Bleeding Gold and Black

#21 Purdue Women win Big Ten Tournament after outlasting #24 Nebraska in Double OT

2012-03-04T23:05:00.000-06:00

Well, this is actually my first post covering the Women's basketball team. Though they are definitely deserving of getting some press, my limited free time due to my academic schedule does not give me the proper time to cover both men's and women's basketball. After winning the Big Ten Tournament title today, I definitely feel that the Lady Boiler's are deserving of write up on Bleeding Gold and Black.

Earlier this season, Purdue dropped a triple overtime thriller to Nebraska at Mackey Arena. The Lady Boilermakers (24-8) made sure that they would not have a similar outcome this time as they sealed a 74-70 win over the Cornhuskers (24-8) for their eighth Big Ten Tournament title in the past 17 years.
Purdue’s Brittany Rayburn, who hit the game winner over Penn State in the semifinal game, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Sophomore guard KK Houser was also named to the All-Tourney team.
Purdue led 56-54 with 51 seconds remaining in regulation, but fouled Nebraska’s Lindsey Moore who made both free throws. After the first overtime ended, Purdue was able to take advantage of Nebraska’s fatigue in the second overtime. Purdue’s depth on the bench proved to be key and helped lead the Boilers to the 74-70 victory after a desperation shot from Nebraska missed the net. 27 points from Moore and 25 from Jordan Hooper were not enough to carry Nebraska’s lack of bench scoring. The Boilermakers’ bench outscored Nebraska’s 26-2. A much more physical team, Coach Sharon Versyp’s squad was also able to out muscle the Huskers on the boards, 51-40.
Houser led Purdue with 19 points on the day. Chantel Poston had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Boilers and Sam Ostarello notched eight points and 10 rebounds. Rayburn added nine points, in limited time due to foul trouble.
With the Big Ten Tournament title, Purdue should have some nice momentum going into the NCAA tournament. I really feel that Purdue has a great chance of making a deep run in the tourney. This team has the talent to make the run; they just have to bring it all together.

Keep up the good work, ladies. Bring Purdue home a National Title! Boiler UP!

Bad first half dooms Purdue; fall to #18 Indiana 85-74

2012-03-04T22:31:00.000-06:00

After suffering their first loss to Indiana earlier this year for the first time since 2008, Purdue was looking to upset the 18^th ranked Hoosiers on their Senior Night. After a very poor shooting performance in the first half, the Boilers (20-11, 10-8 B1G) were unable to overcome the Hoosiers (24-7, 11-7) as they lost 85-74 at Assembly Hall. The win for Indiana marked the first time the Hoosiers have swept Purdue since the 2005-06 season.

The difference in the game came down to the shooting for both teams. Indiana played excellent basketball and shot an outstanding 66.7% from the field in the first half. The Hoosiers also went 8 of 14 from three. Purdue shot 36.4% from the field in the first half and finished with 43.8% for the game. Tonight was just a night where it seemed everything Indiana threw at the basketball went in and Purdue could not have bought a bucket. A fast paced game, Indiana raced out to a big lead early and took a 49-34 lead into half time. The game did not change coming out of the intermission as Indiana continued its great shooting display.

Christian Watford led Indiana with 19 points and Will Sheehey scored 16. Cody Zeller scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked two shots for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers five seniors: Kory Barnett, Verdell Jones III, Daniel Moore, Tom Pritchard, and Matt Roth all saw playing time on Senior Night.

Purdue put five players in double figures with Lewis Jackson leading the way with 17 points. Robbie Hummel scored 16 and pulled down eight rebounds. Terone Johnson added 13 while Ryne Smith and D.J. Byrd scored 12 points each. The Boilers just could not seem to get it together early on and were unable to be effective from long range, shooting 8-21 from three.

I would not say that the Boilermakers did not play well on defense; they just were unable to get as more scoring opportunities as Indiana had. No one from Indiana got into any foul trouble and the Boilers only had 13 attempts from the line compared to the Hoosiers 25. Purdue actually turned the ball over less than Indiana, with 10 turnovers compared to the Hoosiers 12. Without a true inside scoring threat, Purdue was forced to shoot the ball where they had been struggling all game.

Purdue made a late run in the second half, and got the score to 77-71 but were running out of time. Indiana went on to hit eight of ten free throws to end the game.

It was disappointing to see Purdue lose to Indiana twice in one year, especially after the Boilermakers recent dominance in the series. The Purdue and Indiana rivalry is coming back into the form where it is one of the best in the country. Both teams are getting better and both have great recruits coming in. One thing that bothers me is the talk that Indiana had so much of a better year than Purdue and that Purdue had an awful season. If you look at it this way, had Purdue not dropped the three out of conference games, they would have the same record as IU. As far as how the season went, I’d say it is safe to say that when you lose your two best players that are NBA draft picks, you might have some sort of a drop off. Indiana lost no one significant from last year’s team, and they added a great player in Cody Zeller. I also do not think that Indiana fans should forget about the recent terrible seasons they had such as their 6-25 season in 2009. As much as I despise Indiana athletics and a good majority of the fans I encounter, I do have respect for the school and the knowledgeable fans out there.

I also thought it was pretty dumb of the IU students to chant "Kelsey Barlow" during the game. Barlow isn't on the team anymore so I highly doubt that had any affect on the players. I knew the "Jail Byrd" chants were coming; but before you accuse Byrd of being some hardcore criminal, learn the whole story IU students, jackasses. Some of the comments direct towards Hummel that I saw on Twitter/Facebook were pretty classless, as well. Hummel is not only a great player, but a good person. Regardless of rivalry, making fun of someone for their injuries is a pretty low blow. Also heard a couple "F*** Purdue" chants in there. Stay classy, Bloomington.

With the conclusion of the regular season, the Big Ten Tournament is now upon us. Sixth seed Purdue will take on 11^th seeded Nebraska; a team the Boilers recently pounded 83-65, on Thursday. The game will be televised on ESPN 2.

Purdue gets 20th win of the season, rolls over Penn State on Senior Night, 80-56

2012-02-29T21:32:00.002-06:00

It was a sad night at Mackey Arena on Wednesday, not because the outcome of the game but rather because it was Senior Night. Purdue was able to pick up their 20^th win of the season by routing Penn State 80-56. The win avenged the 20 points loss that the Boilers suffered to the Nittany Lions earlier this season. As a Purdue student, it was a bittersweet night knowing that this would be the last time I would get to see Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson, and Ryne Smith take the floor at Mackey Arena. These three seniors have been such an instrumental part to Purdue’s success over the past few seasons. Purdue basketball would not be where it is today, without these three guys.

Penn State kept the game close early on behind the hot hand of Tim Frazier. The junior led the Nittany Lions with 24 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the field. The Boilers had troubles shutting down Frazier early on, but were able to tighten up the defense as the game progressed.

Jamie Squire/ Getty Imagines

It was only fitting that Robbie Hummel led Purdue on this night with 26 points, eight rebounds, six assist, and ZERO turnovers. D.J. Byrd had 14 points and sophomore Terone Johnson netted 13 on the night. Seniors Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith also played well after starting off slow. Jackson finished with 12 points and five assist while Smith recorded nine points.

Michael Conroy/ AP

Purdue went into the half with a 37-32 lead over Penn State and that was about as close as the game would get. The Boilers outscored the Nittany Lions 43-24 and never let PSU into the game. Coach Painter has got his team rebounding the ball much better as of late as the Boilers won the battle on the boards 31-17. As the game winded down, Robbie, Lewis, and Ryne walked of the court to a loud and well deserved standing ovation.

I cannot stress enough the impact that Rob, Lewis, and Ryne have had on the Purdue program. They have been great leaders both on and off the court. All three are hardworking guys that will do whatever it takes to get better and to win. They play with heart and they play with passion. All three exemplify to the fullest extent of what it means to be a Boilermaker. I’m very proud of all that they have accomplished in their careers and am proud of how they represent the Old Gold and Black. These guys will be greatly missed when their time at Purdue is over.

I have to give a special section to Robbie Hummel, because he deserves just that. Hailing from Northwest Indiana, I was lucky enough to get to see Hummel play in high school. I knew back then that he was a special talent and I knew he would have an impact for Purdue. I would never have thought of how much Rob would mean to the program, though. Robbie Hummel will go down as one of the greatest to ever put on a Purdue uniform. He will finish in the top ten in nearly every statistical category and go down as one of the winningest players in the program’s history. Along with JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore, Robbie and the Baby Boilers helped revive Purdue basketball and bring it back to national prominence. Robbie has fought through injuries and had to overcome so much, but he never gave up. I really don’t like talking about “what if”, but there is no doubt in my mind that Purdue would have a least one Final Four trip, if not a National Championship if Hummel had been healthy the past two seasons. Through all of that, Robbie is the heart and soul of this Boilermaker team. Boiler Nation is going to miss Hummel greatly next season. Whether it happens or not, I believe that Hummel’s number should be hanging in the rafters of Mackey Arena. I consider myself lucky to have been at Purdue during Hummel’s tenure.

(Tribute to Robbie Hummel courtesy of The Paint Crew)

Though this may be the last time we see Robbie, Lewis, and Ryne at Mackey Arena; Purdue’s season is far from over. With the win tonight, Purdue improved to 20-10 overall and 10-7 in the Big Ten. I feel that the Boilers are pretty safe for the NCAA tournament as of now. Having won three in a row, Purdue has some nice momentum going into the regular season finale against Indiana on Sunday. There would be nothing better than for Purdue to go into Assembly Hall and upset the Hoosiers to close out the regular season. If Purdue plays with the passion that they’ve been showing lately, I think that they can do it. People have been writing off the Boilers all season, but their best basketball is ahead of them.

Again, thank you Robbie, Lewis, and Ryne. You will always be beloved members of the Boilermaker family.

Hail Purdue,

Evan Williams

Big win for Purdue over #11 Michigan, 75-61

2012-02-27T13:25:00.000-06:00

Michigan entered Saturday’s game as the clear favorite over Purdue, but the Boilermakers played the spoiler on the Wolverines’ senior night by handing them a 75-61 loss in Ann Arbor. Michigan had a perfect 15-0 record at the Crisler Center this season coming into the game. Sophomore Terone Johnson scored a career-high 22 points and Robbie Hummel had 17 points and nine rebounds to improve Purdue to 19-10 on the season and 9-7 in the Big Ten. Michigan fell to 21-8 on the year and 11-5 in conference play.

Purdue built a lead early and looked to have solid control over the game, but Michigan rallied and pulled the score to 32-28 at half. The Boilers took the lead coming out of the half but weren’t able to put away the Wolverines yet. Michigan freshman sensation Trey Burke and senior Zack Novak, who each scored 12 points, kept the game close before Purdue put the game away for good in the second half.

Terone Johnson, who said this was the best game of his career, had some key three point plays that helped Purdue build a steady lead. Terone went 4-4 from the free throw line, which has been the Achilles to his game all season. Johnson has been improving all this season and was due to have a breakout performance. It came at no better time as Purdue is looking to build its resume for the NCAA tournament. Robbie Hummel had a pair of three pointers late in the second half that were the dagger in the heart for Michigan.

The 75-61 road win not only gave Purdue a key victory to improve its tourney chances, but it was also Purdue’s first win over a ranked opponent this season. Purdue’s critics have been saying that without a win over a ranked opponent, the Boilers are not a deserving tourney team. With this victory, hopefully the critics will give Purdue the credit that they deserve. This is a good team, that has lots of potential to succeed and they seem to be coming together at the right time.

A win over Penn State on Wednesday would give Purdue its 20^th win on the year and put the Boilers in a great position for the tournament. With the way Purdue has been playing as of recent, they should have no trouble with Penn State on Wednesday and then can hopefully extract some revenge on IU in Bloomington for the regular season finale. It would be great if Purdue could beat Indiana on the road to end the season, especially since I think that Purdue is just as good as IU and has just as good of a chance to make a run in the NCAA tournament.

In addition to posting on Bleeding Gold and Black, I am now a contributing writer for Indy Pro Sports where I am covering Purdue. (Obviously) Indy Pro Sports is a new website that covers everything Colts, Pacers, Purdue, IU, Butler, Indy Car, and more. A special thank you goes out to Tom Marquis for giving me the opportunity to write for Indy Pro Sports. Check it out at http://www.indyprosports.com/

Boiler Up!

Purdue downs Nebraska in crucial B1G game

2012-02-25T11:16:00.000-06:00

Wednesday night marked the first time that Purdue and Nebraska met with the Cornhuskers as a member of the B1G. Matt Painter’s team came out of the gates shooting and built an early lead that they never relinquished as they defeated the Cornhuskers 83-65 at Mackey Arena. With the victory, Purdue improved to 18-10 and 8-7 in the B1G. The loss dropped Nebraska to 12-14 and 4-11 in conference play.

After losing a hard fought game against Michigan State last Saturday, Purdue was in a must-win situation against Nebraska. The Boilermakers were able to bounce back tonight as junior D.J. Byrd returned to the lineup following a one game suspension due to a Public Intoxication arrest on February 17^th. Purdue put five players in double figures and was led by senior Robbie Hummel as he scored a season-high 29 points on 10 of 18 shooting from the field and 4 of 10 from three. Hummel played an impressive game all around as he added seven rebounds and two blocks on the night, as well. Byrd added 15 points off the bench, Lewis Jackson scored 13, Ryne Smith had 12, and Terone Johnson chipped in 11. For the game, the Boilers shot 54.5% from the field and 44.8% from beyond the arc.

Nebraska tried to keep the game close behind Bo Spencer’s 19 points, including 14 in the second half, but Purdue was simply too much to handle. The Huskers made some runs but were never able to close the large gap. The Boilers defense was on point and forced Nebraska many times down to single digits on the shot clock. Purdue played physical on the boards and out-rebounded the Huskers 30-22. On the evening, Purdue forced 10 turnovers and picked up eight steals.

Tonight’s win puts Purdue in a much better situation to make the NCAA tournament. A loss at home to Nebraska could have been the nail in the coffin for Purdue’s season. Purdue will travel to Ann Arbor on Saturday to face the 13^th ranked Michigan Wolverines. A win Saturday would give Purdue its first victory over a ranked opponent this season.

Boilers pick up key victory over Northwestern, 87-77

2012-02-13T21:39:00.000-06:00

I said that yesterday's game against Northwestern was a must-win for the Boilers. Purdue followed up and downed the Wildcats in a crucial game at Mackey Arena. Purdue improved to 16-9 on they year and 6-6 in the B1G. Purdue is in a tough position and will have to continue to play well to make the NCAA tournament.

I feel that if Purdue can get to 20 wins, then we should be in pretty good shape to make the dance. Even at 19, I think Purdue should be a tourney team. This gives us a chance to beat a ranked team as we face Michigan State at home, and Michigan and IU on the road. We have some should win games against Penn State and Nebraska at home, and I think we can beat Illinois on the road. I would love nothing more for Purdue to head down to Bloomington and beat IU's ass in the Hall of Calls.

I didn't get to watch yesterday's game as I was on the road coming back from Indy. After talking to my friends, it seemed Purdue played a good game. It was nice to see that Robbie Hummel had a big night scoring 27 and grabbing 9 rebounds. D.J. Byrd continued his hot streak by scoring 20 and Ryne Smith put in a solid 14 points. Terone Johnson scored 11 points and hopefully he will continue to improve his game. TJ was a highly ranked recruit and I think he is going to start coming into his own here real soon. While Lewis Jackson did have 8 assists, it worries me that he's been struggling offensively. We are going to need Lew if we want to make a run in the B1G tourney or the NCAA tourney. I know he's been pretty banged up this season, but LewJack is instrumental to tournament success for Purdue.

Purdue has a key game on Wednesday in Champaign where we can get a nice road win against Illinois. Another road win in the B1G will look good on our tourney resume and will give us a better overall record than Illinois.

Keep up the hardwork and keep fighting, Boilers. Boiler Up!

Boilers come up just short against #3 O$U, 87-84

2012-02-08T19:42:00.001-06:00

In a game that most expected to be a gigantic blow up, Purdue surprisingly kept pace with the #3 Buckeyes and nearly pulled off the upset in Columbus, but fell in the end 87-84. Coach Painter announced that there would be a change to the starting lineup prior to the game and he made a statement in a big way. Seniors Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith started the game out on the bench and D.J. Byrd and Anthony Johnson played in their place. Painter even said that Jackson and Smith didn't deserve to start. Painter sent a message to his players and I think it worked.

The team last night was the Purdue team that we are more familiar with. The team that can hang with anyone in the conference. While I was disappointed we didn't win last night, I was impressed by the way Purdue played for the most part. D.J. Byrd was the man last night as he went for a career-high 24 points on 7-9 shooting from beyond the arc. He picked up a questionable 4th foul and was forced to sit during a key stretch during the second half. I don't usually complain about officiating, but there was a definitely Buckeye advantage last night. The softest big man in the country, aka Jared Sullinger, could do no wrong last night. If you so gave Sully a dirty look, you were called for a foul. If Sullinger had driven a truck onto the court and mowed down the Purdue bench, the Boilers would be called for the foul for being in his way. Jared, if you don't man up soon, you are going to get dominated in the NBA. I will also refer to Sully from now on as "Boy With Balls On Chin". (See video below)

Sorry for the crude humor, but I couldn't resist. Kelsey had another good game with 14 points including three big dunks. His posterizing dunk over "BWBOC" landed on the Sportscenter Top 10 at #9 which was a disgrace to the dunk. A mediocre Lebron James putback which he does on a nightly basis was put ahead of this because god forbid ESPN were to do anything to embarrass the mighty Ohio $tate University and golden boy Jared Sullinger.

Lewis Jackson played a tough game and definitely played with a chip on his shoulder and put up 14 points. Ryne Smith also played solid going for 9 points on 2-3 shooting from deep. Robbie Hummel posted 13 points and 8 rebounds. Jacob Lawson also had a nice dunk, something I hope he continues to do to help fire us up. I hope that after the wake up call, Jackson and Smith will continue to play well and play with some fire.

Had O$U senior William Buford not gone for a career-high 29 points, I think Purdue would've won pretty handily. We were able to limit Aaron Craft and really didn't let anyone else get going. Sullinger had 18 points coming largely from the free throw line, because like I said earlier, if you breathed on him, it was likely going to be called.

Though the loss dropped Purdue to 15-9 overall and 5-6 in the B1G, I hope this game will get our guys fired up and play like that more often. This is still a tournament team, but we will have to start winning some games. I was definitely encourage by the play of the Boilers, especially in the hostile environment at O$U.

Continue to improve and play with fire, that will be key. Beat Northwestern, Boiler Up!

Indiana 78 Purdue 61

2012-02-06T15:01:00.000-06:00

I've taken a step back and calmed down over the past couple of days. I set a person Twitter and Facebook ban on myself for 24 hours after the game. Luckily, all of the Super Bowl hype allowed me to not see much about the game. Though the final score was not any indicator of the actually game, Purdue came up short against the Hoosiers falling at home for the third consecutive game, 78-61.

Purdue now drops to 15-8 overall and 5-5 in the B1G. While there is still time left in the season, the panic button should definitely start to get some action now. I still think this team can make the tournament, but we cannot lose many more games, especially at home. We don't have an easy schedule either.

Robbie Hummel had a soild game going for 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks. D.J. Byrd went for 15 including 3-5 from beyond the arc, and Kelsey Barlow had 12. Other than that, I'd say the only other positive worth mentioning is Jacob Lawson's impressive dunk that landed at #9 on Sportscenter's Top 10 Plays. There was much else to take away from this game, in my opinion.

