2005 PREVIEW: Purdue Boilermakers

O.K. now this should be the year Purdue is one of college football's elite teams again. After starting out like a house of fire throwing up 189 points in the first four games, the wheels came off in the close games losing in brutal fashion in back to back to back to back weeks against Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa. The season didn't end any better with a heart-ripping last second loss in the Sun Bowl to Arizona State. That's five games decided by 14 points. Five games, the team's only losses, that could've easily swung the other way. Who wins those types of close games? Veteran teams. Purdue has 41 returning lettermen and 20 returning starters including everyone back on defense. In other words, look out.
Even with the big personnel losses like quarterback Kyle Orton and top receiver Taylor Stubblefield there's hope for more explosiveness on offense with the exciting Brandon Kirsch finally getting his turn as the starting quarterback and a slew of talented receivers ready to make him look great. The defensive line is one of the best in the nation, and the back seven makes up for it's lack of all-around talent with heart and tackling ability. - College Football -
So now the question is whether or not the team knows how to close the tight games. With the Big Ten looking as strong as ever from top to bottom, there won't be any room for inconsistency. This is the best team head coach Joe Tiller has had since Drew Brees led the way to the 2000 Rose Bowl. If you want your deep sleeper to get to Pasadena, this is it because ....
The Schedule: There's no Ohio State or Michigan on the slate. Merry frickin' Christmas. The tough road trips are at Minnesota, Wisconsin and Penn State, and all are very winnable for a team as good as Purdue will be. Iowa will be the only real concern coming in a week after the high-profile Notre Dame showdown. Things couldn't close out any easier than against Illinois and at Indiana. - College Football -
Best Offensive Player: Senior TE Charles Davis. While not the team's flashiest offensive player, the 6-6, 260-pound Davis is a fantastic all-around talent as a great blocker and great hands.
Best Defensive Player: Junior DE Ray Edwards. The 6-6, 270-pound junior is an NFL millionaire waiting his turn to step to the next level. He has too much quickness for a player of his size, and he's a rock against the run. - College Football -
Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Brandon Kirsch. The junior is a high-energy playmaker who loves to improvise and makes things happen on the fly. That's not always a positive trait in this offense. While there are issues on the offensive line and in the pass defense, everything is in place for a huge season, but Kirsch has to be a star.
The season will be a success if ... Purdue wins the Big Ten title. Who knows when the Boilermakers will have this much experience again, and you don't miss the league's big two teams every year. - College Football -
Key game: October 8th vs. Iowa. Let's put the pressure on; with a win over the loaded Hawkeyes, Purdue will win the Big Ten title. There are other landmines along the way, but Iowa is the biggest bad boy on the slate. - College Football -
2004 Fun Stats: - Second quarter scoring: Purdue 105 - Opponents 37- Sacks: Purdue 35 for 228 yards - Opponents 31 for 207 yards- Average yards per play: Purdue 5.9 - Opponents 4.9

Pete Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews