BadgerBlitz.com brings back its All-Out Blitz weekly series for the 2024 season, where you can find everything you need to know about Wisconsin's upcoming opponent. We look at UW's fifth opponent of the season in the Purdue Boilermakers, who the Badgers will host Saturday morning in Camp Randall, 11:00 a.m. on BTN.

QUICK PROGRAM FACTS

Head Coach: Ryan Walters (5-11 career record, second season at Purdue)

Purdue All Time Record: 631-595-48 (.495)

2024 Record: 1-3

Rankings: N/A

Series vs. Wisconsin: 29-53-8

Purdue’s greatest chance to stay in the game will be behind the running back tandem of Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III.

Mockobee leads the team with 317 rushing yards on 49 carries this season, for a whopping 6.5 yards per carry, while Love isn’t far behind him with 198 yards on 5.4 per carry.

Wisconsin hasn’t played a run-heavy, methodical offense since the first two games of the season, when they allowed Western Michigan and South Dakota to stay in the game far longer than they should’ve, based on the talent disparity.

But we have seen some development out of them over the past few weeks, especially with the defensive line.

Elijah Hills has grown more than anybody else in that room over these past few weeks, playing a season-high 50 snaps against USC and recording four pressures.

Purdue’s run-heavy style of play will also make some of the bigger inside linebackers like Jake Chaney and Christian Alliegro more valuable.

Mockobee and Love will try to take pressure off of quarterback Hudson Card, who’s had a less-than-ideal start to the year.

In his three games against Power Four teams this season, he’s completed just 53% of his passes for 354 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. All three have been losses.

He’ll look to his safety valve in tight end Max Klare, the team’s leading receiver with 13 catches for 193 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Part of the reason Klare has become so valuable is the lack of talent at receiver, mostly due to transfer portal losses.

Jaron Tibbs leads all receivers in production and splits time between the slot and perimeter. He’s coming off of a team-high five receptions and 46 receiving yards against Nebraska.

This is all to say, Purdue has a much less threatening pass attack than Alabama and USC.

It’ll be a bounce-back opportunity for Wisconsin’s secondary. Cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean has struggled over the past two games, having been targeted 11 times, allowing nine receptions and 141 passing yards.

Although, Card’s greatest priority will likely be keeping the ball away from cornerback Ricardo Hallman, who picked him off twice in last year’s duel.

Wisconsin’s offense will look different than it has all season with the loss of lead rusher Chez Mellusi, who’s stepping away from the team due to health reasons.

The Badgers’ second most-used rusher, Tawee Walker, has dealt with his own health issues to start the year and isn’t yet 100%.

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo might have to rely more on Cade Yacamelli and freshman Darrion Dupree than he has all season.

All in all, it’s not the worst week to have running back troubles, because they could trot out just about anybody and still produce against Purdue’s run defense.

In terms of rushing yards allowed, the Boilermakers’ defense is bottom-four in the FBS. Their front seven has looked more like a group of turnstiles than an actual defense.

The only real difference-makers are Kydran Jenkins and Will Heldt, who both excel in pass rush rather than run defense.

Jenkins is an inside linebacker who still leads the team in pressures (10) and sacks (3.5), while Heldt lines up exclusively on the edge.

They’ll try to knock Braedyn Locke off his game, which has proven to be somewhat easy. Locke is coming off of a strange performance against USC, in which he played a strong first half before completely wilting in the second.

Purdue’s defense should allow for more comfort, although the coaches will likely try to keep the game on the ground.

His most trustworthy receiver, Will Pauling, is also coming off of a rough game, perhaps the worst of his career. He dropped two of his five targets and finished with just 11 receiving yards.

Purdue’s cornerback group is solid and should provide some resistance, but the biggest priority for Locke and the passing game will be to keep the ball away from safety Dillon Thienemen.

The preseason All-American burst onto the scene as a freshman last season and currently leads the team in tackles with 34.

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