1. Murdered on the Boards and In the Post - This was a huge factor throughout the entire game. IU out rebounded Purdue, 53-35. Purdue obviously has a glaring imperfection with our lack of a post presence. Jesus, I mean Cody Zeller, wasn't even the one who killed us. He had an okay game, but nothing I would write home about. Travis Carroll and Sandi Marcius were non-existent, logging a grand total of 12 minutes combined. My question is, why didn't Lawson play more? Sure he has a history of foul troubles, but we needed some more athleticism on the floor. IU has some guys that aren't exactly great basketball players, but they are flat out athletes. I think Lawson could've helped slow down IU at times.

2. Missing Players - I'd like to file a missing persons report concerning Lewis Jackson. LewJack didn't have a good game at all going 1-10 from the field. He wasn't a factor in this game at all, and for Purdue to be successful, we need Lew. Johnson and Johnson was also not a big factor in this game. I was surprised that Terone didn't come up with a good game after his impressive performance at Northwestern last weekend. Anthony was also irrelevant in this game, he is a guy who has to step it up and score.

3. Where's the fire? - Where's the attitude? The killer instinct? The swagger? We let IU come to Mackey Arena and beat us in OUR house. With the exception of maybe Hummel, Byrd, and Barlow last game, I didn't see it at all. Every game against IU, our guys should want to beat them so bad that we send Clappy the Clown and company crying back to Bloomington with those fugly candy striped pants. (Yes I just said fugly) I also noticed Dwight Shrute, aka Tom Crean, kind of blow off Coach Painter on the post game handshake. Not that it is a big deal, but that's pretty classless. That kind of stuff must run in the Harbaugh family. (See what I did there?) Tommy, Purdue has dominated you for the past couple of seasons and you still own a horrid 3-31 road record in the B1G, so don't act like you're god's gift all of the sudden.

It is really disappointing to see us lose to IU, but I don't think that Purdue fans should get use to it. We have to accept that this is a down year for us and that we are going to hit some rough patches along the way. We are going to get back up to the level we were at in the coming years.

I'm still as proud to be a Boilermaker as I ever have been. I will bleed gold and black 'til the day I die and I will hate IU for all eternity. I've got this team's back and these player's back 100% Let's pull off the upset tomorrow against O$U!

Boiler Up!

P.S. To the family of IU fans, complete with their daughter who was a clone of Snooki, sitting in the student section near me; if you don't want to be heckled , DON'T FREAKING BUY TICKETS IN THE STUDENT SECTION AT MACKEY ARENA! MORONS! BTFU

Boilermaker Basketball and Football News

2012-01-25T14:02:00.000-06:00

With some recent happenings around Boilermaker sports, I'd like to do a summary post about some recent developments.

Football:

Senior QB Robert Marve was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Marve missed all of 2007 as a true freshman at Miami and missed the majority of the 2010 season with an ACL injury. Marve passed for 633 yards and four touchdowns this past season while splitting time with Caleb TerBush.

Junior DT Kawann Short has decided to return to school for one more year instead of entering the NFL Draft. Short was projected as a third round pick by the NFL Draft Advisory Board. The B1G All-Conference First Team performer had 54 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and two blocked kicks. Short noted the importance of getting his degree and the chance to improve to a first round pick as reasons to return to school.

Sophomore RB Reggie Pegram has left the program. Pegram most notably scored two touchdowns in Purdue's bowl victory over Western Michigan. Reports came that Pegram left to be closer to family in Texas. Best of luck to Reggie wherever he ends up.

Senior OG Ken Plue has made an early entry to the NFL Draft. Plue sat out this past season as Coach Hope stated he needed to make improvements on and off the field. The 6'7" 350 pound lineman from Rochester, NY was a mainstay on the o-line during his first three years. Hopefully Plue will find success in the NFL.

Senior K Carson Wiggs accepted an invitation to play in the 2012 Senior Bowl, the sixth straight year a Boilermaker has been invited. The game will take place on January 28th in Mobile, AL. Wiggs ended his Boilermaker career as one of the most successful kickers in Purdue history. All games and practices from the senior bowl can be viewed on NFL Network. Wiggs was also the only Boilermaker to be invited to the NFL Combine.

Purdue has hired Tim Tibesar as the new Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers' Coach. Tibesar has spent the last three seasons as a coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Prior to the CFL, Tibesar also coached at Kansas State.

Former Purdue standout and Washington Redskins rookie OLB Ryan Kerrigan has returned to West Lafayette for the semester to continue working on finishing his degree. Kerrigan switched his major late in his career so he was unable to graduate after taking the Spring 2011 semester off to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft. His work paid off as Kerrigan was the 16th overall pick and was a starter for the Skins. Kerrigan played every defensive snap for Washington this past season. He is even living up to his "Superman" nickname in the NFL.

Basketball:

Former 2013 commit Derek Willis, has committed to Kentucky. The 6'9" power forward from Mt. Washington, Kentucky committed to Purdue last April but then backed out of his verbal in August after he gained more national attention. He then was deciding between Purdue, Kentucky, Louisville, and Indiana. In the end, Willis felt that he was best suited to play for Coach Cal at Kentucky. While Purdue was his second choice, it still stings to miss out on yet ANOTHER top recruit. Good luck to Derek in the rest of his career. I hope if Purdue and UK ever match up while he is there, we destroy them.

Purdue dropped a heart breaker last night to Michigan 66-64 at Mackey Arena. I'm definitely not liking seeing us lose at home. Lewis Jackson and Robbie Hummel led the team last night with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Purdue made a nice run in the second half to take the lead and keep it close, but our free throw shooting, our lack of an inside presence, and our inability to guard effectively on the perimeter killed us. With the loss, Purdue dropped to 14-7 and 4-4 in the B1G. I'm not hitting the panic button quite yet, but if Purdue doesn't pick it up soon, we will be struggling to make it into the NCAA tournament. Our schedule doesn't get easier and every game means more and more as time goes on.

I was able to make it to one of La Lumiere School's games last weekend where 2012 commits Rapheal Davis and Jay Simpson play. La Lu dominated Trader's Point Academy and picked up the 70-39 win. Davis co-lead the Lakers with 15 points and he added three steals. I really like Davis' game. He plays tough defense and has a great ability to drive the ball to the basket and score. Davis was also able to hit a couple of threes and looks to be a very good shooter. Davis will bring a natural scoring ability to Purdue and will be able to contribute right away for the Boilermakers.

Jay Simpson scored nine points and had four rebounds. While his stat line isn't blowing you out of the water, remember that the Lakers' entire starting lineup plus about four guys on the bench are division 1 players. Simpson is every bit of 6'9" or 6'10" and a solid 250 pounds. He can actually shoot the ball for a big guy and plays very solid defense. I'm anxious for Jay to get to Purdue and I feel he will have an impact from day 1 for the Boilers.

The highlight of the night came from Indiana commit Hanner Mosquera-Perea with one the best dunks I've seen in person. Even though I'm going to strongly root against him for the next four years, Perea is a human highlight reel and is very fun to watch. Here is the video of the dunk:

Purdue Gets the Win 75-68, Sweeps Iowa

2012-01-18T11:18:00.000-06:00

After a rough first half, I thought that I could possibly witness the Boilers second consecutive loss at Mackey Arena. After being apart of the 26 game home win streak, seeing two losses in a row would've been quite the unexpected surprise. Purdue came out hot in the second half and was able to take the lead and never look back as they beat the visiting Hawkeyes to win the season series against Iowa. With the win, Purdue improved to 14-5 overall and 4-2 in the B1G.

After the slow first half, I was really impressed with how we played in the second. Iowa stuck around, but we didn't let them take back the lead once we got a hold of it. What I really liked about last night's game was how evenly our scoring was distributed. This season, we don't have the luxury of having a guy like JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore who can score 25+ points and take over a game. Prior to his injuries, I definitely think Robbie Hummel would be that guy. Hummel did have a better game than he has been having as of late with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Four other Boilers made it into double figures with Lewis Jackson scoring 14, Ryne Smith with 12, Kelsey Barlow with 11, and Terone Johnson with 10.

I was also extremely impressed with the play of Travis Carroll. He continues to show improvement scoring 8 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. Carroll was perfect on field goals and free throws. If Carroll works on improving his play down low, he could become a very valuable member to this team.

We still have some struggles on defense that need to be addressed. There seems to be some trouble dealing with switching guys and defending on the perimeter. Not as much as in the Wisconsin game, but it seemed like Iowa had lots of open looks from three.

This was not only a good win, but a much needed win for Purdue. The next five games are going to be very critical for Purdue as we travel to Michigan State, play ranked Michigan at home, go to Northwestern, face Indiana at Mackey, and finish with Ohio State in Columbus. I think that Purdue needs to go 3-2 at the minimum on the harsh stretch of games. Every game is winnable, but playing tough teams like MSU and OSU on the road will be tough.

Keep up the good work Purdue, let's beat the Spartans! Boiler Up!

Badgers end Boilers win streak at Mackey Arena

2012-01-13T15:42:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin 67 Purdue 62

Purdue's home winning streak was halted at 26 games as the Wisconsin Badgers ended their three game skid by beating the Boilers last night at Mackey Arena. That was the first time I had ever seen a Boiler loss in Mackey Arena and that is something I definitely don't want to get use to seeing.

It wasn't even one guy that killed us last night but it seemed everyone on Wisconsin played a good game. To be honest, I really wasn't impressed with Jordan Taylor's play. I also don't like how he acts out on the floor, he seemed to complain a lot and get mad at his teammates. Purdue was unable to defend Wisconsin from the perimeter early on and that killed us. We started the game out down 22-4 and were downright being embarrassed on our own court, at that point I was expecting a forty point loss. We were able to get the game close but we'd always give the lead right back up.

Terone Johnson scored a career high 16 points yesterday, but he still needs to work on his decision making on the court. He took some questionable shots at bad times, but I was still encouraged with his play. Travis Carroll also showed some light as he grabbed 9 boards and hit a couple of shots. Robbie Hummel scored 13 despite poor shooting. Lewis Jackson had a rough game and I'm definitely thinking he needs some rest. We need him to make a run in the NCAA tournament, if we can secure a bid. I don't think Purdue can afford to lose too many more games at this point. That loss dropped us to 13-5 and 3-2 in the B1G.

The lack of an inside presence just kills this team. We really were lucky that we had JaJuan Johnson last year. Right now, we don't have that big guy down low that we can feed the ball to and get some points. Sandi Marcius is still injured and he could be that guy if he improves his handle on the ball. At 6'9" 260 pounds, he's a big body that won't get bullied around. Travis Carroll has been showing improvement which is good to see. I think he has to bulk up and play with more intensity to be a force down low. Jacob Lawson could also be a threat, but he needs a lot of work offensively and has to learn to play without fouling so much. Lawson is another who needs to hit the weight room tough this off season.

The highlight of the game was at half time when a lucky Purdue fan made a layup, free throw, and three pointer in under 20 seconds to win a $5000 diamond. The video can be found at http://www.rantsports.com/clubhouse/2012/01/13/video-purdue-fan-tebows-after-winning-diamond/
The celebration at the end is well worth a watch.

I've been saying this since the Butler loss, but Purdue has to start playing better if we want to make the NCAA tournament. Purdue faces off against Iowa on Tuesday and every home game from here on out needs to be a must win. I will not be participating in the horrible "Jimmy Buffet Night", and neither should you.

Boiler Up!

Purdue Basketball Update

2012-01-11T18:05:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone! This is my first Bleeding Gold and Black post for 2012 and I am excited about the coming year of Purdue athletics.

Purdue's men's team faces off tomorrow with Wisconsin at Mackey Arena. The Badgers are currently on a three game losing streaking including some rare losses at the Kohl Center. The Boilers stand at 13-4 overall and 3-1 in the B1G thus far. The one conference loss, of course, being the embarrassing beat down by Penn State. Our win over Illinois is starting to look a lot better after they upset Ohio State last night behind Brandon Paul's 43 point explosion.

The heart and soul of Boilernation, Robbie Hummel, is leading the team with 16.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG. Lewis Jackson is dishing out 3.9 assist per game and Kelsey Barlow has 1.5 takeaways per contest. Robbie has had some struggles as of late, but I think he will up his game and continue to lead the Boilers. I really want Hummel to have a great year and end up on an NBA team once his time at Purdue is over. It is so disheartening knowing that had Hummel not been injured, there would probably be a banner or two hanging in the rafters at Mackey Arena. There's not a doubt in my mind that if Rob wouldn't have suffered this unfortunate injury, Purdue was a serious title contender.

Taken from the Lafayette Journal & Courier

While Purdue has had some rough games as of late, I do think that we are only going to improve. Sandi Marcius has been injured and he was playing very well in the post prior to his absence.

Terone Johnson has been in sort of a funk all season but I have a feeling he will improve soon. He had surgery over the summer which hampered some development and conditioning. TJ is a proven winner and will be a big factor for the Boilers very soon.

After some bad games, Lewis Jackson seems to be coming around after his big 20 point performance on the road at Minnesota.

We need to see some more improvement from Travis Carroll and Jacob Lawson. We need those two to be an impact as we have been struggling from the 5 all season.

After the loss to Penn State, many people were predicting the doom and downfall of Purdue basketball and calling for Matt Painter to be fired. While this is a huge over reaction to the situation, I do think that Purdue needs to step it up big time. I think that we need to be more prepared as a team and be able to finish successfully in the second half if we want any reward in the postseason.

Good luck tomorrow against Wisconsin, Keep the win streak at Mackey alive!

Boiler Up!

Purdue 37 Western Michigan 32: Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl Champions

2011-12-29T00:13:00.000-06:00

Well, they did it. Purdue went out and won their first bowl game since 2007 with a 37-32 victory over Western Michigan in an exciting game at Ford Field in Detroit. I was lucky enough to be in attendance and it was an awesome game to watch. I had great seats in section 102, row 10. That is going to be a day I will remember for a long time.

AP Photo

Though it was sloppy at times, Purdue really played a good game. Western Michigan is pretty much a two person team with Alex Carder and Jordan White. Purdue's defense intercepted Carder four times and put the hurt on him a lot in the backfield. I am glad that Purdue was able to end both of their careers on a losing note.

I was impressed with both sides of the ball and special teams. Here is what I thought was good about the game.

Offense:

- Quarterback play- What I really liked was that we never threw an interception. TerBush went 8-13 for 101 yards with a touchdown and Marve went 6-7 for 76 yards and a touchdown. I was impressed with both of these guys. Justin Siller also played very well out of the wildcat too. It was great for Siller, who had his fair share of troubles over his collegiate career, to end his time with the Boilers on a high note in front of his hometown.

-Running backs- Akeem Shavers ran the ball 22 times for 149 yards and was named the game MVP. Sophomore Reggie Pegram scored a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown. With the injury to Ralph Bolden, these guys both did a great job stepping up in his place. I'm excited that both of these guys will be back for Purdue next year.

Akeem Shavers with a run (AP Photo)

Defense

-Interceptions- The Boiler D intercepted WMU QB Alex Carder four times in the game. Senior Gerald Gooden had two picks, Senior Albert Evans and Freshman Taylor Richards each had one interception. Even though WMU racked up the passing yards. It was good that we were able to alter their game and cause a lot of trouble.

-Hard hits- The d-line caused a lot of problems for the Broncos yesterday. Gerald Gooden had a sack and forced a fumble. Gooden had an outstanding final game for the Boilers and he will surely be missed next season. Ryan Russell had a fumble recovery and forced the game saving fumble which was recovered by Bruce Gaston.

Special Teams-

-Carson Wiggs- Even with a miss, Wiggs did make three field goals for the Boilers and executed two onside kicks that the Boilers recovered. Wiggs even recovered one of the onside kicks himself. Not only was it exciting when it happened, but the onsides proved to be very crucial in the victory.

-Raheem Mostert- Mostert has been a very solid kick returner all season for Purdue, but he made his biggest impact at the most important time. Mostert took a kick back 99 yards for a touchdown and set a new record for the Little Caesar's/ Motor City Bowl. I'm really pumped that Mostert still has three years left in a Boiler uniform.

Raheem Mostert 99 yard kick return TD (Detroit Free Press)

Overall, I would consider this season to be successful. Though there were some bad losses, it was great beating Illinois on Homecoming and Ohio State after they both destroyed us the previous year. It was great beating Indiana in Bloomington and bringing the Bucket back to West Lafayette where it belongs. (IU went 1-11 this season for the record. Sucks to suck) Finally, making it to a bowl for the first time since 2009 and winning was a great way to end the season. Purdue's 7-6 record is a nice improvement from 4-8 a year ago.

I'd like to thank all of the seniors for their contributions to Purdue football over their careers. They are going to be missed and I wish them nothing but the best in the future endeavors.

While there are some significant losses, there is a lot to look forward to next season. On offense, we return a some great players like TerBush, Shavers, Pegram, Mostert, Akeem Hunt, Gary Bush, Antavian Edison. There is also the possibility of Marve returning for a sixth year and Rob Henry coming back from injury.

Defensively there is so much returning on the line. Kawann Short, Brandon Taylor, Gaston, and Russell will all be back. We will also have Ricardo Allen, Josh Johnson, Will Lucas, Max Charlot, Normando Harris, and Taylor Richards coming back. I think Purdue's defense is going to be outstanding for the next few years. So many young guys have gotten loads of experience.

I don't think it is unrealistic to expect Purdue to finish next year between 7-5 and 9-3. I also think this team will have the ability to surprise people. We have a solid recruiting class coming in and I think there are definitely going to be contributors out of the 2012 class right away.

Congrats on the bowl win. I'm already looking forward to the 2012 season.

Boiler Up!

Absence from Bleeding Gold and Black

2011-12-20T00:17:00.000-06:00

I'd just like to start by apologizing for not posting a good blog in quite some time. The last month of the semester I got really bogged down with exams, homework, and the arch nemesis of every college student; FINALS!

Well now that I'm back home in ~~wonderful~~ LaPorte, Indiana for about a month, I'll hopefully be able to commit more time to Bleeding Gold and Black. Since I've been gone, here is what has come to light around Purdue athletics:

Football:

-The football team is going bowling! The Boilers will face the Broncos of Western Michigan on December 27th in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl in Detroit.

- I will possibly be making the trip up to the Motor City to watch Purdue play in the bowl game. (Can't miss opportunity)

- Linebacker Dwayne Beckford and Wide Receiver O.J. Ross will likely sit out the bowl game. Beckford was recently arrested for a DUI and Ross has been ruled academically ineligible. (for Twitter users, #smh)

-Purdue enters the Little Caesar's Bowl as the underdog. (To a MAC team?)

-Linebacker Joe Holland was named a First Team Academic All-American (Huge shoutout to Mr. Holland!)

Basketball:

-Record on the season now stands at 9-3

-Boilers blew HUGE second half lead to Xavier (or as Tu Holloway says, "gangstas") and Butler and lost. (Probably took a couple years off my life watching these games)

-Senior Robbie Hummel has been having a good season after missing last year. He is leading the Boilers in points and rebounds a game. I think Hummel really needs to take this team over and be the for sure go to guy. He no longer has JJ and E'Twaun there to bail him out. This is his team and he has to be the catalyst for Purdue.

-Freshman Jacob Lawson has really impressed me so far. He is gonna be huge for Purdue for years to come. Once he learns to stay out of foul trouble and gets 100% healthy, he is gonna be a beast.

-Seniors Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith need to step it up. LewJack has been battling some injuries, but he needs to be the facilitator and run the offense. Smith needs to be the third scoring option for the Boilers. He needs to be more of an offense threat and he needs to work on his defense.

-Junior Kelsey Barlow has to be more of a scoring threat for the Boilers. He is by far the most athletic guy on the team and is already a great defender. If he can be more consistent with his scoring, he could be a huge impact player these next two years.

-Lack on an inside presence has been a killer. Sandi Marcius, Lawson, and Travis Carroll really need to step it up.

-Coach Painter announced that he will freshman forward Donnie Hale will redshirt. Hale was a hold-over from 2010. He attended prep school last year and now will sit out this year. He will be 21 next year as a redshirt frosh. (Van Wilder?)

