Spartan Nation 2008 Big Ten Football Scouting Report: Purdue Boilermakers
Spartan Nation 2008 scouting report:Â Purdue Boilermakers
Biggest Game:Â November 1, 2008 Michigan at Home
Predicted record:Â 6-6 (3-5)
Projected Big Ten standing:Â 8th
Returning Starters:Â OFFENSE:Â 6 DEFENSE:Â 6 Lettermen return:Â 41Â Â Â
Head Coach:Â Joe Tiller 12th Season at Purdue Last Season 8-5 Lifetime 122-84-1
Top assistant:Â Danny Hope OL Coach and Successor to Tiller Next Season
Joe Tiller is the least appreciated coach in the country. Sadly the Purdue fans forget that they are Purdue. They wanted him gone and after this season he will be. New OL Coach Danny Hope comes in and as already been anointed the successor. I am sure that coach Hope is a good guy (I don’t know him) but like Minnesota with Glen Mason, this program has peaked and they will not sustain over 12 years the success that Tiller has.Â
The program could be more and certainly has a wonderful tradition.  Their facilities are not on par with other programs that compete for titles (and some that don’t) so the school has to give a coach what he needs to get there.
I feel for the Purdue fans however that suffered through an abysmal 2005 season. The balance is that the fans expectations are legitimate, but the administrations support doesn’t match. This program has to find itself and just like MSU during JLS, they have to make the choice to go after it with gusto. If Purdue wanted to get rid of Tiller, the time was after the 2005 fiasco. Â
This offense will be explosive. Painter is one of the top three QB’s in the nation and has great vision. The issue here is what it always seems to be with Purdue: D! Can they stop other teams? Sadly for this program they have had the offense, but they often find themselves in shootouts.
Other than the DL the defense has been anemic under Tiller and is a real concern. This squad if they get what they usually get from the D will go 6-6. If there is emotion with it being Tiller’s last season and they over achieve then it could be more.
The players like Tiller, but I spent a lot of time last season at the Big Ten media days with this crew and they made several comments (in front of Tiller) about his age and being out of touch. I commented with several of my colleagues after that it was funny and cute at first, but you genuinely got the sense that it wasn’t joking after multiple references throughout the day and simply disrespectful. I didn’t see the, “Let’s rally for Joe,†type respect that would make me think it was possible this season.
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