OR when the ball was coming out a little late.
This was a typical NW defense, that is, one capable of giving up a lot of points and one that can be manhandled. Purdue didn’t have much trouble moving the ball and I bet they out rushed NW. They just seemed to continually shoot themselves in the foot with bonehead turnovers, untimely penalties, or missed plays.
NW did two things better than PU: they tackled better and their QBs protected the ball. This was the difference in the game. PU time and time again had guys in position to make plays on defense only to blow the tackle. NW were at least able to get guys down when they got to the ball. The PU starting QB (my guess he’s not starting anymore) also has to learn to either throw the ball away or just take the sack.
I don't think this game is indicative of what either teams season will be. Like the 2009 Iowa game vs UNI. Add in the fact It was an intra division game on opening night. I do think the freshman from Purdue will be a stud if he stays healthy. Northwestern freshman corner also looks to be a player. I expect both teams to play better as the season progresses into October and November but I don't really think we can base either teams season on what transpired yesterday. It felt like a choppy game and yet a lot of points were put up, just a weird game.
Purdue got the majority of their rushing yards on only 2 plays (1 run by Moore and 1 run by Knox). The bigger issue that Northwestern had in the game was contending with Purdue's "speed guys." They were taking some poor angles.
Northwestern is not unlike Iowa ... they always look a little rough around the edges at the beginning of the season
The biggest knock I could see about Northwestern is twofold:
- Thorson's mobility really is limited still. That negatively impacts the dimensionality of their O when he is at the helm. This is why they were so willing to rotate Green in at QB. Initially the move seemed awfully perplexing ... but as the game advanced, it ended up making a lot more sense.
- When Purdue started playing with less cushion - Northwestern's WRs started having much more trouble getting open. That ended up leading to far fewer completions.
Just a note: with regard to Thorson rotating. The NW doctors told Fitzgerald that he should only play a certain amount of the game.
Sure ... and that plays with what was mentioned about a "pitch count" for Thorson. However, when Purdue started playing tighter coverage ... the Northwestern O stagnated, even with Thorson at the helm. Thus, it was a limitation having him in at the helm. It benefited the O a little more to have Green's added element of mobility.
I don't know if you watched the Northwestern fall camp on BTN but lack of WR threat was one of the things mentioned by the crew if I remember correctly.
That makes sense ... but they were still similarly limited last year ... and they still won a ton of games. Of course, Thorson was also able to flash mobility as a threat ... and that could sometimes force defenders to break off coverage, and then he'd be able to find somebody open.
Thus, without the mobility, the DBs can worry a little less with their back to the QB ... and focus on coverage.
Maybe, but so much can change from Game 1 to later it's hard to say for sure. Both teams had all of camp to prepare for what the opponent was going to do. And it showed. Everyone comes in at full strength, no tired legs and as of yet the depth doesn't have to be tested on either team.
I thought the Northwestern defense would be better than it was, but I'll reserve judgement until more games are played.
Maybe 15 years ago. Not in the last five to seven years. The Mike Hankwitz defense is designed to "bend but not break" by keeping plays in front of the secondary and not allowing explosion plays. It is premised on the notion that it's OK to let someone dink and dunk on you because they will eventually make a mistake and/or start having trouble when the field becomes compressed in the red zone. So it is typical and expected that NU will give up a lot of yards. It has not given up a ton of points or been manhandled in recent years. In fact, the front seven has been the strength of the team, and it has been stout against the run.
Offensively, NU lacks a deep threat at the WR position. That has been a continual problem.
He doesn't have spectacular talent to work with, but his guys play hard and don't make many mistakes. The mistakes (and lack thereof) were the difference last night.
For the most part, the Northwestern D played okay ... but they gave up too many big plays. I didn't expect to see that in the game. They should have expected that from Knox. However, I understand them not knowing what they'd get from Moore.
When I was watching the game - the first few times, it looked to me that the WR was simply trying to disentangle his arm from the defender. It's hard to tell how much he actually pushed the guy - however, I could see it going either way. I can understand the refs missing that call. Of course, with the benefit of seeing the replay several times - I agree that it SHOULD HAVE been a PI call. Unfortunately, the refs don't always have that luxury. I've forgotten the PI rule ... can they overrule it from review? I believe that if they don't call it ... they cannot call it retroactively from review.
Unless they are playing an out of conference P5 opponent, in particular an SEC team, such a comment should never be posted on this board.
I wonder if Iowa will have any surprise standout players tomorrow..
last year, for me, Ihmir Marsette was a surprise player
regarding the Northwestern Purdue game...
I think we saw 2 great teams battle it out last night...
it will be interesting if either one (or both) will be able to compete with, and beat, Wisconsin.
the coaching staff for both teams are top quality
this Purdue staff is the real deal... compare it with the Nebraska staff and I think it will be night and day...
I'll be surprised if Nebraska beats Akron
Northwestern is now a serious contender for the West
one thing that just bugs the poo out of me...
these guys commit pass interference almost every single long pass that is made against them... I think they teach them to do this... and why not... if they only get called for it a couple times a game.. its well worth it.
I just hope that by the time the Hawkeyes play them... this sort of crud is not permitted...
and then on top of the Defensive PI's
now their offense is doing the same.... and why not... they are getting away with it.
we got a big year ahead of us.... anything can happen
think about this...
if you can't predict the next play.... you can't predict the outcome of the game... nor can you predict the outcome for an entire season
you can throw all those predictions you've been hearing all summer long into the trash can where they belong...
results are dictated on the football field... and not on a piece of paper... nor by the mouth of a fool.
last year, for me, Ihmir Marsette was a surprise player
regarding the Northwestern Purdue game...
I think we saw 2 great teams battle it out last night...
it will be interesting if either one (or both) will be able to compete with, and beat, Wisconsin.
the coaching staff for both teams are top quality
this Purdue staff is the real deal... compare it with the Nebraska staff and I think it will be night and day...
I'll be surprised if Nebraska beats Akron
Northwestern is now a serious contender for the West
one thing that just bugs the poo out of me...
these guys commit pass interference almost every single long pass that is made against them... I think they teach them to do this... and why not... if they only get called for it a couple times a game.. its well worth it.
I just hope that by the time the Hawkeyes play them... this sort of crud is not permitted...
and then on top of the Defensive PI's
now their offense is doing the same.... and why not... they are getting away with it.
we got a big year ahead of us.... anything can happen
think about this...
if you can't predict the next play.... you can't predict the outcome of the game... nor can you predict the outcome for an entire season
you can throw all those predictions you've been hearing all summer long into the trash can where they belong...
results are dictated on the football field... and not on a piece of paper... nor by the mouth of a fool.
Nebraska and Minnesota and Penn State are ahead of Purdue in my book! Nebraska with its "We won the national title 25 years ago so we are ENTITLED to next year" and Minnesota with the "Row the boat" slogan and Elite Coach. Penn State with even with our past we are still better than you just because we are Penn State! I really like it when we BEAT these teams for if nothing else because we are the common folks who work hard, nothing is given to us (we earn it) and if you dismiss us we will knock you into left field! I like our team, our coaches, and our fans( even me) haha, Be leaving in 16 hrs with rain coat water bottle and tickets1 WOOO HOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO HAWKS
It's because Delany tried to force that rivalry upon us, I've decided to make them my second favorite conference opponent.