-I'd like to see this team play with some more fire. This team has a lot to prove and needs to step it up. We need to be able to close games out like Xavier and Butler. There needs to be some improvement on conditioning to, I think. Looked worn out at the end of the Butler game.

-IU is 11-0 and did the unthinkable by beating then #1 Kentucky. The Cats played what will be their worst game of the year and IU played their best. I give the Hoosiers some credit but the Kentucky players should all be pushed down a flight of stairs for how badly they played. IU is being led by Jesus (that tall kid) and THE best coach in college basketball since John Wooden. (sarcasm, if you couldn't tell) I still have a strong dislike of IU and think that until IU beats Purdue, Hoosier fans have no room to talk trash to Purdue fans. It has also been 1400 days since Purdue last lost to the Hoosiers. (sucks to suck, IU)

-I miss JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore. Best of luck to them as the begin their NBA careers with the Boston Celtics!

Well, hopefully this post has been a little informative and brought some laughs. I'm in a good mood tonight so I thought I'd make this post more fun to read. Good luck to the football team against Western Michigan and to the basketball team against IPFW tomorrow.

Remember to follow me on Twitter: @Evan_Williams25 http://twitter.com/#!/Evan_Williams25

I am also a regular guest on The Balance sports talk show where I discuss Purdue football and basketball. Check it out at http://thebalanceonline.com/ and follow The Balance on Twitter: @Tbalance http://twitter.com/#!/Tbalance

Boiler Up!

Poll Results

2011-12-09T10:52:00.000-06:00

I haven't had too much time to post lately due to it being the end of the semester and I've been extremely busy with studying, homework, and group projects. Here is my first post in awhile on the latest poll results. The most recent poll asked "Which player was the biggest surprise for Purdue football this year?".

Junior quarterback Caleb TerBush was the most popular vote. TerBush was thrown into the starting position at the beginning of the season after Rob Henry went down with an injury and Robert Marve was not fully recovered from his own knee injury.

TerBush was followed by freshman kick returner Raheem Mostert. Mostert was a nice surprise for the Boilers this year at the returner position. He had some very long returns on the year and nearly broke a couple off for touchdowns. Mostert will be a good return threat for the Boilers in the years to come.

Next in the votes was junior college transfer running back Akeem Shavers. Shavers rushed for 370 yards this year with six touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. With Ralph Bolden out with an ACL injury, Shavers will have to step his game up in the Little Caesar's Bowl and next season.

Dwayne Beckford, Akeem Hunt, Ryan Russell, and Brandon Taylor also received votes in the poll. Beckford was one of the leading tacklers and will be counted upon next season as Joe Holland graduates. Russell and Taylor will return on the defensive line and Hunt will receive a much heavier load of carries next season after a nice freshman year.

Remember that you can hear me regularly on The Balance/ The Gary Snyder Show talking Purdue football and basketball. http://thebalanceonline.com/

Congrats on the season guys and best of luck in Detroit. Beat Western Michigan! Boiler Up!

Bucket Game: Purdue 33 Indiana 25

2011-11-28T19:41:00.000-06:00

The Old Oaken Bucket is back where it belongs, in West Lafayette. The game wasn't pretty at times, but Purdue was able to pick up the victory at IU to improve to 6-6 and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. I haven't posted in awhile, an intense stretch of school and Thanksgiving break didn't leave me much time for blogging.

After last season's very disappointing loss to the Hoosiers at Ross-Ade, I wanted nothing more than to see the Boilers pound IU on their own turf. The game was close, but Purdue was able to knock IU to 1-11 on the season. Any Purdue fan can appreciate seeing IU struggle that much.

Carson Wiggs had an outstanding game connecting on four field goals which earned him Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. Antavian Edison had two touchdowns on the day and Ralph Bolden also ran one in. Bolden was injured in the second half and didn't return to the game. It appeared to be a knee injury and I'm concerned it was possibly Purdue's injury of choice, the ACL.

Will Lucas led the defense with ten total tackles followed by Joe Holland with nine. Josh Johnson tallied seven tackles with an interception. Bruce Gaston added five tackles with a sack.

I was very happy that Purdue was able to get the victory over Indiana and become bowl eligible. When the season started off bad with Rob Henry's season ending ACL tear, Purdue could've rolled over and had a bad season like last year. Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve pulled the team together and led Purdue to their most wins since the '07 season. Purdue had impressive wins over a ranked Illinois team, Ohio State, and beat downs of Minnesota and Southeast Missouri State. It was fun to see Purdue improve from last year and I am excited about the coming years of Purdue football.

Purdue will lose some key players to graduation like Carson Wiggs, Joe Holland, Albert Evans, Gerald Gooden and Dennis Kelly. I could definitely see Kelly and Wiggs getting NFL attention. Purdue has lots of talent coming back next year like Ralph Bolden, Akeem Shavers, Antavian Edison, Bruce Gaston, Ricardo Allen, and Josh Johnson. The team will bring back a lot of experienced players and I am hoping that they will be an even more competitive team next season.

Congrats to Kawann Short, Carson Wiggs, Ricardo Allen, Cody Webster, Joe Holland, Dennis Kelly, and Dwayne Beckford on being named to the All-Big Team this season.

Seniors Adam Brockman and Albert Evans celebrating with the Old Oaken Bucket

Congrats on a good season, the win over IU, and here's to getting to a bowl.

Boiler Up!

Purdue 26 Ohio State 23 Overtime

2011-11-13T12:44:00.000-06:00

I had a feeling about this game. I didn't expect it to end how it did, but I had a feeling Purdue was going to win this one. Purdue was able to defeat the visiting Buckeyes 26-23 in overtime. Purdue took the lead early and kept it for most of the game. During the final minutes of the game when Ohio State scored what looked like to be the winning touchdown on a horrible breakdown of coverage. OSU tied the game at 20 and went on for the PAT. By some miracle, defensive tackle Bruce Gaston was able to get his hand on the ball and block the extra point giving the Boilers a new life. Unable to break the tie, the game headed into overtime.

Ohio State was able to score on a field goal to go up 23-20. Purdue's offense took the field lead by senior quarterback Robert Marve. Marve did not start the game but he came in a played a great game besides the interception in the fourth quarter. After picking up some yards, Marve made a game saving run on third down to pick up the first. Purdue got down to a third and long when Rob hit Gary Bush with a 14 yard pass that nearly was a touchdown to get the first. The next play, Marve punched the ball in from one yard out to win the game for the Boilermakers.

This was such an exciting finish to the game. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Though Purdue should've finished the game out in regulation, it was just as good beating OSU. Purdue really was in control throughout the course of the game. The offense played pretty effective and the defense really limited OSU's offense.

The offense was spread out pretty well. Lots of receivers got looks on the day which is what I like to see. Ralph Bolden had some big runs on the day too. The defense played great with Dwayne Beckford leading the team in tackles. Kawann Short picked up three sacks on the day and was also named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week award.

With the win, Purdue moves to 5-5 on the season and is just one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. Purdue faces Iowa at home next week and Indiana on the road to close out the regular season. I really like the Boilers chances to earn a birth to a bowl this season.

Congrats on the big win. Boiler Up!

2011-12 Purdue Basketball: Travis Carroll

2011-11-10T15:10:00.000-06:00

Travis Carroll #50 Forward

Sophomore
Danville, Indiana (Danville)
6'9" 231 lbs.

Projection: Probable Starter

Carroll is a guy who is going to have to have a big year for Purdue this year. With the loss of JaJuan Johnson, Travis and Sandi Marcius are going to have to help fill the presence of the Consensus All-American.

Travis is from Danville, Indiana where he was an AP First-Team All-State selection as a senior. Carroll was also an All-State selection as a junior and sophomore. He was the 2009-10 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year and an Indiana All-Star.

Last season as a freshman, Travis played in 31 games and started in six games for the Boilers. This year, Travis is likely going to be a starter after the loss of JJ. It isn't going to be an easy job replacing a guy like Johnson, but Carroll is going to have to step it up if Purdue wants to be successful this year. We saw last season that he has a knack for rebounding on both ends of the court. Travis also is a pretty good shooter from mid range as we saw last year as well. If Carroll can get involved more in the offense, I think that will help the Boilers out immensely. I would like to see Carroll get into the 6-8 points per game range and get around six rebounds a game this season. Travis is talented in the post so I think he is going to be effective download and be able to score close to the basket. As long as he stays out of foul trouble, Carroll is going to be a big time piece to Purdue's rotation this season.

I'm excited for the season opener tomorrow against Northern Illinois. Boiler Up!

Purdue vs. Ohio State

2011-11-10T12:44:00.000-06:00

This is my first football post in awhile but I've been consumed lately with the basketball season starting and the recruiting that has been going on. Now back to this Saturday where Purdue faces Ohio State in a must win situation for the Boilers. I think that this game is very crucial on whether or not the Boilers will make a bowl game this year. The Buckeyes come into this game with a 6-3 record riding a three game win streak where they beat a Wisconsin team that completely trashed Purdue last week. The 4-5 Boilers would be in a good position if they are able to beat Ohio State at home this weekend. We all remember the last time the Buckeyes came to West Lafayette as Purdue pulled off the upset of the number seven ranked Ohio State squad.

Ohio State doesn't have any standouts on offense, but they are consistent throughout on their scoring. Their defense has been off and on throughout the season having some very good and very bad performances. The D does have a tendency to get into the backfield and cause some disruption for the offense. Last week, the Buckeyes played a very close game with the Big Ten's worst team, Indiana.

In the past few weeks the Boilers have had significant injuries. Offensive guard Peters Drey is done for the year with a back injury and sophomore defensive lineman Ryan Isaac is the latest victim to an ACL tear. Both are significant as Drey was one of our more experienced lineman and Isaac's injury impacts an already depleted defensive line.

I think the Boilers do have a good chance at beating the Buckeyes on Saturday. Here are some of my keys to a Boiler victory.

1. Score early and often- I want to see the Boilers put points on the Buckeyes early and get an early lead. Purdue should try to establish the run game early and give Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers plenty of looks early. I'd also like to see some more of the long passing game using guys like Gary Bush and Antavian Edison as deep targets. I also like what I've been seeing out of Justin Siller lately.

2. Take advantage of OSU's inexperience at QB- Purdue has a chance to control the momentum of the game if they can get to OSU's quarterback. Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson should be pumped to be able to take advantage of this. I'd like to see them pick a pass of in the game. The d-line should also take advantage of this and get in the backfield and cause disruption. Kawann Short has been having a very good season and should continue his good play this weekend.

3.Figure out our QB situation- At this point in the season, I think that there needs to be a definite starter and stick with them. Both TerBush and Marve have good games and bad games. I think that Coach Hope either needs to stick with TerBush for the whole game, or give Marve a chance to start the game. I don't like the discontinuity of using a two quarterback system.

I have a good feeling about this game on Saturday. I think Purdue is going to pick up the victory. It is going to be close but I think Purdue wins.

Prediction: Purdue 34 Ohio State 27

Gary Harris..... To Michigan State

2011-11-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

Well, first I just want to start with I have a lot of respect for Gary Harris and his family on how they handled his recruitment. College prospects and their families should take note on how they handled everything. He never ran his mouth on Twitter or bad mouthed anyone. He didn't hurry into a commitment and if Gary feels that going to MSU is the best choice, then we have to trust him. Congrats on your decision and best of luck in the future.

BUT, that doesn't mean that I am not extremely disappointed that he didn't choose Purdue. This sucks and once again, Purdue gets shafted by a top recruit. For the second consecutive year, Izzo and the Spartans have stolen a top ten recruit right from under our feet. So what does this boil down to? We are losing out on top recruits because of our lack of Final Four appearances/ National Championships. When you look at it, the only reason I could think of that Harris would not choose Purdue, is the lack of deep tourney runs. He's much more familiar with Purdue's players, and his parents are both Purdue alums so he has been around West Lafayette a lot. This one stings and it really sucks that Purdue lost out on Harris.

Now, it isn't the end of the world that Gary Harris did not commit to Purdue. We still have a very good recruiting class with Rapheal, A.J., Ronnie, and Jay. Gary would have simply been icing on the cake. He takes our class from a very good class to an outstanding class. Gary would've been the top recruit that Painter has ever gotten. He's the type of player that changes how good a team is. It really sucks that Purdue was unable to get him.

I guess I wouldn't have such a problem with this if this didn't seem to always happen to Purdue. We can never land that five star recruit that is a complete game changer from day one. Sure we've gotten great players in the past with Keaton Grant, Chris Kramer, JaJuan Johnson, E'twaun Moore, and Robbie Hummel, but we've never gotten a five star recruit in the Painter era. Year after year, Purdue misses out on these big name recruits that come from our own state!

I'm tired of drinking the kool-aid and going with the mindset that everything is going to be alright. We need to start landing these top recruits if we want to have success in the Big Ten. While we do have a great class coming in; Michigan, Michigan State, and IU all have classes ranked ahead of ours. One year of a great recruiting class isn't going to make or break a program, but if this keeps happening we can't expect to contend anymore. We need to go after the big name players early and not let up. Mackey Arena has gotten a renovation that gives Purdue top notch facilities, Coach Painter is one of the top young coaches, and we do have a successful program. I just don't think we can compete for National Championships if we don't start landing these top recruits. Don't get me wrong, we have a very solid class coming in that is going to be successful. I just don't think we should be getting complacent with finishing near the top of the conference and making sweet sixteens.

I am still very excited about our 2012 class and very confident that we will have a successful team.

Boiler Up!

Welcome 2012 Purdue Boilermakers

2011-11-09T16:46:00.000-06:00

It became official today. Rapheal Davis, A.J. Hammons, Ronnie Johnson, and Jay Simpson signed their national letters of intent today and officially become Purdue Boilermakers. Johnson was the first to sign this morning followed by Davis and Simpson at La Lumiere and Hammons at Oak Hill. These four guys make up Purdue's consensus top 20 recruiting class and the most revered class since the Baby Boilers of 2007. Each player has a tremendous amount of potential and will be able to contribute for the Boilers immediately.

Rapheal Davis 6'5" 200 lbs. SF Fort Wayne, Indiana (LaPorte La Lumiere)

Davis has been committed to the Boilers for ages. After giving his verbal pledge during his freshman year, Davis made his dream into a reality today by signing with Purdue. He left Fort Wayne to play his senior year at La Lumiere prep school in LaPorte, Indiana. With the Lakers, he will be teammates with fellow Purdue commit Jay Simpson along with IU's Hanner Perea, New Mexico's Obij Aget, and Southern Illinois' Antonio Drummond. I like that Davis and Simpson will have a year of playing together under their belt before coming to Purdue. Playing with other great players at La Lumiere and their tough schedule, this should be a great learning experience for Rapheal. Davis is a great scoring threat that is dangerous from anywhere on the offensive side. He's a good shooter and will be able to make an impact immediately for the Boilers.

Jay Simpson 6'9" 250 lbs. PF Champaign, Illinois (LaPorte La Lumiere)

Simpson was the next to commit to the Boilers and like Davis, he is playing his senior year at La Lumiere. He is getting his body in better shape and looks to have a big season for the Lakers. Simpson has a unique skill set for a big man because he is a dominant force in the paint, but he can also shoot the rock. Matt Painter speaks very highly of the big man and believes that he has unlimited amounts of potential for the Boilers. I like what Simpson brings to the floor. He is going to be able to come in right away and fight for playing time with Purdue's other big men on the roster. I really like the fact that him and Davis are playing together this year so they become familiar with each other's playing styles. Hopefully over winter break, I'm able to make the 15 minute drive from my house to La Lu to see these guys play.

Ronnie Johnson 5'11" 160 lbs PG Indianapolis, Indiana (North Central)

Losing Lewis Jackson after this year will hurt the Boilers a little less as point guard Ronnie Johnson comes to Purdue. RJ plays for Indiana high school power North Central in Indianapolis where he will consistently face some of the best competition in the state. Ronnie was the third Boiler commit for 2012 as he did so in May. Johnson is the younger brother of current Purdue sophomore guard Terone Johnson. Johnson is an outstanding point guard and will be able to come in from day one and be a contributor. Johnson is a quick lefty that is a great distributor of the ball. He's a guy that is going to be able to run the offense and control it effectively. I'm very excited to add Johnson to the team and am looking forward to see him play along side his brother come 2012.

A.J. Hammons 7'0" 260 lbs C Carmel, Indiana (Oak Hill Academy)

Hammons was the last to commit to the Boilers when he made his pledge mid-October. Hammons played at Carmel before heading to Virginia to play for national prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy. Hammons is a huge pickup for the Boilers because of his imposing size that he brings in the paint. Matt Painter said that is he looking forward to getting to work with A.J. on his game. At 7'0", Hammons gives Purdue a legitimate big that will allow guys like Simpson, Jacob Lawson, and Donnie Hale to play at the power forward where they belong. Hammons already has tremendous shot blocking and rebounding ability. Hammons is going to have to develop more on the offensive side of the ball. Coach Painter is someone that is going to be able to push Hammons to become the best player he can be.

I am very excited about our 2012 recruiting class. This is a very talented group of guys that are all huge additions to Purdue. I'm happy with what we have, but everyone knows that adding a fifth member to this class will push Purdue towards one of the top classes for 2012. That fifth member of course is blue chip shooting guard Gary Harris. Harris is one of the top players in the 2012 class and adding a player of his caliber would be huge for Purdue. Harris would be a bigger signing that anyone in Purdue's 2007 class. That doesn't mean he will be better, but he is going to have the chance to have that kind of impact. As of now, it looks like Harris is deciding between Purdue and Michigan State. There are obvious pros and cons to each school that Harris is going to have to decide between when making his decision. With a decision to come in the next week, all of Boiler Nation is hoping that Harris decides to pick the old gold and black.

Congratulations to Rapheal, A.J., Ronnie, and Jay on official becoming Boilermakers today! Welcome to the family, Boiler Up!

2011-12 Purdue Basketball: Anthony Johnson

2011-11-07T12:25:00.000-06:00

Anthony Johnson #1 Guard

Redshirt Freshman

Chicago, Illinois (Whitney Young)

6'3" 179 lbs.

Projection: Key Reserve

First off, I just want to say Happy Birthday to Anthony as he celebrates his 20th birthday today.

AJ hails from Chicago where he was a State Champion with city power Whitney Young. He was a four star and top 100 recruit by Rivals. Johnson was a three time Illinois Large School All-State selection for the Dolphins.

Johnson is a player that I am excited to get to see in action this year. AJ redshirted his freshman year last season to help gain some size. He's back this year and has shown he can score in the first two exhibition games of the season. Johnson scored 9 points against Northern State and 8 points against Southern Indiana. Johnson is a good shooting guard that has the ability to hit from long range. He is very quick and can force lots of turnovers on defense. I feel that Johnson is going to have to show he can not only score, but be a defensive presence for the Boilers this season.

I don't think that AJ will start this year with senior Ryne Smith in front of him, but I do believe he will be a spark off of the bench. He can come into the game and hit some key 3's for the Boilers and give Purdue some speed on the court. I'd like to see Johnson get around six points a game this year and a couple of assists and steals. He's a scorer and can get the job done on both ends of the court. I think this is Johnson's year to breakout for Purdue.

Boiler Up!

2011-12 Purdue Basketball: Neal Beshears

2011-11-07T12:04:00.000-06:00

Neal Beshears #30 Forward

Freshman
Winchester, Indiana (Maine Central Institute)
6'6" 187 lbs.

Projection: Reserve

Beshears comes to Purdue this season as a walk-on after spending last season at Maine Central Institute, the same prep school as former Boilermaker Brad Miller. Beshears turned down some small school offers to return to Indiana to walk-on for the Boilers. Neal is a 2010 Winchester High School graduate where he was an Indiana All-Star and Honorable Mention All-State as a senior. Last season at prep school school, he helped MCI to the NEPSAC Class AAA championship as he started 28 of 31 games.

