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Notre Dame Football: Improved Purdue team will be dominated up front

By Daniel Morrison

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 13: Purdue Boilermakers mascot Purdue Pete is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 13: Purdue Boilermakers mascot Purdue Pete is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 05: Marvin Grant #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers loses his helmet while tackling Wan’Dale Robinson #1 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the game at Ross-Ade Stadium on December 5, 2020 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Nebraska defeated Purdue 37-27. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 05: Marvin Grant #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers loses his helmet while tackling Wan’Dale Robinson #1 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the game at Ross-Ade Stadium on December 5, 2020 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Nebraska defeated Purdue 37-27. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame Football 2021 Opponent Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue in 2020

As is the case with everyone in 2020, COVID-19 made Purdue’s season difficult at best. Notably, Rondale Moore only played in three of Purdue’s six games. The Boilermakers had three other B1G 10 games ruled a no contest.

That’s before you consider that head coach Jeff Brohm missed time with COVID-19, and the Boilermakers play in a conference that cancelled the season before changing their minds later. So, maybe you can’t trust the end results.

Still, those end results weren’t particularly good, and they haven’t been under Brohm. This consistent failure makes you think it’s possible that last year wasn’t an aberration of the pandemic, but who they are inherently.

That would be a 2-4 team, who is capable of surprising someone like Iowa, but will also lose to the Rutgers and Nebraskas of the world. They also didn’t win or lose a game by more than 10 points all season long. All but that game against Nebraska, which they lost 37-27, were one score games.

That means they were a couple lucky bounces, or one or two more plays, and Purdue very easily could have been the surprise of the B1G 10. You are who your record says you are, though. Purdue’s record says they don’t know how to win under Jeff Brohm.

Along with Moore, David Bell rounded out a good wide receiver duo. Jack Plummer and Aiden O’Connell battled it out to be the starter, with Plummer having the statistical edge at least. With that being said, O’Connell was the quarterback for their two wins and only lost the job due to injury.

On defense, Derrick Barnes was an excellent linebacker-good enough to get him drafted by Detroit in the first round. The young Cam Allen, meanwhile, lead the team with two interceptions and defensive end George Karlaftis has been a two time second team All-B1G 10 selection.

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