2006 Purdue football preview

2005 Record: 5-6 (3-5 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Joe Tiller

Players Drafted:
Bernard Pollard S - Round 2 - Kansas City
Ray Edwards DE - Round 4 - Minnesota
Rob Ninkovich DE - Round 5 - New Orleans
Charles Davis TE - Round 5 - Pittsburgh

Top Recruits:
Jeff Lindsay S - 6'3" 190 Macomb, MI
Jeff Panfil QB - 6'5" 190 Fort Worth, TX
Kyle Sheehan DT - 6'3" 250 Fairmont, MN
Keith Smith QB - 6'3" 186 Killeen, TX

Key Players Returning:
Torri Williams SS
Curtis Painter, QB
Kory Sheets RB
Anthony Spencer DE
Dorien Bryant WR
Jordan Grimes G
Sean Sester OT
Mike Otto T
Kyle Ingraham WR
George Hall LB

Purdue Offensive Outlook

The Boilermakers return 7 starters from an offense that scored 30 points per game in 2005. WR Dorien Bryant headlines the Purdue offense heading into 2006 as an explosive receiver. He makes up for his lack of size with blazing speed and has a knack for finding a way to get open. Once he’s in the open field he can avoid tacklers, and the success of the offense relies heavily on QB Curtis Painter keeping him involved.

Painter saw enough action last year to show that he can be a productive quarterback, but he needs to get on the same page as his receivers. He has quality targets in Bryant and 6’ 9’’ tower, Kyle Ingraham. His progression has been encouraging, and it appears that he is ready to make the next step toward becoming the type of quarterback the Boilermaker fans have seen in the past.

Kory Sheets will be the number one option out of the backfield for Tiller’s offense. He’s a solid runner with good hands as a receiver. Anthony Heygood made the most of his carries in the spring game running for 96 yards on 19 carries. Heygood is a powerful runner who will be a nice change of pace when the Boilermakers look to pound the ball behind an offensive line led by G Jordan Grimes and T Mike Otto. This group of linemen will be very good both run and pass blocking.

Purdue Defensive Outlook

The Boilermaker defense returns just 4 starters from the 2005 squad that allowed 28.1 points per game. The defense has one solid player on the line, one at linebacker, and one in the secondary. Anthony Spencer returns as a starter at DE and brings experience. With three new starters on the line, look for DT tackle Ryan Baker to be a rising star. He has the size to plug holes and athleticism to get to the quarterback

George Hall is the most notable linebacker of a group that is collectively above average. With a number of LBs that are very similar in ability, it will rake time to see which players rise above the rest to secure playing time. Dan Bick had a solid spring game performance and will be a player that could help Coach Tiller regain some confidence in his defense.

Safety Torri Williams may be the best athlete on the team. He capable of covering receivers and has a nose for stopping the run. He needs to stay healthy, though, as he has had both back and leg problems.

Purdue Special Teams

Senior Casey Welch is listed as the team’s kicker, but will have to compete with Kyle Mossbrucker to hold the position.

Jared Armstrong will step in as the new punter, and he has the ability to leave the opposition with a lot of field in front of them. His strong leg is a weapon that should help the defense. Last year's punter, Dave Brytus, has left the Purdue program and transferred to Pitt.

Shifty WR Desmond Tardy should be returning punts with Sheets and Bryant handling the kickoff returns.

2006 Keys to Success: WR Kyle Ingraham’s eligibility status was in question during the spring, but it appears that he is back with the team for his senior season. His production will be a key for the offense to sustain drives and keep opposing offenses off the field and give the defense time to rest. The offense has plenty of weapons, but will need to rely on a balanced attack to win games and keep the pressure off of Painter.

The defense will need to develop some playmakers in the secondary. The linebackers are solid, and the defensive line should be good enough to hold their own in the trenches.

2006 Overview: Talk about your all-time big misses in the Big Ten schedule. The Boilermakers will not see Michigan or Ohio State this season. They also see Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Penn State in West Lafayette. So trips to Iowa and Michigan State are the key Big Ten road games. Purdue will still need quality performances to get by Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northwestern.

Notre Dame will be a mighty battle for the Boilermakers. Expect to see Brady Quinn and company having a field day, unless Purdue finds a defense prior to week five.

Look for the Boilermakers to win seven games this year.

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