While I don't expect Beshears to see much playing this season, he could play a role for the Boilers in the future. He has good size at 6'6" and provides some need depth at the forward spot. Coach Painter likes hard working guys and if you work hard, you can see the floor. Beshears needs to learn the Purdue system this year and challenge the guys in practice everyday to get himself and the team more prepared and improve on their game.

Boiler Up!

2011-12 Purdue Basketball: Jacob Lawson

2011-10-31T12:16:00.000-05:00

Jacob Lawson #34 Forward

Freshman
Reidsville, North Carolina (Oak Ridge Military Academy)
6'8" 218 lbs.

Projection: Key Reserve

As Purdue starts the season off tomorrow against Northern State in exhibition, the next player I am profiling is freshman forward Jacob Lawson.

Lawson comes to Purdue from North Carolina where he is coming off an achilles injury that forced him to miss a good part of his senior year. He wasn't a highly rated recruit, but I attribute part of that to his injury. From what I've read, Lawson is a super athletic power forward. Matt Painter has even said that he is one of the best athletes at his position from his class. I have watched some highlights of Lawson and he is explosive going to the basket. He seems very impressive down low and is a talented shot blocker. Lawson is still raw on the offensive side of the ball, but Painter has a good track record with changing that. (JaJuan Johnson) I think that Lawson is going to be a strong defensive presence for the Boilers throughout his career.

Lawson will be one of the guys to rotate in with Travis Carroll, Donnie Hale, and Sandi Marcius to help the loss of JaJuan Johnson. Lawson should have an immediate impact for the Boilers as long as he is healthy. There has been talks of Coach Painter redshirting one of the freshman. If this were to happen, I would have to believe that it would be Lawson since he is coming off such a major injury as he had. I somewhat like the idea because of the fact it allows him to get bigger and stronger, refine his game, and get a year to learn the Purdue system. It is unlikely that Hale would be redshirted since he already spent a year at prep school. I am not a huge fan of redshirting in basketball though, because it has such an effect on future scholarships. The state of Indiana has a very talented class of 2014 that Purdue has some serious targets in. We are already going to be limited on the number of scholarships available for that year so I'm not crazy about losing another.

Regardless of what happens with Lawson this year, he is going to be an impact player for the Boilers. If he isn't redshirted this season, I would like to see him get around four points a game and at least four rebounds. Guys like Hummel, LewJack, and Smith are going to be counted on more for offense, so I would like to see a guy like Lawson be a strong defensive presence.

Beat Northern State, Boiler Up!

Michigan 36 Purdue 14

2011-10-31T11:34:00.000-05:00

I just want to start by apologizing for not having a preview for this game. I also did not watch this game as I was out and about in Chicago so the only news I got from the game was through my ESPN Scorecenter app.

While it was a close game to start off with, Purdue was unable to stop Michigan's potent offense. Playing at The Big House is always going to be tough and the #18 Wolverines made sure that Purdue didn't pull an upset for the second consecutive week.

The offense struggled and failed to execute once again. There wasn't much good on the running game. I did like seeing the long touchdown from Caleb TerBush to Gary Bush. I've been saying all season that I want to see Gary's speed utilized as he is one of the fastest players on the team. Robert Marve hit O.J. Ross with a touchdown pass late in the game and there was not much else positive about Purdue's offensive attack.

The defense also struggled and was unable to stop Michigan's offense. Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for a career high 170 yards with two touchdowns. Denard Robinson actually wasn't the killer for the Boilers, but a steady rushing attack from the Wolverines was what killed us. Joe Holland and Josh Johnson each intercepted a pass from Robinson.

Purdue falls to 4-4 on the year with the loss. I think a key to Purdue's success has to be consistency on both sides of the ball. We need to play like the first half of the Illinois game all the time. The Boilers face off against Wisconsin at Camp Randall after the Badgers lost their second consecutive game. I don't have a very good feeling about this one. I could see the Badgers taking out their frustration on the Boilers and put up a huge number on offense.

Go get Wisconsin this week, Boiler Up!

2011-12 Purdue Basketball: Donnie Hale

2011-10-26T11:49:00.000-05:00

Donnie Hale #15 Forward

Freshman
New Albany, IN (Bridgton Prep)
6'8" 212 lbs.

Projection: Key Reserve

As the 2011-12 basketball season is quickly approaching, I am going to start profiling each player on the Purdue roster. I'll be leading off with freshman Donnie Hale.

Hale comes to Purdue as a holdover from the 2010 recruiting class. Hale was a AP First-Team All State pick in Indiana as a senior. With no scholarship available, Hale spent a year at Bridgton Prep in Maine where he was a Class AAA Honorable Mention All State selection. With a year of prep school under his belt, Hale is going to be able to contribute right away for the Boilers.

At 6'8", Hale is going to bring some size to the floor and will hopefully pick up some of the slack down low after the graduation of JaJuan Johnson. Donnie has a good shot and can hit from beyond the arc. Hale reminds a lot of people of a Robbie Hummel type of player in that he is a big guy who has good shooting ability. I'm not going to call Hale, "Robbie 2.0", because I think that is unfair to put that type of label on a freshman. Hale does have the tools and skill to become a very good basketball player for Purdue.

There has been talk of Coach Painter redshirting either Hale or power forward Jacob Lawson, but I doubt it will be Hale because he has already spent a year at prep school. I'm looking for Hale to be a decent contributor off of the bench this season. I think it isn't unreasonable to see Hale average six points and four rebounds a game this year. Hale will be needed in the front court so he will get his shot to prove he can play at the college level.

Boiler Up!

Purdue 21 Illinois 14

2011-10-23T11:12:00.000-05:00

I stand corrected. In my post on Friday, I predicted that Illinois would win 28-24 but the Boilermakers came out to play and upset the number 23 Illini 21-14 at Ross-Ade Stadium on homecoming. I was very impressed with how Purdue played through most of the game. With the win, Purdue improved to 4-3 overall and it was their first win over a ranked opponent since the victory over Ohio State in 2009.

Purdue's offense played very well in the first half before trailing off in the second half. Quarterback Caleb TerBush was very impressive as he threw for 178 yards with two touchdown passes. He hit Justin Siller and Jared Crank each with a touchdown. Freshman Raheem Mostert had two big plays as he ran a touchdown in and he tackled Illinois' punter which led to a Purdue touchdown. The running game had some stuggles yesterday but still played a decent game.

Purdue was also very impressive on defense on the day. Ricardo Allen had 10 tackles and picked off a deep pass that prevent a likely Illinois score. The interception was Allen's third of the year. Kawann Short also had a monster game with 6 tackles, 3.5 for loss, and two sacks. Dwayne Beckford and Joe Holland led the tackling with 11 a piece and a half a sack a piece. Gerald Gooden also picked up a sack on the day. The Boiler defense limited Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and didn't allow him to get the Illini offense going til late in the game.

This was a huge win for the Boilers as now they just need two wins to be bowl eligible. Purdue will have a tough game next week as they head to Ann Arbor to face off against Michigan in the Big House. Pulling off another upset next week would put the Boilers in a great position for the rest of the season.

Great win yesterday Purdue. Keep working hard. Boiler Up!

Homecoming: Purdue vs Illinois

2011-10-21T14:26:00.001-05:00

It's every Purdue alums' favorite time of the year, homecoming. Unlike last year when we had the honor of playing a terrible Minnesota team on this day, this year the Boilers face a tough 6-1 Illinois team that is ranked 23rd in the country. Last year's homecoming victory was marred by the news that Robbie Hummel had torn his ACL in the men's basketball team's first practice of the year. I remember how I went from enjoying the rare Boiler victory to a shocked, disgruntled state. It is a new year though and Rob is healthy so hopefully we won't have to worry about any injuries to #4.

Illinois comes in at 6-1 picking up their first loss of the season last week to Ohio State 17-7. Coach Zook and the Fighting Illini are led by sophomore quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase. Scheelhaase is not only an outstanding QB with 1407 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, he is also the leading rusher with 396 yards and four touchdowns. U of I also has a big receiving threat with A.J. Jenkins as he has accounted for 895 receiving yards with seven touchdowns.

While the Illini come in with a lot of wins, they've had some pretty close games like a 38-35 win over Northwestern, 17-14 over ASU, and 23-20 over Western Michigan. It is going to be a tough game, but I think that the Boilers can pull the upset. Here is what I think Purdue needs to do this game to be successful:

1. Containing Scheelhaase

Scheelhaase is a passing and running threat to the Boilers and if Purdue cannot contain him, the game could go south very quickly. The defensive line needs to be able to limit Scheelhaase's run game and put some big hits on him. I'm counting on guys like Kawann Short, Bruce Gaston, Gerald Gooden, Ryan Russell, and Ryan Isaac to lay the smack down.

2. Shutdown Jenkins

A.J. Jenkins is the Illini's best and most used receiver. After his 54 receptions, the next player has 14. I like the matchup here between Jenkins and Ricardo Allen. Jenkins isn't very big and I think that Ricardo has the ability to shut him down. If Allen can limit Jenkins' opportunities, a big portion of the Illinois offense will be taken out.

3. Execute on Offense

I feel that if the Boilers would've turned some of those field goals into touchdowns against Penn State last week, the Boilers would've won by two scores. I was impressed with the play of the offense for the most part last Saturday. I think that Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve need to make smart decisions and try to limit turnovers this game. They each had some costly interceptions last week that helped lead to the Penn State victory. I'd still like to see some more long passes. I'm not saying every play needs to be a hail mary, but TerBush and Marve both have strong throwing arms and I'd like to see guys like Antavian Edison and Gary Bush break off for a big catch.

I'm looking forward to the game tomorrow and think it is going to be a good game. This would be a huge victory for Purdue and would be extremely helpful in earning a bowl bid. If Purdue can shut down the Illini offense, then this is a very winnable game.

Prediction: Illinois 28 Purdue 24

Also, I wanted to give a special shout out to long snapper Kevin Ballinger. I saw Ballinger at the Den today and couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell him how much I enjoyed reading his blog, Snapping Necks. Snapping Necks is a must read for Purdue football fans and gives a nice insight into the life of a long snapping badass. Check it out at http://snappingnecks.blogspot.com/

Beat Illinois and Boiler Up!

Penn State 23 Purdue 18

2011-10-18T14:30:00.000-05:00

While any loss is disappointing, I actually didn't feel that bad about the loss to Penn State on Saturday. I was somewhat encouraged by what I saw in this game. Purdue kept the Penn State offense in check for most of the game and was able to put up some points against a tough Nittany Lion defense.

I was watching the game and I was so surprised at how Purdue wasn't blowing the game like against Notre Dame. What I like out of this game was how well the offense ran. Besides TerBush and Marve's crucial interceptions, I felt like the offense did an okay job against Penn State. Some of those first half field goals could have easily been touchdowns if Purdue could've capitalized on one play. Carson Wiggs struggled on the day as he missed a field goal and an extra point. If Wiggs converts on all of those, Purdue loses by just one and if Purdue doesn't allow the 92 yards kick off return that setup a Penn State field goal, the Boilers possibly win.

The interceptions by TerBush and Marve really hurt. Marve's was a huge lack of judgment. Instead of making a wobbly pass into traffic on third and long, he could've thrown it away and set up a Boiler punt. His interception leads to a Penn State field goal. TerBush's pick in the late minutes of the game sealed the Nittany Lion victory. Purdue had plenty of chances to pull off the upset in Happy Valley. The running game was solid agains with Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers leading the way. It is nice to know that we will have them back next year as well. The passing game wasn't too bad. O.J. Ross had a nice touchdown catch.

I felt the defense didn't play too bad besides allowing Silas Redd to run for 131 yards. Josh Johnson and Ryan Russell each forced a fumble and Russell picked up a sack. I really like Ryan's development on the defensive line. The redshirt freshman is going to have a huge impact for the Boilers defense for years to come. Dwayne Beckford also played a really good game and lead the way with 11 tackles. I'd like to see guys like Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston get into the backfield more and cause some more problems for the opposing team's quarterback. They have plenty of talent to do this and I think they are going to only get better this year.

Coach Hope has a lot of faith in his team and says that Purdue is a bowl caliber team. At 3-3, Purdue is going to have to win some big games from here on out. Purdue is going to have a tough game for Homecoming against the Fighting Illini of Illinois. Illinois comes in at 6-1 after picking up their first loss last week to Ohio $tate (no typo). I do think Purdue has a good chance to upset Illinois this weekend. I was encourage by play against Penn State and hope that they can keep it going this week.

Boiler Up!

A.J. Hammons Commits to Purdue

2011-10-14T08:59:00.001-05:00

The Purdue men's basketball team got a HUGE commitment last night both literally and figuratively. 7'0" center A.J. Hammons of Oak Hill Academy announced last night that he will be a Purdue Boilermaker. Hammons is ranked in the top 150 by ESPN, Rivals, and Scout.com. Yesterday I made a post talking about 2012 basketball recruiting and later that night, Hammons committed. Coincidence? I think not.

A Carmel, Indiana native, Hammons has been playing his final two high school seasons at prep power Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. A.J. becomes the fourth player to commit to Purdue for the 2012 class along with Rapheal Davis, Ronnie Johnson, and Jay Simpson. This a huge pickup for Matt Painter and the Boilers. Hammons is a monster in the paint and is such an imposing figure. There has been some question of his hustle and his work ethic but with a coach like Matt Painter, you know any of those doubts will quickly be erased. He gives the Boilers a legitimate center and this will allow guys like Jacob Lawson, Donnie Hale, and Jay Simpson to play the 4 where they belong.

This also could be a huge advantage in landing blue chip guard Gary Harris. After Hammons announced his decision, both Rapheal Davis and Ronnie Johnson made tweets to Gary Harris about him joining them in West Lafayette. Davis has said on more than one occasion on Twitter, that the 2012 Purdue class would be the new "Fab 5" with a commitment from Harris. Adding a top shooting guard in Harris would fill every lineup spot. The four already committed Boilers have a great amount of potential and adding Gary Harris would only increase the possibilities. These guys could be the new "Fab 5" and that is exciting.

In addition to a big basketball commitment, there was also some noteworthy recruiting news at one of Purdue's satellite campuses. The Purdue North Central men's golf team, coached by my dad Jay Williams, landed its first commit yesterday for 2012. The Panthers are a team on the rise, especially with a great coach and golfer like my dad.

Congrats to A.J. on making his choice to play for Purdue. Gary Harris, come on down and complete the "Fab 5". Boiler Up!

Basketball Recruiting

2011-10-13T10:07:00.000-05:00

As basketball season is quickly approaching, perhaps the biggest part of the game I am personally excited for is the recruiting. In the past year, I have been following Purdue's recruiting very closely and am excited about the possibilities of the Boilers' future. Here is just a recap of who we have so far:

2012

PG Ronnie Johnson 5'10" 160 4 Star Indianapolis, IN
PF Jay Simpson 6'9" 250 4 Star Champaign, IL
SG Rapheal Davis 6'5" 200 3 Star Fort Wayne, IN

This is a very solid 2012 class. All of our recruits are featured in the Rivals 150 and all will bring something special to Purdue. Ronnie is the younger brother of Boilermaker Terone Johnson and is definitely a very special point guard prospect. He is a solid scoring threat and has a great handle on the ball. Simpson is a big body that is going to help the front court immediately. He's a good post player offensively and a great rebounder. Davis is a guy who is very underrated in my eyes. He has good size at the two and has a knack for scoring. Johnson plays for Indianapolis powerhouse North Central High School, while Davis and Simpson will be teammates this year at LaLumiere School in LaPorte, IN.

2013

SG Kendall Stephens 6'4" 160 4 Star St. Charles, IL
PG Bryson Scott 6'1" 170 4 Star Fort Wayne, IN
SF Basil Smotherman 6'6" 190 3 Star Indianapolis, IN

2013 is also a very talented class for the Boilers. Stephens is a great shooter and can be lethal from beyond the arc. Scott is a tough point guard that has play similar to Terone Johnson. Smotherman brings good length and athleticism to the court and is solid on both ends of the floor. He has dropped a little bit in the rankings but I attribute that to the fact he missed a good portion of summer ball with an injury. These guys still have two more seasons of high school ball to develop their game.

There are so many different scenarios on how the recruiting for the next couple of years can turn out. Right now, the biggest target is obviously five star 6'4" shooting guard Gary Harris out of Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers, Indiana. Harris is the son of former Purdue All-American Joy Harris. Harris took his official to Purdue over the weekend of October 1st. He also is planning on official visits to Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan State. Being the son of Purdue alumni, many would think that the Boilers would be the obvious choice for Harris. I wouldn't be so sure, as we saw the son of Purdue great Glenn Robinson chose Michigan over the Boilers. I'm not saying that because Glenn Robinson III didn't choose the Boilers that Harris won't, but I could see why he would choose another school over Purdue. Harris is a potential superstar and should be Purdue's number one priority. I honestly believe that it is between us and Michigan State for Harris' talents. I don't see him going the Kentucky or Indiana routes because of the talent they already have lined up. If Purdue can only add one person for 2012, I want Gary Harris.

Other options for 2012 include 7'0" center A.J. Hammons from Oak Hill Academy and 6'10" power forward Stefan Jankovic from Huntington Prep. I like both of these players and they each would bring something the Boilers could use.

Hammons brings a massive body and imposing figure in the paint at 7'0" and 260 pounds. He is a very good rebounder and shot blocker, but is still raw on the offensive end of the court. If you remember though, JaJuan Johnson was also a very raw player when he came to Purdue and look how he turned out. Hammons took a visit to Purdue in early September.

Jankovic is a guy that has just recently came onto the radar in the past couple of months. After watching some highlights of him, his play reminded me a lot of JaJuan Johnson in the fact that he was a big guy that had the ability to handle the ball and shoot. Jankovic also has very good size at 6'10" and 240 pounds. From what I see on Twitter, he really likes Purdue and will be visiting very soon. If Purdue was to get Gary Harris and add one more guy, I would be all for either of these guys. If Purdue doesn't land Harris, I would say to add only one as well so that a scholarship would be available for 2013 or the very talented class of 2014 that Indiana is producing.

For 2013, it seems as though that the Derek Willis saga is continuing. As most of the Boiler faithful know, Derek Willis committed to Purdue in the spring after a visit when Matt Painter offered him a scholarship. In early August, Willis announced that he was going to open up his recruiting saying that he wasn't 100% on his decision to play for Purdue. Since then, he has been courted by Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana, and has been receiving interest from Illinois as well. The 6'9" power forward from Mount Washington, Kentucky is a top 25 recruit and is an extremely talented young player. Even though he de-committed, he has always said that Purdue is still one of his top schools and he still has a good relationship with the coaches. Willis plans to be at the Boilermakers season opening practice on Saturday, which is closed to the public. Coach Painter was also at Willis' high school this past weekend and talked with Derek's high school coach. Purdue is still a very serious contender to get Derek Willis.

My opinion on the matter is that I would fully support Derek Willis committing to the Boilers again. He is a very young kid so we shouldn't hold it against him that he changed his mind. He is a special player and has loads of potential so Purdue would be dumb to not pursue Willis. Adding Derek Willis will boost our 2013 class to one of the top in college basketball.

While this is still years away, many young talents are starting to emerge in Indiana from the 2014 class. Some of the notables include: JaQuan Lyle, Tyler Wideman, Trevon Bluiett, Perry Poindexter, and Kendall Rollins. All have received interest from the Boilers and Bluiett, Lyle, and Wideman have all received offers already. It is going to be interesting to see how 2014 turns out. There are many talented players in Indiana that Purdue has a serious shot at getting. I'm looking forward to seeing who Purdue can get.

Best of luck to all recruits this upcoming basketball season. Boiler Up!

