Purdue Boilermakers

The fifth installment of a series ranking Iowa's 12 opponents for the 2014 season. Today it's No. 8 Purdue, the Hawkeyes first Big Ten opponent for the 2014 season. The game is at West Lafayette, Ind., on Sept. 27.

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

Division:

Big Ten West

2013 record: 1-11 (0-8 Leaders Division)

Returning offensive starters (10):

QB Danny Etling, TE Gabe Holmes, RB Akeem Hunt, LG Jason King, WR B.J. Knauf, C Robert Kugler, WR Shane Mikesky, RG Jordan Roos, TE Justin Sinz, WR DeAngelo Yancey

Projected starting offense:

QB Danny Etling, so., 6-3, 218; RB Akeem Hunt, sr., 5-9, 184; WR DeAngelo Yancey, so., 6-2, 200; WR Cameron Posey, so., 6-2, 182; WR Danny Anthrop, jr., 6-0, 180; TE Justin Sinz, sr., 6-4, 251; LT David Hedelin, jr., 6-6, 285; LG Jason King, so., 6-3, 300; C Robert Kugler, jr., 6-3, 284; RG Corey Clements, jr., 6-8, 330; RT Jack, sr., 6-7, 290

Returning defensive starters (8)

: S Anthony Brown, S Landon Feichter, LB Joe Gilliam, S Taylor Richards, LB Sean Robinson, DT Michael Rouse, DE Ryan Russell, CB Frankie Williams

Projected starting defense

: DE Ryan Russell, sr., 6-5, 275; DT Ra'Zahn Howard, so., 6-4, 315; DT Ryan Watson, jr., 6-2, 306; DE Jake Replogle, so., 6-4, 240; LB Sean Robinson, sr., 6-3, 240; SLB Gelen Robinson, fr., 6-2, 230; WLB Joe Gilliam, sr., 6-1, 227; CB Frankie Williams, jr., 5-9, 186; CB Antoine Lewis, sr., 5-10, 185; LS Landon Feichter, sr., 6-0, 189; RS Anthony Brown, jr., 5-11, 192

Returning specialists (2)

: K Paul Griggs, jr., 6-1, 200; PR/KR Raheem Mostert, sr., 5-11, 186

Other specialists

: P Austin McGehee, fr., 6-1, 200

Key losses:

RT Justin Kitchens, LT Kevin Pamphile, CB Ricardo Allen, DT Bruce Gaston, DE Greg Latta, P Cody Webster

Key additions

: P Austin McGehee, OT David Hedelin, OG Corey Clement, LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, DE Gelen Robinson, QB David Blough, DE Will Colmery

2013 review:

Purdue was at the end of things when Danny Hope was cashed out in 2012. The Boilers hired Darrell Hazell away from Akron and he had no chance in ‘13. The Boilers were especially week on the offensive and defensive lines and that's just not going to cut it in the Big Ten. Purdue won just once and went 0-for-8 in the Big Ten.

A couple of glimmers of hope: Quarterback Danny Etling seems like a keeper. Forget the numbers (10 TDs, seven interceptions and 1,690 yards passing), he lived. Purdue averaged 14.9 points and 282.9 yards a game (both among the worst in the country). The Boilers rushed for 67 yards a game, second-worst in the nation at No. 124. Purdue allowed 39 sacks, but Etling, a true freshman last season, lived and returns for another round.

But wait, he was sacked four times in the spring game.

If Purdue is going to climb back to bowl eligibility, it will need to develop D-linemen. End Ryan Russell and tackle Ra'Zahn Howard showed some push forward last season.

The Boilers also return senior running back Raheem Mostert, who won the 100 (10.3 seconds) and 200 (20.66) meters at the Big Ten championships last month. So, the Purdue running game will have access to the Big Ten's fastest athlete.

2014 schedule

: A30 Western Michigan; S6 Central Michigan; S13 Notre Dame (at Indianapolis, Ind.); S20 Southern Illinois; S27 Iowa; O4 at Illinois; O11 Michigan State; O18 at Minnesota; N1 at Nebraska; N8 Wisconsin; N22 Northwestern; N29 at Indiana

Key Stretch

: Yes, it would be great for everyone in Boiler Land if Purdue found itself playing meaningful Big Ten games this fall. That's not going to happen, but Purdue needs to dump the ugly B1G losing streak. But even more realistically, Hazell needs wins and needs them right away. The Boilers open with Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Notre Dame and Southern Illinois. That's a chance to go 3-1 to start the season. Western was a train wreck last season. Coach P.J. Fleck has recruited well and might be a tougher out. If the Boilers lose back-to-back to the Mid-American Conference (WMU and Central Michigan), the league might not tell them where media day is next year.

