Behind Enemy Lines: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Purdue Boilermakers
BadgerBlitz.com brings back it's Behind Enemy Lines series, where we get an opposing beat writer's take on the upcoming matchup.
For Week 6, we spoke to Dub Jellison of Boiler Upload and touched on Purdue's offensive coordinator situation, the confidence level in head coach Ryan Walters and much more.
What was the reaction to the firing of offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, and was it the right call at this point in the season?
Jellison: The move was something that needed to happen for Purdue and I think the response reflects that.
Ryan Walters shared on Monday that the locker room is still where he wants it to be in terms of morale and even had some excitement to start the week. He also said there has been a lot of players who have showed their support for new interim offensive coordinator and play caller Jason Simmons.
I do believe it was the right call, considering where the Boilermakers are this season. Purdue’s offense has been anemic outside of a 49-point performance against a bad Indiana State defense. It got to a point where it became clear Harrell wouldn’t be with the program past 2024, so why not shake things up now and try to kickstart the offense under new leadership?
What’s the confidence level in head coach Ryan Walters in West Lafayette?
Jellison: The confidence level has been low since last year and has continued to dip after a 1-3 start. Walters has already found himself with a seat that is beginning to warm up in just his second season at the helm.
Does that mean he would be fired at season’s end if this current trend continues? Perhaps, but I tend to believe he’d get another year from AD Mike Bobinski to turn things around.
We’ve already seen Graham Harrell be let go, a sign that things need to change and change quickly for the Boilermakers.
Walters could quiet the noise outside the building by stringing together a few wins in October and picking one up this weekend would go a long way in accomplishing that.
Purdue’s run defense is near the bottom of the nation in terms of yards allowed per game. Why has the run defense in particular struggled?
Jellison: Aside from the poor offensive showing through four games, Purdue’s run defense has been the biggest cause for concern this season. Between the tackles, the defensive front has performed well, but it’s when teams bounce runs outside that causes the Boilermakers' issues.
Purdue has struggled mightily setting the edge, with opponents rushing for the majority of their yards on attempts outside the tackles. Kydran Jenkins was used on the edge a lot more last week and Dillon Thieneman moved to strong safety, with both adjustments helping Purdue’s run defense efforts.
I think you can expect a similar lineup on Saturday, but the question will be whether the Boilers can keep Chez Mellusi from getting past the edge.
How would you evaluate the play of Hudson Card so far in year two?
Jellison: The year began with a historic showing by Card, completing 24/25 attempts for 273 yards and four scores against Indiana State. It was a continuation of his strong finish to last season.
Since then however has been filled with regression by both Card and the offense as a whole. He has failed to throw for more than 175 yards and has four interceptions across the last three games.
Some of Card’s play can be attributed to a struggling offensive line and inexperienced receiving corps, but he has clearly regressed in year two as a starter.
What playmakers on both sides of the ball should Wisconsin pay attention to?
Jellison: Offensively, Purdue’s top two wide receivers coming into the year, Jahmal Edrine and CJ Smith aren’t expected to suit up. That leaves the door open for tight end Max Klare to continue his stellar redshirt sophomore campaign. Klare leads the Boilermakers with 13 catches, 193 yards and two scores, which makes him the biggest contributor Wisconsin will have to deal with. The tandem of Devin Mockobee and Reggie Love III out of the backfield have been up and down, but have been impactful at times, as well.
Defensively, Purdue has two All-Big Ten caliber players in linebacker Kydran Jenkins and safety Dillon Thieneman. Both struggled out of the gates, but have begun to play better over the last two weeks.
Thieneman was previously the high safety, but has moved into the box of late where he has made a bigger impact in the run game. Jenkins made the move from edge rusher to middle linebacker and is becoming more and more comfortable at his new spot. Jenkins leads the team with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, while Thieneman paces the defense in tackles with 34.
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