Purdue 45 Minnesota 17

2011-10-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

My fall break is concluding today and I will be heading back down to West Lafayette soon. These five days away from Purdue have been very relaxing and enjoyable. I apologize for not having a preview for the Purdue/ Minnesota game, but I had a very busy exam and homework schedule last week. I correctly predicted the Gophers point total but was way off on the Boilers. After seeing the awful offensive output against Notre Dame, I wasn't ready to give away a huge prediction on points even if it was against the struggling Gophers. I am happy that I was way off on my point prediction as the Boilers had an impressive offensive day.

The Boilers were able to dominate the game on both sides of the ball on Saturday. Ralph Bolden, Raheem Mostert, and Akeem Shavers all ran a touchdown in. Shavers and O.J. Ross also pulled in a touchdown catch each. Carson Wiggs connected on a long 53 yard field goal and Ricardo Allen took an interception 37 yards to the house for his third career interception returned for a touchdown.

The defense was also led by Dwayne Beckford and Will Lucas' eight tackles apiece. Kawann Short picked up a sack, Brandon Taylor forced a fumble and Ryan Russell recovered two fumbles. Overall, I was impressed on how well the defense played and limited Minnesota's offense.

While this was a fairly easy win for the Boilers, it won't be an easy game this weekend as Purdue travels to Happy Valley to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State stands at 5-1 as they opened up Big Ten play with a 13-3 win over Iowa.

While many people may not agree, I believe that Danny Hope is the man to coach Purdue. He may have moments that make you wonder what the hell he is thinking, but he is a good leader and a popular man among the players. The bad losses to Rice and Notre Dame cannot all fall on Coach Hope, the players need to be held accountable for some of the mistakes.

Keep up the hard work Purdue, Boiler Up!

Notre Dame 38 Purdue 10

2011-10-02T11:28:00.000-05:00

Last night's game went about as far south of my prediction as it could've been. I predicted and even expected a close, exciting game with a balance and effective Purdue offense and a disruptive defense. Purdue did not accomplish any of that yesterday as they were pounded by the Irish 38-10. I knew the game probably wasn't going to turn out as I wanted after Caleb TerBush threw an interception on the first offensive play of the game. The loss was simple because the Boilers were able to accomplish very little on offense and defense. Notre Dame was able to really do whatever they wanted on offense and were able to shut down the Boilers on defense.

The Good/Bad:

The Good

Really not much to say here but,

1. Marve's Play - Even though our offense didn't do very well, I felt we had a much better chance to score with Robert Marve taking the snaps. I think from here on out we could see Marve as being the starter.

2. Chris Carlino- Carlino did exactly what he has always done on specials teams, and that is embarrass the shit out of whoever gets in his way. Irish long snapper Jordan Cowart decided that he was going to try to block Carlino. When Carlino proceeded to pancake Cowart, he decided he would get all tough and start swinging. I hope Jordan Cowart and all of the Irish fan base knows that Chris Carlino would rip your head off in a minute and present it to your family as a gift. You are a long snapper, get off the field because no one besides your mom even knows you are on the team. Your own coach even said you need to keep your composure because you are a long snapper. One up to Brian Kelly for verbally hazing Cowart and sending his ass to the locker room.

The Bad
'
Going to keep it brief here:
Bad run defense
Bad running game
Bad passing game
Bad coverage
Bad coaching

I'm not putting all of this on the players because we don't have a very good coaching staff in my eyes. Notre Dame should really win against Purdue because they get blue chip recruits consistently while it is considered a good recruiting class if Purdue can land a single four star recruit.

That is really all I can say about the game itself. Purdue just needs to move forward and prepare for Minnesota next week.

While my mind is still on Purdue/Notre Dame, I will add my little rant for the day. It really pisses me off when people with no connection to Notre Dame insult Purdue as an academic institution. I am from Northwest Indiana which is obviously a hot bed for Notre Dame fans. Most of the people I know that root for the blue and gold have absolutely no ties to Notre Dame. While that doesn't mean you can't root for the Irish, most of these "fans" would have no idea who The Gipper, Tim Brown, Paul Hornug, Ara Parseghian, or Lou Holtz are.
You can talk trash about Purdue's athletics all you want, but when you insult the university when you yourself doesn't go to Notre Dame and goes to a school not nearly as prestigious as Purdue, you should really shut your mouth. It also really bothers me when Purdue students root for Notre Dame and talk poorly of Purdue. People should show a little pride in the school that they attend and will be getting their degree from. If you dislike Purdue that much, transfer schools or shut the hell up.

Sorry for the amount of bad language in this post, but this is a subject that really gets me going.

Still a proud Boilermaker. Boiler Up!

Game Week: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2011-09-28T15:52:00.002-05:00

The stage is set, the lights are being put up, and we all cannot wait for Saturday as the Boilers face off against the Irish under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium. This will be my first time seeing Purdue and Notre Dame face off and I am very anxious to experience the atmosphere of a game featured on ESPN. Purdue comes into this game 2-1 after a bye week following a 59-0 blowout of Southeast Missouri State. Notre Dame enters now 2-2 after a close, ugly win last week against Pitt.

I anticipate that this game will be very close and exceptionally exciting. Purdue should be good and rested up for this game after the bye week. Notre Dame comes in with a potent offensive, but has had problems with turnovers as QB Tommy Rees has six interceptions. The Irish defense has also been hot and cold season with some impressive games, and then how they played against Michigan. This is a game that the Boilers cannot afford to make many mistakes. If Purdue is not on top of there game, I could see this one getting ugly really quick. The following are my keys to a Boiler victory:

1. Balanced offensive attack- I think the best way to approach the Irish defense is to spread the ball around and run a variety of plays. We know what we are going to get out of Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers, I would like to see guys like Justin Siller, Antavian Edison, and Gary Bush step up and be a threat.

2. Force turnovers on defense- The Irish have all sorts of troubles with turning the ball over. I think if our defensive line can get in the backfield and cause some troubles for Rees, that could be a huge momentum booster. I expect Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston to have big days.

3. Contain Eifert and Floyd- It's funny that Michael Floyd doesn't worry me as much as Irish TE Tyler Eifert does. He's a big body that is a legitimate receiving threat. Purdue's problem all season on D has been covering the middle of the field and that's where Eifert is the biggest threat. I think that between Ricardo Allen, Josh Johnson, Albert Evans, and company we will be alright on coverage.

I think that this is a very winnable game for the Boilers with it being at Ross-Ade. This game is crucial in Purdue's bowl chances after the loss to Rice. The decisions that the coaching staff makes in this game will be very important. I feel it is going to come down to the wire and I do believe Purdue will come out victorious. Personally, I would love to see Purdue beat Notre Dame so bad that the fans run back to South Bend crying. I am calling that this one will be decided by a field goal with Carson Wiggs hitting the game winner.

Prediction: Purdue 34 Notre Dame 31

This game also serves as a key recruiting event for both football and basketball. As far as basketball, 2012 targets Gary Harris and Stefan Jankovic will be on campus. 2014 blue chip guard JaQuan Lyle will also be in West Lafayette. One of the notable football recruits is 2012 ESPN Elite 11 Quarterback Austin Appleby. Appleby has committed to Purdue over the summer.

Hope everyone is as excited as I am for the game. Beat the Irish!

Boiler Up!

Poll Closed

2011-09-20T18:41:00.000-05:00

The most recent poll question, "Which Purdue basketball recruit are you most excited to see?", recently close with 2012 point guard prospect Ronnie Johnson taking the top honors. A 5'10" lefty out of North Central High School in Indianapolis, Johnson is a four star and top 100 prospect. 2012's Rapheal Davis and 2013's Basil Smotherman tied for second. They were followed by Kendall Stephens, Bryson Scott, and Jay Simpson respectively.

The recruiting classes of 2012 and 2013 have the chance to have the most immediate impact on Purdue basketball since the Baby Boilers of 07. If Gary Harris, A.J. Hammons, or Stefan Jankovic can be added to the 2012 class, or V.J. Beachem to the 2013 class, Purdue could become as serious player in college basketball.

Boiler Up!

Purdue 59 SEMO 0

2011-09-20T13:28:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to say that I was completely wrong on my prediction for the game. After the loss to Rice, I wasn't ready to predict a big victory for the Boilers. Purdue proved me wrong as they came out firing on Saturday and completely destroyed FCS Southeast Missouri State, 59-0.

Purdue totaled over 600 yards for the game including 393 yards rushing. Juniors Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers ran for two touchdowns and Freshman Akeem Hunt also scored two touchdowns on the day. The duo of Bolden and Shavers was very potent on the day and showed how much promise the Boilers have in the backfield. Junior Antavian Edison continued to show his talents as he ran in a touchdown as well. Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve each played in this game. The Qb's combined to go 21 for 25 with 234 yards and a touchdown pass each. Gary Bush and O.J. Ross each caught a touchdown pass. Carson Wiggs rounded out the scoring with a field goal.

While I understand that SEMO was completely over matched against the Boilers, there was still a lot that I was very impressed with out of Purdue. The running game was outstanding. Whoever recruited Akeem Shavers should get a big bonus. He's been very impressive through three games this year. Caleb TerBush is continuing to grow as a starter and gain confidence in his game. Robert Marve was very solid in his first game since tearing his ACL against Toledo last year.

The defensive also put on a good showing as they kept SEMO scoreless. Ricardo Allen picked up his first interception on the season and the defensive line caused a lot of problems for the Redhawks offense.

I think that a big blowout win like this is good for the Boilers. After the tough loss to Rice, a big win should help boost Purdue's confidence. This shows that they can put points up on the board. With an off week, this gives Purdue the chance to recover and prepare for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish picked up their first win beating Michigan State. I'm very excited for this game seeing as it will be a night game and the rivalry games between the Boilers and the Irish are always intense.

Keep up the hard work Purdue and Boiler Up!

Week 3: Southeast Missouri State

2011-09-15T14:32:00.000-05:00

First off, I want to apologize for not posting in over a week. I've had a pretty rough week as far as my classes have been going. After the Rice game, I was also in no mood to blog at that point. The Rice loss should have never happened. I put the loss on the coaching staff for the awful clock management and decisions on that final drive. I would put no blame at all on Carson Wiggs or any of the guys apart of "The Perfect Storm". There are a lot of improvements to be made such as giving the damn ball to Ralph Bolden and Akeem Shavers more and our horrendous pass coverage over the middle. That being said, we can move on from the Rice game and look forward at Southeast Missouri State.

While this game should be an easy win for the Boilers, it is a must win if we want to make it to a bowl game. The schedule is only getting tougher from here on out, so it is crucial that Purdue wins this game. Southeast Missouri State is a team that we should have no trouble with and we have an advantage over at every position.

Here is what I would like to see out of the team in this game:

1. More carries to Bolden and Shavers- We've seen what these guys can do, now let's give them the carries they deserve. Bolden is as good as ever and Shavers has shown he is back that I knew we would be getting. Give these guys the ball more. I would like to see Bolden get around 20 carries and Shavers get at least 10.

2. More disruption in the passing game from the defensive line- The d-line has done an excellent job on stopping the run, but have only picked up one sack so far. The talent is there on the line, we just need these guys to pull through in the game. Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston have dominated the middle. Gerald Gooden has been solid and the emergence of Robert Maci has been nice. Ryan Russell will also continue to grow in his first year of playing. All of the guys on the line need to step it up and cause more disruption for the opposing teams' passing game.

3. COVER THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD- I'm not even going to get in depth with this. This is just something that has to be done if Purdue wants a chance to play in a bowl game.

So as far as my prediction goes, I think that Purdue will win this game. I don't think it is going to be close like MTSU or Rice, but it isn't going to be a blowout.

Purdue 27 SEMO 14

Good luck on Saturday Boilers and bring home the W!

Boiler Up!

Week 2: Rice Owls

2011-09-07T13:13:00.000-05:00

After the Boilers edged out MTSU in the final minute last weekend for a 27-24 victory, Purdue needs to put Rice away early. A road game, we all know that the Boilers haven't fared well away from Ross-Ade recently.

Rice is going to be another team that won't just roll over, especially as the Boilers are on the road. Rice played a solid game last week and nearly beat Texas. The Owls did have some struggles on defense as they gave up over 500 yards on the day. The Owls have do have some playmakers that could catch the Boilers off guard if they are not on their game.

Here are my keys to a Boiler victory:

Offense
1. Run That Ball! - The Rice defense had a lot of trouble last week against the Longhorns. We saw last week that Ralph Bolden has lived up to the hype and Akeem Shavers was very solid after scoring his first Boiler touchdown against MTSU. There is no reason why Purdue shouldn't run the ball a lot against the Owls.

2. TerBush's Improvement- Caleb was a little shaky at the beginning of last week but matured throughout the game. He did an excellent job on the last drive to lead the Boilers to victory with the game winning pass to Antavian Edison. I believe that TerBush will only continue to get better as he gets more experience. If the o-line can improve their pass blocking, TerBush could have a breakout game.

3. Less Penalties from the O-Line- The offensive line committed way way way too many penalties last week. Part of that can probably be contributed to first game jitters and some inexperience, but the penalties really hurt. We had a couple 3rd and longs when they should have been 3rd and 5 or so. With seasoned vets like Dennis Kelly, Nick Mondek, and Peters Drey, the o-line has to step up their game this week.

Defense:
1. Improved Pass Rush- An increase in the pass rush will take some pressure off of our secondary. Guys like Kawann Short, Bruce Gaston, and Ryan Russell are going to be counted on to be disruptive in the backfield. Rice has a pretty good offensive line, so the d-line will need to up their game.

2. Better 3rd Down Defense- Too many times last week, the Boilers gave up a big play on 3rd down. Play needs to be improved from the d-line to the secondary on 3rd down. Purdue has the talent, we just need to execute.

3. Special Teams Improvement- MTSU had some very good returns last week on punts and kicks. Purdue needs to be able to contain the return game and control the momentum. Carson Wiggs and Cody Webster were very solid on the day and my favorite blogging athlete Kevin Ballinger put his long snapping talents on display last week. I would like to see some big plays happen on Purdue's return game as well.

Overall, I think that Purdue still has an edge even playing on the road. I think that the Boilers will improve on both sides of the ball and come out of Houston victorious. Prediction: Purdue 28 Rice 17.

Good luck this weekend Boilers and safe travels.

Boiler Up!

Victory!!! Purdue 27 MTSU 24

2011-09-04T08:58:00.001-05:00

No matter what the game was like, a win is a win. Even though it was ugly at some points and Middle Tennessee State led going into the fourth quarter, the Boilers still prevailed and came out on top. The win was the Boilers first since Homecoming last year against Minnesota snapping a six game losing streak. While the game was almost unbearable at times because of the scorching heat, it was good to see the Boilers pick up the W. While I was just a LITTLE off on the predicted score, I think I underestimated MTSU. The Blue Raiders are a solid offensive team and are not too bad on defense either.

The Boilers had some bright spots and some negatives in the game. Here is what I saw in the victory.

The Good:

1. The Running Game- The rushing attack from the Boilers was potent. Ralph Bolden rushed the ball 17 times for 120 yards. He looks like he never tore his ACL and is as good as he's ever been. Also, new Boiler Akeem Shavers had a solid game as he had 7 carries for 42 yards while scoring his first touchdown as a Boilermaker.

2. Caleb TerBush- While his inexperience may have shown at the beginning of the game, he looked like a multiple year starter during the final drive. TerBush had some struggles early on but picked up play as the game went on. Caleb finished 19 of 31 for 219 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The 35 yards pass to Antavian Edison for the game winner was timed perfectly.

3. Special Teams- Carson Wiggs showed that he was deserving of Preseason First Team All-American as he connected on a 50 yarder and a 47 yarder with ease. Wiggs was also perfect on PAT's. Cody Webster also did an excellent job punting on the day. Ricardo Allen blocked the potential game tying field goal. O.J. Ross and T.J. Barbarette did well on kick returns too.

The Not So Good

1. Penalties!- The Boilers picked up way too many penalties yesterday. Purdue had 11 penalties for 95 yards with a good number of the penalties coming on the offensive line. I think some of those can be credited to the fact that besides Dennis Kelly, everyone on the line is playing a new position. Regardless, the penalties need to go down.

2. 3rd Down Defense- It seemed like every time the Boilers would force a third down on the Blue Raiders, MTSU came up with a big pass play. Improvement needs to be made by the linebackers covering receivers. I do think that the defense will improve this, the first game always seems to magnify defensive struggles over offensive struggles.

3. Not Giving Ralph Bolden The Ball More- I'm sure part of this was due to the fact it was blazing hot out, but Bolden was tearing up the Blue Raider defense. It was obviously working as he ran for 120 yards on 17 carries. Next week against Rice, I would like to see Bolden get in the 20-25 range on carries.

Overall, it was an exciting game and it is always good to see the Boilers pick up a win. Time to get ready to beat the Owls next weekend. Great first win of the season guys, keep them coming.

Boiler Up!

My First Radio Interview

2011-09-01T20:48:00.000-05:00

As I was waiting for my Microeconomics lecture to be over today, (exciting class, I know), I had a new message on Facebook. Tom Marquis of The Balance had messaged me asking if I would be interest in coming on the show tonight to talk about Purdue football. The Balance is an online radio show based out of Indianapolis covering sports throughout Indiana from the high school to professional level. I was very excited and jumped at the offer right away.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about being on the show. I have never been on the radio or had done anything like that before. When my time came, I talked with Tom about Purdue football and Bleeding Gold and Black. We tackled the subjects like Purdue's quarterback situation, filling the void left by Ryan Kerrigan, and the game versus Middle Tennessee State this weekend.

I had a great time on the show and look forward to doing it again. Big thanks to Tom for contacting me and letting me have the opportunity to be on the show.

Check out The Balance at: http://thebalanceonline.com/

Check out my interview which starts around 59 minutes: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-balance/2011/09/01/the-balance-gridiron

Boiler Up!

Latest Poll Results

2011-08-30T09:24:00.000-05:00

Polls have closed for the most recent questions. A pretty solid number of votes were cast this time around.

For the first question, "Who should be Purdue's starting Quarterback this season?", the results were obviously affected after Rob Henry tore his ACL and TerBush was named the starter on Sunday. Prior to his injury, Henry led the way followed by Marve, TerBush, Robinson, and Dawson respectively. After Henry's injury, TerBush finished in first with 29 votes followed by Henry's 20, Marve's 14, while Robinson and Dawson each collected two votes. Kickoff is in four days and we are all anxious to see TerBush in the starting role.

In the second poll, "Better GameDay atmosphere?", Mackey Arena collected 30 votes out of the 42 cast. I feel that for the actual game, you can't beat a packed house in Mackey Arena. For the entire day, it is hard to beat the tailgating, number of people, the games of cornhole, and Breakfast Club prior to kickoff at Ross-Ade Stadium. Regardless of what venue you voted for, Boiler fans can all agree that each is special in its own way.

Hope to see BoilerNation out at the football game on Saturday! Boiler Up!

Game Week: Middle Tennessee State

2011-08-29T13:37:00.002-05:00

Game Time: September 3rd. 12:00 P.M. EST. Ross-Ade Stadium.

Opponent: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

2010: 6-7, Lost in GoDaddy.com Bowl vs Miami (OH)

It is finally here Boiler fans, the 2011 Purdue football campaign kicks off on Saturday against the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State. It has been a very eventful off season for the Boilers. I have been looking forward to seeing how the Boilers have improved since last year's disappointing season. The biggest story coming into the season opener has definitely been the quarterback situation after projected starter, sophomore Rob Henry, tore his ACL in practice last week. On Sunday, Coach Hope announced that junior Caleb TerBush would be the starter. TerBush hasn't played in a game since 2009 after he sat out last season after being ruled academically ineligible.

I expect that Purdue should have no trouble defeating the Blue Raiders after MTSU lost a great amount on both sides of the ball. Here are some of the players I think Purdue fans should keep an eye on.