Trap game:

The Boilermakers will be looking to end their Big Ten misery. Could it happen right off the bat against Iowa? Probably not. It could happen against Illinois. The Fighting Illini are locked between matchups with Iowa and Michigan State. Illinois might be ready for a bowl run under third-year and supremely embattled coach Tim Beckman. Purdue simply wants a Big Ten win. It probably believes it has a chance against the Hawkeyes. It might it has a chance against Michigan State. It definitely has to believe Illinois is within reach. Another step would be a victory over rival Indiana. It doesn't fit the 'trap” game category, but it would most certainly be a giant boost.

Glass half-full

: A lot needs to come together, but the Purdue staff ID'd the problematic O-line and went to work in the offseason. Hazell signed five offensive linemen, including the two JUCOs, and plans to bring in four walk-ons when training camp starts in August. The Boilers had just nine offensive linemen listed on the spring roster. 'We're trying to create depth and competition,” he told the Lafayette Courier & Journal. 'You've got to have 18 guys in your program.” So, they're working on that and have fresh bodies.

Etling has a chance to be good. Does that chance come home this year? That depends on the O-line. The one thing we know about him after last season is that he's tough. That can go a long way in the leadership element a QB needs to display.

Purdue's defense, just don't know, but the Boilers will have sophomore DE Langston Newton, a transfer from Kentucky, available. He might add some oomph. The Boilers flirted with some 3-4 defense last season. We'll see if that was a device of the talent on hand or something Hazell really wants his program to get into.

Glass half-empty:

It takes time to build teams on the line of scrimmage, and that is what Hazell wants. He is a disciple of former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. That means fullbacks and tight ends. The early look during spring, however, showed more shotgun, three wide receivers, single-back sets and tight ends off the line of scrimmage. So, what will Purdue ultimately be on offense?

Will the Boilers have the O-line to pull any of this off? Hedelin (6-6, 285) and Clements (6-8, 330) should help, but, again, quick turnarounds are a tough trick to pull off on the O-line.

The Iowa angle:

The Hawkeyes will begin their Big Ten schedule on the road in West Lafayette. They won there, 38-14, last season, so there aren't any hidden streaks out there. The Hawkeyes muscled up and rushed for 318 yards - the fourth-most in a game under Kirk Ferentz - had 28 first downs and racked up 509 yards total offense. RB Jordan Canzeri rushed for a career high 165 yards, and the Hawkeyes held Purdue to just 266 yards. If Iowa sees itself as a serious contender in the Big Ten west division, it wins this game, no ifs, ands or buts.

This game was a reawakening for Canzeri's career. Against Wisconsin the previous week, Canzeri provided Iowa with its lone offensive highlight, a 43-yard run that remains the longest of his career. At the very least, Canzeri showed coaches what they needed to see in that Wisconsin game. That gave Canzeri more opportunities and he took advantage, especially at Purdue. After a stretch of three games with no carries, the Wisconsin run put Canzeri back on the map. He spiked at Purdue, but remained productive in Iowa's final five games and now finds himself in the rotation. It remains to be seen how much rotation there will be with Iowa running backs.

Purdue might be able to find some success on the edges of Iowa's defense. Mostert has real speed. RB Akeem Hunt also is speedy. They're not big backs, both in the 180-190 range. So, Iowa will be in contain mode. The Hawkeyes have it figured out on the line of scrimmage, with fully developed fifth-year seniors (LT Brandon Scherff and DTs Carl Davis and Louis Trinca-Pasat) leading the way, Iowa won't be able to rely on muscle in every situation or every game, but that pattern could emerge against the Boilermakers.

Iowa is a team with a championship agenda. Purdue is trying to find itself. You really can't even put the 'trap game” label on it. It's Iowa's first Big Ten game. Most teams are usually awake for their first conference games.

Quotable:

'He's much more confident right now. He doesn't appear to be a freshman anymore and he shouldn't. He knows the language better. He studies it. I think he's going to be more vocal. You're going to see him be a more vocal guy. Last year, he didn't say a word. This year, he's already chiming up for guys to get lined up quicker.” - Purdue coach Darrell Hazell on his sophomore QB Danny Etling

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