Wisconsin Badgers post-spring review: A look at Purdue

As players, coaches, fans and, yes, even the media await the start of fall camp to arrive for the Wisconsin Badgers in less than two months, BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at UW's 2019 opponents.

On Nov. 23, Wisconsin hosts Purdue in its final home game of the season. Returning for his third season, head coach Jeff Brohm will look to continue turning the Boilermakers program around.

We caught up with Tom Dienhart of GoldandBlack.com to answer some questions we had about Purdue before it heads into fall camp.

After a surprising 7-6 start to the Jeff Brohm era in 2017, Purdue finished 6-7 last season - though it was 5-4 in Big Ten play. What should be the expectations for this Boilermakers squad entering Year 3 of Brohm's tenure in West Lafayette?

Tom Dienhart: I think they should get back to a bowl game. I don't know if they're ready to win the Big Ten West at this point. I still think it's a bowl team. I think it's a team that should win anywhere between six to eight games in the third year of the Jeff Brohm tenure.

Quarterback's one spot where a key player (David Blough) left to go to the NFL, but who are other key players that have departed the program from last season?

Tom Dienhart: Well, offensively, probably two areas. The interior of the offensive line - the center and both guards - will all be new, and that's a real concern for the program right now. They got to figure out the interior and get that solidified.

The backfield - running back - they lost productive guys. D.J. Knox and Markell Jones played a lot of football, and now they're gone. The guys who are left are sort of a blue-collar group. Projected starter, Tario Fuller, has had some injury issues, and after him it drops off. Veteran-wise, they're just blue-collar guys who are thumpers, no real difference makers. So I wouldn't be shocked if one or two true freshmen running backs get a chance to play a key role this year, offensively.

Defensively, they got to figure out a way to rush the passer off the edge. They need a difference maker. I think they've got one in George Karlaftis - the true freshman, a local kid who got there early for spring ball. One of the biggest recruits they've gotten in the last 20 years. He needs to try to energize that pass rush.

I remember seeing wide receiver Rondale Moore just torch Wisconsin's secondary, a couple touchdowns, some big plays in that late November showdown last season. He returns, but who are the one or two key playmakers coming back for this Purdue squad?

Tom Dienhart: That's a great place to start. Rondale Moore, the first true freshman consensus All-American in Big Ten history. At tight end, Brycen Hopkins, I think he has a chance to be one of the better tight ends in the conference this year as well. He could be a guy who catches 50 passes. Elijah Sindelar, their quarterback, if he can stay healthy -which is a concern because he's had knee problems. Those three guys on offense - keep your eye on them. One more on offense, a true freshman wide receiver named David Bell. He could be the yin to Moore's yang. Maybe the best player in Indiana last year is supposed to start right away.

Defensively up front, a big senior tackle, a kid named Lorenzo Neal - 315-pound guy could be one of the best tackles in the conference. He's coming off a knee injury so there's some concern there about his health. Linebacker-wise, Markus Bailey, the senior. He's going to be an All-Big Ten linebacker. He thought about going pro and opted to come back. Back in the secondary, sort of a mixed bag of youth and veterans. They seem to be really excited about their safeties, and again the excitement goes around one other new true freshman, a kid named Jalen Graham, who was there for spring practice. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he looks like a linebacker but he's going to play safety, so those are a few guys on both sides of the ball who really could be difference makers for them.

Who were the one to two players who could be referred to as "spring practice standouts" that may have found more reps for fall camp or into the season?

Tom Dienhart: Again, I guess to answer you I would go with Karlaftis. The second he got on campus and spring ball started, he was with the first-team, and he did not disappoint. Football is really important to him. He wants to be good at it, and he's talented, and he's at a position of need. He's a guy that will live up to the hype and then some, so I think that'd be a good guy to go with on the defensive side of the ball.

An offensive spring star, I'm going to go with a veteran wide receiver. A kid named Jared Sparks, a former quarterback. Some of these veteran receivers are feeling the heat because there's a lot of good, talented wide receivers coming on campus. The time is now. If they don't make a move now, they're probably going to be buried on the depth chart. Sparks is a guy who sort of responded in the spring and played well, along with a kid named Amad Anderson, Jr., another wide receiver. So I think those two guys on offense, they're feeling the youngsters nipping at their heels. They needed to play well in the spring, and Anderson and Sparks both played pretty well. We'll see if that can continue in the fall.

The Big Ten West division just seems a little bit more open heading into 2019. There could be several teams that are in contention to go to Indianapolis once the dust settles during the regular season. I know it's really early right now, but what's your season prediction for Purdue?

Tom Dienhart: Well, I think Iowa is going to win the West. I wouldn't be shocked if Nebraska is second and Wisconsin third. I think Purdue probably should settle in and finish in fourth or fifth in the West this year. Minnesota's got a lot coming back, too. Other than Illinois, you could make a good case for all six teams. I think Purdue's probably a middle of the pack, Big Ten West team in 2019, like I said. Fourth place, I'll say anywhere between third and fifth place for Purdue. I don' t think they've got enough to finish first or second in the division this year. I think Iowa and Nebraska are going to be the class. Don't forget about Northwestern, too, for crying out loud - they won the dang division [last year]. So for Purdue, like I said, anywhere from six to eight wins and finishing anywhere from third to fifth in the Big Ten West this season are my expectations.