Offense:

1. Ralph Bolden RB
- Bolden returns after missing all of last season with the dreaded ACL injury. He has had a lot of time to recover and rehab his knee and I think he is going to have an explosive season. With the experience we have on the offensive line, there is no reason that Bolden shouldn't have a great year. With his speed, experience,and the addition of Akeem Shavers, Purdue's running game will be much improved this season.

2. Caleb TerBush QB
-Obviously this is a big headline for Purdue. TerBush has been named the starter after Henry's injury and Robert Marve's nagging injury. He has possibly the best arm of any of the Purdue quarterbacks and he has the best size at 6'5" and 225 pounds. Coach Hope has spoken very highly of the improvements TerBush has made to his game. In the year he sat off for academic reasons, TerBush has been able to get it together in the classroom and on the field. I think that the Purdue offense is going to be in good hands with TerBush at the helm.

3. Akeem Shavers RB
-Shavers has been a nice pick up for the Boilers. Akeem comes in as a JuCo transfer that is ready to make an immediate impact. Shavers will be a nice complement to Bolden as he brings a little bit more size to the field. Shavers and Bolden are going to form a very talented rushing duo which will greatly improved the running game. He has impressed the coaches so far through camp and will for sure be someone we need to keep an eye on this season.

Defense:

1. Ricardo Allen CB
-Probably the top young corner in the Big Ten, if not the country. We all saw what Allen can do after he started every game as a true freshman and took two interceptions back for touchdowns. What he lacks in size, Allen makes up for in hard work and determination. He is one of the fastest on the team with a reported 40 yard dash time of 4.28 seconds. Many opposing receivers are going to get stranded on "Rico Island" this season.

2. Joe Holland LB
-Holland is not only a very solid player, but he is a leader as well. Joe is one of the team captains and brings lots of experience to the field. One of the leading tacklers a season ago, Holland is going to lead an experienced and talented linebacker unit with Dwayne Beckford and Will Lucas. Holland has also been named to the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list for the season.

3. Ryan Russell DE
-While replacing Ryan Kerrigan will be no easy task, Ryan Russell is a guy that I believe has the potential to do that. A redshirt freshman, Russell is someone who works hard everyday to improve his game. Though I haven't met him personally, Russell seems very personable and has always responded to my tweets on Twitter. Russell's 6'5" 264 pound frame brings great size at the position and will for sure help ease the loss of Kerrigan on the d-line. Russell is going to have a bright future ahead of him.

Other Players To Watch:
K Carson Wiggs
DT Kawann Short
DT Bruce Gaston
DT Ryan Isaac
WR Antavian Edison
WR Justin Siller
TE Gabe Holmes

PREDICTION: Purdue 31 MTSU 13

Follow me on Twitter at: BOILER_EWILL25

Boiler Up!

2012 Rivals 150 Update

2011-08-25T15:17:00.002-05:00

Rivals has released their latest updated rankings for the Class of 2012 today. Purdue has three commits in the top 150 and two targets remain also.

Commits:

Ronnie Johnson #92 4-star (Previously #88)

Jay Simpson #102 4-star (Previously #94)

Rapheal Davis #107 3-star (Remains at #107)

I'm surprised that Johnson fell in the rankings after making a huge jump in the July update. To me, Davis is also greatly underrated at #107. Simpson's ranking also surprised me since he has had a strong summer too.

Targets:

Gary Harris #26 5-star (Previously 4-star)

A.J. Hammons #124 3-star (Previously #90, 4-star)

Harris has finally been upgraded to the 5-star prospect we've all known he has been. Gary is making an official visit to Purdue on October 1st. A.J.'s slip in the rankings is a little disappointing. Rankings are not everything, but a slip like that does not look good. He is making an unofficial to Purdue tomorrow.

I'm extremely excited to see how the 2012 recruiting class will shake out.Whatever our guys our ranked, I know that we are getting top tier talent that will for sure lead the way for the bright future of Purdue basketball.

Full list can be found here:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/purdue/basketball/recruiting/rankings/rank-2509/2012;_ylt=Al7ASvz17vUz5vKTvwGhD7mEtZB4

Boiler Up!

"Purdue Torn ACL Club" Adds New Member.....Rob Henry

2011-08-24T18:00:00.001-05:00

I guess it just wouldn't be Purdue athletics unless someone suffered a season ending injury. The Knee Demon has struck in West Lafayette again with his new victim being sophomore quarterback Rob Henry. Boiler Nation learned today that Henry suffered the anterior cruciate ligament tear last night at practice. Henry is one of many Boilermakers who have gone through this painfully re-occuring injury at Purdue. On the football team, Robert Marve, Keith Smith, and Ralph Bolden all lost last season due to the injury. The basketball team lost Robbie Hummel. The women's basketball team and volleyball also lost key members to the injury in KK Houser and Anna Drewry, respectively.

What this means for Purdue football is that junior Caleb TerBush will be the number one quarterback with sophomore Sean Robinson backing him up as senior Robert Marve recovers from his own ACL tear. I'm just going to flat out say it, this sucks. Henry was named a team captain this year and has been one of the most improved players on the team, and this horrible injury happens to him. If Marve was healthy this wouldn't be AS big of a problem, but being that he isn't, this isn't good. This also means that Sean Robinson will likely lose this year as a redshirt year. Robinson was forced into playing time last year due to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart and he lost his redshirt. A likely candidate for a redshirt this year, Robinson will now probably have to play at some point in the season if Marve does not recover as planned.

I still have lots of faith in the Boilers, but this is not a good start to the season.

Ten days away from kickoff, Boiler Up!

Hectic Weekend = Not Much Blogging

2011-08-22T19:08:00.000-05:00

I apologize to everyone for not being on top of my game these past couple of days. I moved back to Purdue on Saturday and have been busy with moving, getting prepared for class, and activities for my fraternity among other things. I also have just gotten consistent internet access today so I have been unable to stay up on Bleeding Gold and Black.

Just wanted everyone to know that I'm excited to be back at Purdue and am enjoying the time with my friends. Boiler Nation is less than two weeks away from getting to see the Boilers out at Ross-Ade Stadium on September 3rd. I can already feel the excitement around campus. Get ready for a great season Purdue.

For the first time this school year in West Lafayette, Boiler Up!

Back to School, Back to School

2011-08-19T23:51:00.000-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the day. I will be making my very "exciting" journey down 421 towards West Lafayette. I just wanted to say thanks to all of the readers that have followed Bleeding Gold and Black this summer. It has been tough to blog while I'm at home without any direct access to Purdue athletics, but hopefully being back on campus will improve my quality and quantity of posts.

I've had a good summer at home between spending time with my family and friends and working. It's a nice change of pace to be in your own home for an extended period of time. I am looking forward to making my return to Purdue, though. It will be nice to see my friends and to be back around the buzz on campus.

Thanks again for reading Bleeding Gold and Black, Boiler Nation.

See you on campus. Boiler Up!

Marve Cleared to Play

2011-08-17T21:42:00.001-05:00

Purdue University's football office made two statements today regarding quarterback and former Miami Hurricane Robert Marve's eligibility.

Statement 1: "Purdue University has been in communication with the NCAA regarding Tuesday's media report that mentions Robert Marve"

Statement 2: "There are no issues with Purdue or eligibility issues w/Robert. Purdue will have no further comment on this matter."

I'm glad that Marve has been cleared to play. While he has made some mistakes in his past, I feel that he is truly putting an effort to improve his life. He's gone through a lot since he has been here at Purdue and I wish him nothing but the best.

Boiler Up!

Robert Marve In Trouble?

2011-08-17T08:02:00.000-05:00

It has recently come to light that University of Miami booster Nevin Shapiro alleges he provided multiple extra benefits to Purdue quarterback and former Miami Hurricane Robert Marve. Shapiro alleges that he provided Marve with VIP access at strip clubs, drinks and VIP access at night clubs, entertainment at Shapiro's mansion, cash gifts, dinner, and transportation.

Shapiro is currently incarcerated for his part in a ponzi scheme. He also named former Hurricane players such as Andre Johnson, Willis McGahee, Kellen Winslow Jr., and Devin Hester as beneficiaries. Shapiro also named current Miami quarterback, Jacory Harris, as someone who received these benefits.

So what happens if these allegations prove to be true? If Marve is found to have receive these benefits, he would be ruled ineligible. I really hate to see something like this happen to Marve. He's had to deal with so much adversity in his college career, I was just hoping that this season would be the year that he could play injury free and not have any off-field distractions.

Original article found here: http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news;_ylt=AsJBe6rd8FCe2VJNl9YGtDE7MuB_?slug=ys-robert_marve_allegations

On a lighter note, Boiler football is just 17 days away!

Boiler Up!

Latest Poll Results

2011-08-15T23:18:00.000-05:00

The polls have closed! The most recent polls on Bleeding Gold and Black just closed tonight and the winners were no surprise to me.

In the first poll asking, "What Purdue basketball player will have the biggest impact on the team?", Senior Robbie Hummel won in a landslide by taking 116 of the 195 votes cast. This should be no surprise to anyone because a healthy Hummel means the world to Boiler basketball this season. Senior Lewis Jackson collected 18 votes for a second place finish. The remaining vote getters, in order, are:

Terone Johnson (13)
Anthony Johnson (11)
Travis Carroll (9)
Kelsey Barlow (8)
Donnie Hale (6)
D.J. Byrd (5)
Jacob Lawson (4)
Ryne Smith (2)
Neal Beshears (2)
Sandi Marcius (1)
John Hart (1)

I also have to apologize for leaving Dru Anthrop off of the poll. He was listed on the original poll but it did not save correctly so when I put everyone back in the poll, I left Dru out on accident. Sorry to Mr. Anthrop for my mistake.

I think this year it is going to be crucial that everyone steps up and ups their game from last season. The Boilers are going to need it more than ever after losing JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore.

In the second poll question, "What football team do you want to see Purdue beat the most this year?", the Notre Dame Fighting Irish took that honor receiving 57 of the 100 votes. Indiana took second with 28 votes. Ohio State was third with 13 votes and Illinois finished with 2 votes. Whoever you voted for, I think we can all agree that we want the Boilers to beat all of these teams!

Thanks to everyone who voted! New polls will be posted very soon.

Boiler Up!

Purdue Targets 2012's Stefan Jankovic

2011-08-13T12:27:00.001-05:00

This story was first broken by Hammer and Rails' Purdue_Pete. 2012 Power Forward Stefan Jankovic has included Purdue on his final list of college choices. The 6'10" 225 pound Jankovic, who plays for prep powerhouse Huntington Prep in West Virginia, narrowed his final five to Purdue, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Florida State, and Missouri via his Twitter account. (@StefanJ33)

Jankovic is only graded a three star recruit, but he has had to battle through an injury and plays for a team with other D1 talent. There is a lot of upside to Jankovic. He has good size to bring to the front court and will continue to bulk up. He is very athletic for his size and can extend his game beyond the arc. From what I've seen in the highlight tape, he can handle the ball well. His size and skill set reminds me of a former Boiler that now dons the Green and White in the NBA. He has a lot of work to get to the point of JaJuan Johnson, but we saw how Painter turned JJ into a beast on the court.

My belief still is that Gary Harris and A.J. Hammons should be Purdue's top priorities for 2012. If Purdue is unable to land Harris or Hammons, I would fully support bringing Jankovic to West Lafayette. He is a very talented player and would definitely be a good fit at Purdue.

Boiler Up!

Boiler Camp Week 1 Notes

2011-08-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

With a week of camp under the bridge, The Purdue football team is making some big strides to comeback from last season's 4-8 record. We are just a few short weeks away from the season opener at Ross-Ade on September 3rd against Middle Tennessee State. Here is a quick summary of the happenings of training camp so far.

(Information taken from Gold and Black Illustrated)

Day 1

-Redshirt Freshman Defensive End Rashad Frazier decided to not return to the team.
-Sophomore Normando Harris has gone back to Cornerback after spending the Spring at Wide Receiver.
-Junior Cornerback Josh Johnson has been dealing with a foot injury.

Day 2

-Junior Running Back Ralph Bolden has been impressing coaches after coming back from an ACL injury that kept him out all of 2010.
-Sophomore Ryan Isaac and Redshirt Freshman Ryan Russell have been showing promise on the defensive line while trying to fill the void left by current Washington Redskin, Ryan Kerrigan.
-Former basketball player, Patrick Bade, has been improving but is still behind as far as the other tight ends on the team.

Day 3

-Sophomore Tight End Gabe Holmes has improved significantly and will be a big impact player for the Boilers for the coming years. Holmes has added weight and gained strength in the past year. Coach Hope thinks Holmes has lots of potential to be a star for the Boilers.

Day 4

-Coach Hope and Coach Nord stated that the offense has been inconsistent and that the passing game is behind where it needs to be.
-The running game has showed lots of talent with Ralph Bolden, Akeem Shavers, Jared Crank, and Reggie Pegram leading the way.
-Senior Quarterback Robert Marve sat out with swelling in his knee. Junior QB Caleb TerBush took more reps due to Marve sitting.

Day 5

-Ralph Bolden was impressive in the first day of full pads. He ran well and responded well to being hit.
-Robert Marve returned to practice.
-Linebacker Antwon Higgs began practicing some at Defensive End.
-Coach Hope said that Akeem Shavers and O.J. Ross will be handling the kick returns and Ricardo Allen will handle punt returns.
-Purdue also learned that New Mexico Defensive Tackle Calvin Smith has decided to transfer to Purdue. Smith will sit out this season but will be eligible to play in 2012.

Day 6

-The offensive line is still not set as of now. Seniors Dennis Kelly and Nick Mondek have earned their starting spots as well as Junior Center Peters Drey. The other guys in the mix to earn time are Ken Plue, Rick Schmieg, James Shepherd, Eric McDaniel, and Justin Kitchens. Senior Ken Plue, who was the starter last season at left guard, is having to earn his spot back after having academic and athletic issues according to Coach Hope.
-There have been no significant injuries thus far during camp. (Knock on wood)

The Boilers take part in Media Day today.

We are getting closer to the season opener Boiler fans. Hope to see everyone at Ross-Ade on September 3rd!

Boiler Up!

Purdue Football Lands DT Transfer Calvin Smith

2011-08-10T22:36:00.001-05:00

Purdue football fans got some exciting news today in the form of a new player. The Boilermaker football team learned Wednesday that New Mexico defensive tackle Calvin Smith will transfer to Purdue. Smith will have to sit out a year per NCAA rules but will be ready to make an impact in 2012.

The 6'5" 280 pound Smith was a four star recruit out of Hialeah High School in Florida. Hialeah has also brought us 2012 LB Andy Garcia and TE Carlos Carvajal. Smith is a big body up front and will help with the Boilers lack of depth on the defensive line. By having to sit out this year due to the transfer, Smith will get a year in to adjust to the Purdue system and to work on his game.

Photo Credit to Scout.com

Smith is a great addition to the program and will surely be a player we will get to know in the upcoming year.

Welcome to Purdue, Calvin! and Boiler Up!

2012's McGary Narrows List to 6, Purdue Not Included

2011-08-09T11:55:00.001-05:00

ESPN's Dave Telep reported today that 2012 PF Mitch McGary has narrowed his college choices down to six schools today. McGary has noted that Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, and Florida are still in the picture.

Photo by Brewster Academy

Rivals.com ranks McGary as the #5 prospect for the class of 2012 and the #1 Power Forward for the class. The 6'11 250 pound Chesterton, Indiana native plays for Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. McGary has had an outstanding AAU season this summer playing for the SYF Players out of Northwest Indiana. He is an outstanding player overall and brings an intensity to the court that is comparable to Tyler Hansbrough.

Purdue was one of the first schools to show interest in McGary back when he was still playing at Chesterton. When he was having some struggles on the court and academically towards the end of his tenure at Chesterton, Purdue kind of backed off of his recruitment. After his transfer to Brewster Academy, McGary became a breakout star. Am I surprised that Purdue was left off the list? No, not really. Am I disappointed? Hell yes I am. If Purdue had still recruited McGary hard, we could have had a legitimate shot at a blue chip prospect and someone that would have an immediate impact as a freshman. While he hasn't shut the door on considering other schools, it is probably unlikely that Purdue would still be in pursuit of McGary.

While we probably haven't been very big factors in McGary's recruitment for awhile, I am still very confident in our class for 2012. Raphael Davis, Ronnie Johnson, and Jay Simpson are all outstanding players that have a bright future playing for the Boilermakers. I'm excited and looking forward to them arriving on campus.

Original story found here:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/6846645/mitch-mcgary-narrows-six

Boiler Up!

That Time of The Year Again

2011-08-09T11:32:00.000-05:00

Summer is coming to a close and it's time to begin getting back in gear for school. In just approximately 10 days, I will be taking my talents back to West Lafayette for the school year. While I have enjoyed my three month long summer vacation, I am looking forward to being back at one of my favorite places. This isn't necessarily a post on sports, but it is about Purdue. It is really weird to think that at this time a year ago I was getting ready to begin my time at Purdue. I had so many emotions going through my head at this time. I was scared, and nervous, and really excited to start college. Purdue really is one of my favorite places in the world. The excitement and happening on campus is awesome. Here are just some of the reasons why I am excited to return to campus.

1. Purdue Boilermaker Athletics!

- Anyone that reads Bleeding Gold and Black regularly would know that I do bleed gold and black. I am so excited for the upcoming year in Purdue sports. I'm ready to see how the football team will rebound from last year's disappointing season. I'm excited to see how the basketball team will be with the return of Robbie Hummel and the loss of JJ and E'Twaun. I would like to also attend a variety of other sports this year as well. I eat, breathe, and sleep Purdue athletics and cannot wait for September 3rd against Middle Tennessee State!

2. The Food

-Sounds really bad, but I do not have as good of a food selection at home. I'm looking forward to enjoying a Duane Purvis at Triple XXX, some cheesy bread from Mad Mush, a Den Pop, and some orange chicken from Happy China. No matter what, you can always find something that sounds good at the moment.

3. My Friends

-It's weird how after only knowing these guys for less than a year how close we are. I guess because of how much time we spend together on a regular basis makes us bond. Needless to say, I miss my guys down at school and am looking forward to seeing them.

4. Being on Campus

-Even though I lived in Harrison Hall, I was never much of a bus rider. I loved walking to class when it was nice out. There was nothing better than being on campus on a nice day. I always enjoyed sitting in Urban Market in the Union watching SportsCenter between class or relaxing near one of the fountains. I'm excited to be back on campus in just a short time.

I hope all fellow Boilermakers that are still in school are excited about heading back to the greatest place on Earth.

Boiler Up!

Derek Willis Officially De-Commits From Purdue

2011-08-07T22:34:00.001-05:00

BoilerNation got the news today that we knew was probably inevitable, 2013 blue chip prospect Derek Willis has officially de-committed from Purdue. The 6'9" forward out of Mount Washington, Kentucky announced today that he will be opening his recruitment back up. Derek's coach at Bullitt East High School, Troy Barr, stated that Willis is interested in visiting Kentucky and Louisville.

Del Willis, Derek's father, said today that he hope Purdue continues to recruit his son and that he likes Purdue a lot. He also said that Derek did not dislike Purdue, he just wanted to make the right decision for himself.

Can I really be upset with the kid? No, not really. He just turned 16 and committed almost immediately after he received his offer this spring. I know when I was 16 I didn't know what I was going to do the next day, let alone two or three years from now. Am I a little upset with this decision? Absolutely. I really was excited that Purdue had landed Willis. He is more than likely going to end up being a top 20 recruit for the 2013 class. Willis has so much talent and he is still developing his game. If Willis decides he would like to bring his talents back to West Lafayette, I would welcome him with open arms. Unfortunately, I think that is very unlikely. I highly doubt that Matt Painter and company will continue recruiting a kid that snubbed them. It is also disappointed that Willis will probably end up playing for one of two of the sleaziest coaches in all of college sports.

Now this brings up the question, what happens from here? Well there are many possibilities that come from this situation. We still could land Derek Willis for 2013. As unlikely as that may be, Willis didn't rule out Purdue.

We could add another top talent for 2013. Purdue has been recruiting 6'7" wings V.J. Beachem and Nolan Berry. Both of whom are four star talents in the top 100 for 2013. I would gladly take a commitment from either of these guys.

Purdue could also add two guys to the class of 2012 with the open scholarship. The most likely options here would be shooting guard Gary Harris and center A.J. Hammons. The Fishers, Indiana native Harris is an exciting player that is a force on both ends of the court. He is a top 30 player for the 2012 class and could have an immediate impact for the Boilers. Hammons plays for prep basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy but is originally from Carmel, Indiana. Hammons provides a dominating presence at 7' and 260 pounds. He is still raw but we've seen what Matt Painter can do with big raw talent. (JaJuan Johnson anyone?)

I think it is safe to say that Purdue basketball is still in great shape for the future. We already have an outstanding class for 2012 with Rapheal Davis, Ronnie Johnson, and Jay Simpson. The 2013 is still loaded with Bryson Scott, Kendall Stephens, and Basil Smotherman. There is still plenty of time to add others to these already amazing recruiting classes. Whatever may happen, the Boilermakers and all of the Purdue faithful will be right there in Mackey Arena leading Purdue basketball to greatness.

Boiler Up!

Boiler Football Camp Begins!

2011-08-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

The Purdue football team has official started team camp for the 2011 campaign. There has already been some significant stories to break from West Lafayette already.

First, redshirt freshman defensive end Rashad Frazier has decided to leave the team. The 6'5" 230 pound Frazier was expected to be one of the main guys to help fill the void left by last year's Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Kerrigan. Coach Danny Hope stated that the Boilers were not sure that Frazier would return this season.

Second, sophomore Normando Harris has returned to playing cornerback after switching to wide receiver during spring practices. Coach Hope noted that there was a bigger need for Harris at cornerback according to Gold and Black's Kyle Charters.

The start of camp means that we are just a few weeks away from kickoff. I am extremely excited for this upcoming season of Boiler football. From what I see from the player's Twitter accounts, everyone is very excited and confident about the season. There seems to be a certain swagger that was absent last season. I think everyone is ready to prove to the Big Ten that the Boilers are legitimate contenders.

Peters Drey, Justin Siller, Chris Carlino, Dwayne Beckford, Carson Wiggs, and Albert Evans all showing off Purdue's new jerseys for the 2011 season.

29 days until Middle Tennessee State. Get ready BoilerNation!

Boiler Up!

2013 PF Derek Willis De-Commits From Purdue.....Or Does He?

2011-08-04T22:43:00.001-05:00

As everyone in the Purdue world already knows, 2013 prospect Derek Willis de-committed from Purdue today via Facebook post. I learned this while picking the driving range at my place of employment at Briar Leaf Golf Club. I was so mad/shocked, I was about to drive the picker straight into a tree. (Just Kidding) Troy Barr, Willis' high school coach at Bullitt East, said that Derek is withdrawing his commitment from Purdue. Barr said that Willis wants to visit Louisville and Kentucky.

Soon after, Derek's father Del made a statement saying that Derek is still committed to Purdue. He said that they would be spending the weekend talking about the situation and clearing things up. The answer on whether or not Willis will stay committed or open up his recruiting will come by Sunday.

The 6'9" 210 pound forward from Mt. Washington, Kentucky is rated a four star recruit and the number 32 overall recruit in the nation by Rivals. Willis made his commitment to Purdue earlier this Spring soon after Purdue had offered him. Willis had kind of flown under the radar prior to his commitment but after he had done so, many colleges became interested. After an impressive AAU campaign this year, it is no surprise that more people became interested with Willis.

Coach Barr said that if Derek does de-commit, he hopes Purdue will continue to recruit him. He stated that the Purdue coaching staff is a classy group and really likes them.

I do have reason to believe that Willis will remained committed to Purdue. Del Willis pretty much gave Kentucky Coach John Calipari and Louisville Coach Rick Pitino the verbal one finger salute with the statement,'I don't know if I can trust a Coach (Rick) Pitino or Coach (John) Calipari. Their agenda is more for their benefit than the kid's. They're more worried about themselves." This is great because we all know of Calipari's and Pitino's sparkling track records. Del Willis also reiterated how much of a comfort zone they had with Coach Painter and Coach Owens.

If Willis does de-commit, there are loads of potential scenarios that could arise. Here are just some that are completely my speculation.

1. We could over-sign and add two more guys to the 2012 class (i.e. Gary Harris and A.J. Hammons)
2. We pick someone else up for 2013 (V.J. Beachem or Nolan Berry)
3. We bank the scholarship for 2014, when there is loads of in-state talent (Jaquan Lyle, Tyler Wideman, Perry Poindexter, etc.)

Personally, I really want Willis to remain a Boiler. He has the potential to be a superstar for Purdue. He has size that we will be lacking in the coming years and is an all around great player.If he decides to open up his recruitment again, I would sure as hell hope that Matt Painter and company would continue to pursue him. We have to remember that Willis is still very young. He just turned 16 and is only going to be a junior when most of the guys that are going to be seniors are still uncommitted. There is a lot of time between now and when has to make his decision. If he does de-commit, there is plenty of time to reel him back in to Purdue.

All we, as Boilernation, can do now is wait until Sunday. Hopefully, we can be at ease and learn that Willis will remain committed to Purdue.

Boiler Up!

2014 Guard Trevon Bluiett Picks Up Offer From Boilers

2011-08-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star reported today that 2014 prospect Trevon Bluiett has picked up an offer from the Boilermakers. The 6'5" 185 pound Bluiett teamed up with 2012 IU commit Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell to help lead Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis to an IHSAA Class 2A State Championship this past year.
Bluiett led the Panthers in scoring in the championship with 21 points. The sophomore-to-be has already landed an offer from Indiana and Virginia.

Redshirt Freshman Anthony Johnson to Play in Four Nations Cup

2011-08-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

Purdue basketball player Anthony Johnson will be playing in the Four Nations Cup for the East Coast All-Stars. The team will head to Talinn, Estonia, where the tournament is held, on Tuesday. The East Coast All-Stars will play in four games before heading back to the U.S.. The Chicago Whitney Young product redshirted the 2010-11 season but competed in two exhibition games where he averaged 5.5 PPG. Fellow Boilermaker Lewis Jackson also competed for the East Coast All-Stars in the summer of 2010.

For more information on the Four Nations Cup, head over to Purdue's Official Athletic website (www.purduesports.com)

Best of luck to Anthony and the rest of the East Coast All-Stars!

Boiler Up!

Dierking Becomes Fourth Boiler To Sign Free Agent Contract

2011-07-30T23:44:00.000-05:00

Former Purdue running back Dan Dierking becomes the fourth Boilermaker to sign an undrafted free agent contract in the crazy free agent period since the NFL lockout ended. The Chicago Bears signed the Wheaton, Illinois native on Friday. Dierking joins former Purdue teammate, Kyle Adams, on the Bears. Adams was also signed as an undrafted free agent. The 5'10" 186 pound Dierking ran for 530 yards and three touchdowns and had 173 receiving yards for 2 touchdowns last season for the Boilers.

(Photo by: Getty Images)

Congrats to Dan and welcome to the Monsters of the Midway!

Boiler Up!

Former Boilermaker RB/WR Carlos Signs with Eagles

2011-07-29T20:21:00.000-05:00

Former Purdue running back/ wide receiver Keith Carlos has recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bridgeport, Connecticut native rushed for 314 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Boilers. The 6'1" 200 pounder switched to running back prior to his senior season at Purdue. Carlos spent two years at Lackawanna College before playing his final two years at Purdue.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Congrats to Keith and best of luck in the NFL.

Boiler Up!

E'Twaun Moore Signs One Year Deal With Italian Team

2011-07-28T23:24:00.000-05:00

Italian website, Sportando, has reported that Boston Celtics draft pick and former Boilermaker E'Twaun Moore has signed a one-year deal with Italian team Benetton Treviso. It is reported by Sam Amick of SI.com that Moore will receive $200,000 if he finished the season with Benetton Treviso. Moore's contract reportedly has an out clause; meaning if the NBA starts back up, he can terminate his contract with Treviso and try out for the Celtics.

Moore was picked in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft with the 55th pick overall. Purdue teammate JaJuan Johnson was selected by the New Jersey Nets with the 27th pick but was traded to the Celtics. Moore is one of Purdue's all-time leading scorers and has the highest winning percentage in school history.

As of now, it really seems like there will not be an NBA season this year. I'm really disappointed by this because I was looking forward to watching the "Boston Boilermakers" play this year. I was so excited when I learned that E'Twaun and JaJuan would be teammates again, even if it was for the Celtics (I'm a lifelong Chicago Bulls fan). I think that if there isn't an NBA season, playing a year in Italy will be good for Moore. He will get a year of professional ball under his belt and he will make money when he would otherwise not due to the lockout.

Good luck E'Twaun, or should I say " Buona fortuna E'Twaun". (Insert bad attempt at humor here)

Boiler Up!

New Polls

2011-07-28T21:50:00.000-05:00

My first round of polls are closing and a new group of polls will begin. I will now be updating polls every two weeks just so you'll have something new to check on every once in a while.

For the first poll, "Who would you like to see Purdue add to the 2012 recruiting class?", Gary Harris was the top vote getter with 19 votes, good for 61%. Mitch McGary came in second with 11 votes and A.J. Hammons was a distant third with a single vote. I would be ecstatic if Purdue was able to land any one of these guys for 2012. They all bring something different to the table and each would bring something the Boilers could use. Congrats to Gary Harris on this poll victory.

For the second poll, "What Boiler will have the most success at the next level?", Ryan Kerrigan received the most votes with 15 out of the 25 total. JaJuan Johnson came in second with 6 votes. Diver David Boudia received 4 votes and E'Twaun Moore did not receive any votes. Regardless of any poll, I think that all four of these former Boilermaker athletes will be successful at the professional level.

Thanks to everyone who voted. New poll will be posted soon.

Boiler Up!

2011 Purdue Football 5 Players to Watch: Freshman

2011-07-28T11:01:00.003-05:00

The Boilers wrap up summer workouts today and training camp begins in a week. We are only 37 days away from the season opener against Middle Tennessee State and I can't wait. Today's feature is going to focus on the freshman and in particular, the redshirt freshman.

1. Charles Torwudzo WR 6'4" 214 Brownsburg, IN

Torwudzo comes from Brownsburg where he was high school basketball teammates with the Utah Jazz's Gordon Hayward. An outstanding athlete, I expect that Torwudzo will see the field this year at the receiver position. With the graduation of Keith Smith and Cortez Smith, Torwudzo will be looked upon to make some catches this year. He is the tall, fast receiver that the Boilers were missing last season. Torwudzo is a big target that is going to be a big advantage this season. Watch out for Torwudzo, I have a feeling he is going to have a huge impact for the Boilers in the coming years.

2. Joe Gilliam LB 6'1" 211 Indianapolis, IN

Joe Gilliam was part of the group that helped revive football at Southport High School and, according to Indy Sports Nation, he became the first football player to go Division 1 in 20 years. After a year in the program, Gilliam is going to have an impact this season. While the main linebacker core will be Joe Holland, Dwayne Beckford, and Will Lucas, Gilliam will be a heavily used reserve at the position. Like many redshirts, Gilliam got stronger in his first year and it is only going to help. He has the speed and the strength to have an impact for the Boiler defense. A tackling machine in high school, I expect Gilliam to have the same significance for the Boilermakers.

3. Jack De Boef OL 6'7" 284 Penn Furnace, PA

While he will most likely be used as a reserve this year, Jack De Boef will be a big time player for the Boilers in the coming years. During his redshirt year, De Boef added 20 pounds to his frame. De Boef saw significant playing time in the spring while Dennis Kelly was limited with an injury. That being said, De Boef will be useful on the line this season. 2012 is when I think De Boef will come into his own on the o-line. This year's line is filled with seasoned veterans but De Boef will be one of the guys who is going to have to step up when Dennis Kelly, Nick Mondek, and Ken Plue graduate.

4. Ryan Russell DE 6'5" 241 Carrollton, TX

I think Russell is a guy that is going to surprise people this season. After a redshirt year, Russell has the chance to break the starting lineup on the defensive line.Russell is going to be looked upon to be one of the guys that has to try to replace Ryan Kerrigan. He has great work ethic and is always trying to get better. He saw lots of first team reps during spring ball and made his name known. Russell is only going to get better and he has lots of drive behind him. He has the potential to be one of the top ends in the conference and I think he will fufill that expectation. Get to know Ryan Russell, you are going to be seeing his highlights for the next few years.

5. Justin Sinz TE 6'4" 242 Edgar, WI

Sinz is one of the many guys that will be in the mix to get playing time at tight end. Sinz put on almost 20 pounds during his redshirt year which gives him great size at the postion. He was a stud in high school playing quarterback, safety, and kicker. He was Wisconsin's AP State Player of the Year as a senior en route to leading Edgar to a state championship. Sinz also was a good basketball player which shows he is athletic. At 6'4" , Sinz provides a good target in the end zone for Boiler quarterbacks. I think that Sinz will find a way to contribute this season for the Boilers.

Camp is only a week away. I'm starting to get pumped for Boiler football. This is a good group of guys that I think will contribute a lot over the next couple of year.

Boiler Up!

(Photo credits to Purdue Media Guide)

Former Boilermakers Headed to NFL Training Camps

2011-07-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

Soon after the NFL lockout ended, undrafted rookie free agents Keith Smith and Kyle Adams will head to camp. Wide Receiver Keith Smith will sign with the Detroit Lions and Tight End Kyle Adams will sign with the Chicago Bears.

Smith was denied a sixth year of eligibility after he tore his ACL in week 2 last season. The previous season, Smith was Purdue's top receiver and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. The 6'2" 226 pound receiver is ranked in the top 20 for both receptions and receiving yards at Purdue.

Photo Credit to Ron Pradetto

Adams led the Boilermakers in 2010 with 36 receptions. He totaled 244 yards on the season. The 6'4" Adams is not only a proven receiver but he also adds a good blocking game. Adams was a an Academic All-Big Ten honoree multiple times and was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten pick last year. A tough competitor and a leader, Adams will adjust well to the NFL.

Congrats to both former Boilermakers on the start of their careers in the NFL. Best of luck!

Boiler Up!

2013 Basketball Recruits

2011-07-27T00:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight I thought I would do a little post on Purdue's basketball commits for 2013. Though we are still a couple of years away from seeing these guys at Mackey Arena, it is never too early to be excited about a class this good. The Boilers have four commits for the 2013 class which includes Indiana's Bryson Scott and Basil Smotherman, Illinois' Kendall Stephens, and Kentucky's Derek Willis.

Derek Willis Power Forward 6'9" 210 Mt. Washington, KY

Willis is the newest Purdue commit for 2013 as he did so on April 23rd, 2011. Rivals ranks Willis as a four star recruit and the number 32 overall recruit in the country. Derek averaged 11.5 points per game and 8.5 rebounds a game as a sophomore for Bullitt East High School. Willis' high school coach said that he doesn't think Derek is done growing so there is the possibility that he grows to 7 feet tall. He has a 7'1" wingspan and has tremendous touch around the rim. Willis is a hard worker that just loves to play ball. He is versatile and can handle the ball. If Willis grows a couple more inches and adds some weight before he arrives in West Lafayette, he could become a dominant post player in the Big Ten immediately.

Kendall Stephens Shooting Guard 6'4" 160 St. Charles, IL

Stephens was a really big pickup for the Boilers out of Illinois. The son of Boilermaker Everette Stephens, Kendall is a four star recruit and the number 38 overall recruit in the country. Stephens has great range and can flat out stroke from behind the arc. Kendall is a guy that has the potential to grow a couple more inches. If he hits 6'6" or 6'7", that's adding dangerous size to an already lethal shooter. Stephens was hampered with a foot injury early this summer but has since came back hot in AAU ball. Stephens is having a strong summer campaign as his Illinois Wolves recently won the St. Louis Summer Classic. I'm really looking forward to seeing Stephens' development over the next two years and can't wait for him to be sinking trey's at Mackey.

Bryson Scott Point Guard 6'1" 170 Fort Wayne, IN

Bryson was the first prospect to commit to Purdue for the 2013 class. Scott is a four star recruit and the number 45 overall recruit in the country. Scott is a tough and physical PG that is going to fit right in with Purdue's system. The Fort Wayne Northrop talent is considered to be the top PG in the state of Indiana for 2013. Scott is an aggressive scorer who is going to be fun to watch in a couple of years. He draws a lot of comparisons to Boilermaker Terone Johnson because of their size and skill set at the point guard position. As a junior, expect Bryson to be one of the top in the state of Indiana. Scott, along with 2012 commit Ronnie Johnson, will create a solid PG duo.

Basil Smotherman Jr. Small Forward 6'6" 190 Indianapolis, IN

The 6'6" Smotherman is a super athletic wing that will be playing for Lawrence North in Indy this season. He spent his first two years playing at Heritage Christian where his father, Basil Smotherman Sr., was the head coach. A four star recruit by Rivals, Basil is a good shooter and has a 6'9" wingspan bringing an edge on both sides of the court. He is good from outside and will be solid along with Kendall Stephens beyond the arc. Smotherman has a competitive drive that perfectly embodies the Boilermaker spirit. His athleticism helps him to be a relentless scorer and a tough defender. He's someone that will force a turnover and then take the ball the other way and drive the lane. As he will add more size over the next two years, Smotherman will arrive on campus ready to contribute on both ends of the court.

It is safe to say that Matt Painter did well for the class of 2013. Most are saying that this class can rival the super class of 2007. Coach Painter scored some of the top in state talent along with top prospects from neighboring states. While 2013 is still two years away, I'm already excited for these guys to arrive at Purdue.

Best of luck to the class of 2013 and Boiler Up!

1,000 Views

2011-07-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

Sometime today, Bleeding Gold and Black hit 1,000 page views. It took about two weeks but it happened. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been visiting the site. I'm having a lot of fun doing this. I wanted to say thanks to Purdue University, Ryan Kerrigan, Brian Cardinal, Chris Kramer, Carson Wiggs, Keaton Grant, Cody Webster, Ricardo Allen, and Akeem Shavers for all either giving me a retweet on Twitter or checking the site out. I appreciate the publicity I have gotten via Twitter.

Make sure to tell your friends and other Boilermaker fans about Bleeding Gold and Black. All it takes is getting the name out there.

Follow me on Twitter @EWILL25

Thanks again and Boiler up!

-Evan Williams

2011 Purdue Football 5 Players to Watch: Sophomores

2011-07-23T11:57:00.002-05:00

The countdown is getting smaller as there are only 42 days until kickoff against Middle Tennessee State. Training Camp is only two weeks away also as the Boilers prepare for another season on the gridiron. Today's feature is on my players to watch in the sophomore class.

1. Ricardo Allen CB 5'9" 176 Daytona Beach, FL

Ricardo had a breakout season last year, starting all 12 games as a true freshman. He proved then that he could play at the college level as he racked up 83 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Allen returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns. His play last year earned him Second Team All-American by Rivals.com and Scout.com. He was also named Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Honorable Mention by the coaches. Ricardo is often underrated by the media and not given enough respect for what he can do on the field. He has a tremendous work ethic and is going to prove the doubters wrong this year. He has blazing speed and its been reported he recently ran a 4.27 40 yard dash. Keep your eye on Ricardo, he may just end up being one of the best defensive backs in the country.

2. Rob Henry QB 6'2" 200 Ocala, FL

Henry entered camp last season as the expected number three quarterback on the depth chart. When Caleb TerBush was declared academically ineligible and Robert Marve went down with the ACL injury in week four, Henry found himself to be the full-time starter. Rob led the Boilers in both passing and rushing becoming the first QB in Purdue history to do so. Passing, Henry went 86 of 162 for 996 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rushing, he for 547 yards and four touchdowns. A quarterback's leadership is very important for a team, and Henry has stepped into the role as a team leader very well. He was voted a team captain for this season by his teammates after spring practices. Coach Hope also said that Henry was one of the most improved players on the team. Rob enters the fall as the number one quarterback but he will have to fight with Marve and TerBush for the starting role. Regardless of who wins the starting job, Henry will play a crucial role in the Boiler offense this season.

3. Bruce Gaston DT 6'2" 303 Chicago, IL

Like Ricardo Allen, Bruce Gaston had an immediate impact on the Boiler defense last year as a true freshman. He played in all 12 games and started the final 10 games. Gaston recorded 26 tackles including 4.5 for loss and had one sack against IU. After losing someone of the D-line like Ryan Kerrigan, it is going to help that the Boilers have someone in the middle like Gaston. Gaston is one of the strongest guys on the team and is going to form an interior tackling duo with Kawann Short. Now that he has the experience of a full season of playing at the college level under his belt, Bruce is going to be dominant on the line. He is only going to get better and his numbers will go up. Bruce is going to be a mainstay on Purdue's D-line for the next couple of years.

Gaston #90.

4. Cody Webster P 6'2" 205 Harrisburg, PA

Webster had an impressive first season last year starting as a true freshman. His efforts as punter earned him Second Team Freshman All-American honors by Scout.com and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors by the media. Webster had 47 punts for 2,034 yards last year. He averaged 43.3 yards a punt which was third highest in school history. Cody was very reliable last year at the punter spot. He kicked a long punt of 79 yards against Northwestern and kicked all of his punts against Indiana over 50 yards. In addition to punting, Webster will also take over for Kris Staats as the holder on field goals and PAT's. Cody will be one of the top punters in the Big Ten this year. With his strong leg, Webster has the potential to be one of the top punters in the country.

5. Patrick Bade TE 6'8" 240 Indianapolis, IN

Purdue fans are already familiar with Patrick Bade, but not for his play on the football field. After spending two seasons as a member of the Boiler basketball team, Bade decided this summer to make the switch to football. Though he hasn't played since his junior year in high school, Bade was given interest by major college programs such as USC, Ohio State, and Notre Dame as a tight end. Tight End is a position the Boilers do not return a lot of experience at, so Bade has the chance to earn a starting spot. Bade along with Sterling Carter, Gabe Holmes, Crosby Wright, Justin Sinz, and Robert Kugler will all be fighting for a starting role. He has great size at 6'8" and 240 pounds (larger than the meager 6'5" and 227 pounds he's listed on the football roster). Bade will provide a large target and the ability to go up and get the ball. I really want Bade to succeed in football. I feel he was subject to a lot of unwarranted criticism on the hardwood when he didn't become a breakout star when Robbie Hummel went down with his injury last year. Whether he is a starter or a reserve contributor, Patrick Bade is going to have an impact for the Boilermakers this season.

I think this is a very talented sophomore class that has a lot of potential. Good luck this year guys and BOILER UP!

Two Weeks Notice

2011-07-21T00:37:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been nearly two weeks since I started Bleeding Gold and Black and it is safe to say that I am really enjoying it. Writing about two things that I love, Purdue and sports, is a lot of fun to me. I've been using a little shameless self promotion via Twitter to help get the name out and it has been working. I've gotten some positive feedback and re-tweets from current and former Purdue athletes. I only hope that Bleeding Black and Gold continues to grow. Posting everyday in the summer is tough because I do not have direct access to the football program or have the time to travel to watch basketball recruits. My goal is that once I'm back at Purdue when the semester starts, I will be posting much more frequently.

I hope all of the you have enjoyed Bleeding Gold and Black so far. Keep checking back and tell your fellow Boiler fans about the site. Also, if you are not already following me on Twitter, follow me @EWILL25. I'd like to hear some feedback from fans as far as what you like and what you think I need to improve on.

Thanks again for reading and Boiler Up!

2011 Purdue Football 5 Players to Watch: Juniors

2011-07-19T12:08:00.002-05:00

This week's players to watch feature is on the junior class. 46 days until the season opener! Boiler Up!

1. Kawann Short DT 6'3" 310 East Chicago, IN

Last season, Short was often overlooked because of Ryan Kerrigan's dominant play on the defensive line. Kawann comes from the same high school as E'Twaun Moore in East Chicago. Short started all 12 games last season on the line and will be looked upon to anchor the young line this year. Kawann had 41 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 6 sacks, and 2 blocked kicks. His 12.5 TFL and 6 sacks was second on the team only to Kerrigan. Short was voted Second Team All-Big Ten last year by the media and has been named to the Outland Trophy watchlist for this season. Kawann is a great athlete for his size and has been improving his conditioning in the offseason. I expect Kawann to be one of the top tackles in the Big Ten this season.

2. Ralph Bolden RB 5'9" 190 Folkston, GA

Bolden was one of the many Purdue athletes that has fallen victim to the ACL Demon that seems to hang around Purdue athletics. After an impressive sophomore season, in which he was voted Second Team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media, Bolden missed all of 2010 with the injury. In 2009, Bolden rushed for 935 yards with 9 touchdowns. He is also a valuable receiver as he had 261 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Last season, the injury depleted Boilers lacked greatly on the offensive side of the ball. Having Ralph back will give the Boilers a much needed increase in the running game. With over a year of rehab under his belt, it is my hope that Bolden will be back to his 2009 form. He came back from an ACL tear in high school and was successful. Hopefully, Bolden can do it a second time.

3. Antavian Edison WR 5'11" 175 Fort Meyers, FL

Edison was one of the injury ridden Boilers top wide outs last season. This season, he is going to have to step up since Keith Smith was denied a sixth year and Cortez Smith graduated. Antavian was second on the team with 316 receiving yards and tied first for receiving touchdowns with 4. The Boilers struggled a lot last season with the passing game due to the inexperience at quarterback. After Robert Marve went down, redshirt freshman Rob Henry and true freshman Sean Robinson were thrown into the starting role. After a year of playing, Henry has made lots of progress and Coach Hope has said he is the most improved player. That being said, I think we will get to fully see the talent Edison has. He is extremely fast and has the ability to get open down field. I believe that Antavian's numbers will just about double this season.

4. Dwayne Beckford LB 6'1" 228 Irvington, N.J.

Beckford emerged last year as one of the Boilers top linebackers and proved he can be dominant force. He was second on the team in tackles last year with 84 and he added 3.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. Beckford won the starting job last year over Chris Carlino and is expected to start again this year along with senior Joe Holland and sophomore Will Lucas. Dwayne's play last year earned him Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches. Beckford is a hard worker that will have a big impact this season for the Boiler defense. Expect Dwayne to be one of the Boilermakers leading tacklers this year.

5. Akeem Shavers RB 5'11" 203 Texarkana, TX

Here is a guy that I think could surprise a lot of people this season. Shavers comes to Purdue after playing at Tyler Junior College in Texas. He enrolled in January and participated in spring practices which gives him an advantage to see playing time this year. Coach Hope had lots of praise for Shavers' play in the spring so I feel that is a good sign. At Tyler last season, Shavers appeared in six games and rushed for 450 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is a physical runner and has good size at 200 pounds. It is also said that Akeem runs a 4.4 40 yard dash. There is the possibility that Shavers could form a deadly rushing duo with Bolden. After a lacking running game last year, Shavers brings the potential to help turn that around.

46 days Boilernation! Boiler Up, Hammer Down!

2012 Purdue Basketball Target McGary Impressive at Summer Jam

2011-07-17T22:57:00.002-05:00

The Under Armour Summer Jam presented by NY2LA recently finished up play in Mequon, Wisconsin. The SYF Players, based out of Northwest Indiana, defeated Dream Vision 72-67 to win the championship. SYF was lead, in the championship and most of the tournament, by Forward/Center Mitch McGary with a team-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. The 6'11" 250 pound McGary, originally from Chesterton, Indiana , plays for Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Mitch has become one of the most sought after prospects for the Class of 2012. He has racked up around 20 offers to date including top programs such as Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas.

McGary is a five star recruit and the number five player overall for the loaded Class of 2012. He has definitely earned his ranking as a top five recruit. For being 6'11", McGary can do it all. He is an outstanding shooter, can handle the ball, rebound, block shots, and bring so much energy to the floor. I saw McGary play a couple of times when he was still playing for Chesterton High School. I remember him as being a dominant player based on his height advantage over most guys in our conference. Now, he has transformed into one of the best players in the country and could very well be the number one overall recruit when it is all said and done.

Now where does Purdue come into the recruiting process? Well, the Boilers were one of the first teams to show interest in McGary. Many people believe that Purdue is no longer a factor in McGary's college choices since the move out east to Brewster. I don't think Purdue faithful should give up on believing that McGary could come to West Lafayette. I think a guy like McGary, a team first kind of guy, will remember that Purdue has always been there. His parents were also very supportive of the Boilers when they initially offered Mitch. McGary could have an immediate impact at Purdue and more than likely start as a freshman.

I would love it if Purdue was able to add Mitch McGary to the already awesome recruiting class featuring Ronnie Johnson, Jay Simpson, and Rapheal Davis. People are regarding him as the next Tyler Hansborough, or the next Kevin Love. I think that he isn't going to be either of those guys. He is going to be Mitch McGary and make his own name in the college basketball world.

Video taken from Youtube.com

Boiler Up!

Purdue Basketball 2011 Early Look Video

2011-07-15T22:42:00.000-05:00

The Paint Crew uploaded this video to Youtube recently to get everyone pumped up about the upcoming season of Boiler basketball. I'm already excited to see how the returning guys have improved their game. Thanks to The Paint Crew for making this.

BOILER UP!

2011 Purdue Football 5 Players to Watch: Seniors

2011-07-14T22:13:00.001-05:00

With only 51 days until the season opener versus Middle Tennessee State, it's time to get excited for Boiler football.Every week I'm going to do a feature on five guys from each class who I feel Boiler fans should keep an eye on. This week I'm going to start off with the senior class.

1. Robert Marve QB 6'1" 212 Tampa, Fl

Marve's season ended early last year when he tore his ACL in the loss against Toledo. It was Marve's first season suiting up for Purdue after he transferred from the University of Miami. In his four games, Rob went 67 for 99 for 301 yards. He threw 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. While Marve was limited in the spring practices, he is expected to be fully healthy at the beginning of the season. Rob Henry is expected to be the starter come fall but that doesn't mean Marve won't see playing time. Marve is a more traditional pocket passer than Henry and will see the field a lot in different situations.

2. Carson Wiggs K 6'0" 192 Grand Prairie, TX

In a season that was filled with injuries and inconsistency, Wiggs could always be counted on. The Boiler kicker connected on 15 of 19 field goals and was a perfect 27 for 27 on PAT's. Carson was honored as an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media in 2010. He was also named a Team Captain for the special teams this season. Wiggs will be in his fourth year in charge of the kicking duties for the Boilers. By the end of his career, Wiggs will finish in the top ten for both field goals made and field goal percentage. We also can't forget that in the Black and Gold Game, he made a 67 yard field goal. A guy hits one of those and he is only an 84 on NCAA '12? In the words of Ham Porter, "You're killin' me, Smalls!"

3. Dennis Kelly LT 6'8" 306 Chicago Heights, IL

I'm just going to start off by saying that DK is an absolute monster. I've walked by him a couple times on campus and he makes me feel like I'm standing next to a mountain. I also had to show him some love since I was born in Chicago Heights. Kelly came to Purdue in '08 and was originally going to greyshirt. To those unfamiliar, a greyshirt is someone who commits and pays their way through school to preserve their eligibility. Kelly had put on some weight and was put on scholarship right before the season. Due to injuries, he started the final five games of his freshman season and has held that spot ever since. Last season, Kelly was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection and an Academic All-Big Ten selection. DK is going to be one of the offensive Team Captains this season along with Rob Henry. Kelly's exceptional play at left tackle earned him the Team Offensive MVP last season. Dennis brings a great amount of leadership to the field and he will lead a veteran o-line along with Ken Plue, Nick Mondek, Peters Drey, and Rick Schmieg.

4. Albert Evans S 6'0" 208 Gary, IN

I saw Albert play in high school where he was a standout at Portage High School. It's good seeing a Duneland Athletic Conference alum, like myself, succeed at the next level. Evans has seen action every year at Purdue. He appeared as a reserve and on special teams as a freshman and a sophomore. Last season, Evans played and started in 10 games. He recorded 37 tackles, two sacks, and one interception. Albert was one of the many Boilers that missed time last year due to an injury. Last year's defensive backfield was mostly inexperienced but Evans, Logan Link, Ricardo Allen, and Josh Johnson all return to the lineup. He is a hard hitter than will be looked upon for leadership on the defensive side of the ball.

5. Joe Holland LB 6'1" 229 Indianapolis, IN

Holland is gifted both on the gridiron and in the classroom. Boasting a 3.99 GPA, Joe was selected as a Second Team Academic All-American and Academic All-Big Ten for the third consecutive season. Just because he can get it done in the classroom, doesn't mean he's afraid to knock you out on the field. Holland had 73 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks last season. In April, Holland was named to the watch list for the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy. The IMPACT Trophy is given to a player that has the biggest impact on their team on and off the field. Holland is a natural leader and was named a defensive Team Captain for the upcoming season.

I can't wait for football season to start. Boiler Up!

Mark Herrmann to be Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

2011-07-13T11:51:00.000-05:00

Former Purdue quarterback Mark Herrmann is set to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this weekend in South Bend,Indiana. Herrmann is part of the 2011 class that includes former Michigan Heisman Winner Desmond Howard, and the late Arizona State linebacker and Army Ranger Pat Tillman.

Herrmann played at Purdue from 1977 to 1980. He passed for 9,946 yards and 71 touchdowns in his career. His 9,946 passing yards was an NCAA record at the time but has since been broken. Herrmann started and won three consecutive bowl games with victories in the '78 Peach Bowl, '79 Bluebonnet Bowl, and the '80 Liberty Bowl. He was named the MVP in each bowl game as well. As a senior, Herrmann was named a First Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year. During Herrmann's time as Purdue's signal caller, the Boilers went 28-7-1.

Congratulations to Mark Herrmann and Boiler Up!

E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, Thank You.

2011-07-12T22:41:00.001-05:00

This is a little late, but then again, I just started my blog. Knowing that I will never see JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore suit up for the Boilers again saddens me. This past season, I was lucky enough to be in The Paint Crew and to be able to see two of the greatest to ever wear the Black and Gold in their final year. It is going to be a lot different not having number 25 and number 33 on Keady Court next season after them being mainstays for the past four years.

Just for a little background, I began to follow Purdue in 2007 because Robbie Hummel and Scott Martin had played for Valparaiso in the same conference as my LaPorte Slicers. I was interested to see how guys that I had seen play in high school would do at the next level. Hummel and Martin were part of the 2007 top ten recruiting class with Johnson and Moore. This highly regarded class was dubbed the "Baby Boilers" by the Purdue faithful. JJ and Smooge may have started out as "Baby Boilers", but they leave as men with a legacy that will live on in Purdue basketball history, forever.

While I watched many Purdue games on TV for the first three years of JaJuan and E'Twaun's career, I had never seen them play in person. Being a freshmen at Purdue this past year, I learned that seeing these guys play at Mackey Arena was so much more exciting. Sitting in "The Paint Crew" for the games was an amazing experience especially with the excitement that came with each game this past season. At just 19 years old, I can already say that I don't think I will ever go to a game that was more exciting and thrilling than the Purdue-Ohio State game at Mackey Arena.

JaJuan and E'Twaun provided many highlights this past season with many of them sending Boiler fans into a frenzy in the stands. Here are some of my favorites from the past season.

-Thunder Dunk against Illinois on Senior Night

-Two Hand Reverse Slam in the closing seconds of OSU game. ( I still get the chills when I watch this)

-Game Winner against Penn State

- Actually, all of JJ's dunks this past season

E'Twaun

-Circus Layup against Ohio State

-Career High 38 points against Ohio State

-Posterizing Dunk on Jon Leuer

-Shooting Clinic he put on against Michigan State on College GameDay

Oh yeah, beating IU twice this past year is always good too.

JaJuan was named a Consensus All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and First-Team All Big Ten. E'Twaun earned First-Team All Big Ten, All-American honors and leaving as just the fourth person in Purdue history to score over 2,000 points in his career, as well. JJ and Smooge leave Purdue as the winningest players in Purdue history. I feel honored to have been able to see these guys play. I would rank JaJuan and E'Twaun in the top five Purdue players of all-time along with Glenn Robinson, Joe Barry Carroll, and Rick Mount. I am really going to miss seeing these guys play next year. It just won't be the same. I think it is awesome that they will both be playing for the Celtics next year and I wish both of them the best of luck in the NBA.

E'Twaun and JaJuan, Thank you for everything.

Ever Faithful, Ever True,

-Evan Williams

2011 Purdue Football Schedule

2011-07-10T23:46:00.001-05:00

2011 Football Schedule

September 3rd- Middle Tennessee State
September 10th- at Rice
September17th- Southeast Missouri State
October 1st- Notre Dame
October 8th- Minnesota
October 15th- at Penn State
October 22nd- Illinois
November 5th- at Wisconsin
November 12th- Ohio State
November 19th- Iowa
November 25th- at Indiana

Last Year's Record: 4-8 (2-6 Big Ten)

A.J. Hammons Reportedly Offered

2011-07-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

According to GoldandBlack.com, 2012 prospect A.J. Hammons says he has been offered by Purdue. The 7'0" 260 pound Hammons is a four star recruit and the #90 overall prospect for the class of 2012 according to Rivals. Hammons plays for prep basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Oak Hill has produced many NBA stars such as Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Jennings and Michael Beasley. Hammons would give the Boilers a much needed inside presence.

Class of 2012

2011-07-08T10:54:00.001-05:00

There is a lot of buzz currently going on around basketball recruiting for the class of 2012. Purdue, especially, has a reason to be excited. Purdue has a recruiting class that has the potential to have as big of an immediate impact as the "Baby Boilers" of '07. Here is a breakdown of the Class of 2012 so far:

Ronnie Johnson- Johnson, the younger brother of current Boilermaker Terone Johnson, is a 5'11" point guard out of Indianapolis North Central High School. RJ is four star prospect rated #88 on the Rivals150 for 2012. A lefty, RJ combines speed and a good mid-range shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI5mWVUDQvg

Jay Simpson- At 6'8" and 235 lbs., Simpson brings an athletic power forward to floor. After spending his first three years at Champaign Central, Simpson will play next season at La Lumiere in LaPorte,Indiana. Jay is a four star prospect and #94 on the Rivals150.

http://www.youtube.com/user/goldandblackdotcom#p/search/0/0DvUJEahBVs

Rapheal Davis- A three star prospect and #107 on the Rivals150, Davis is a 6'5" shooting guard/small forward combo. Davis has played at Fort Wayne South the past three seasons but like Simpson, will transfer to La Lumiere for his senior year. Davis had a very strong showing recently at the Purdue Team Camp playing for his new team.

http://www.youtube.com/user/goldandblackdotcom#p/search/2/XfjINIJc45I

All videos taken from Gold and Black.com's Youtube Channel.

Welcome to Bleeding Gold and Black

2011-07-08T00:19:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm Evan Williams and welcome to Bleeding Gold and Black

After reading other Purdue sports related blogs, I decided that I wanted to start my own. As a current Purdue student and a self-proclaimed sports nut, I hope that my young and enthusiastic opinions and views of Purdue athletics will both inform and entertain readers. My main focus will be on the football and men's basketball team with updates from additional sports from time to time.