Purdue - What did we learn?

huskerfan74 said:
Big Ten refs are trained to call things in favor of Ohio state and Michigan. If a call can go either way, it always goes in favor of those two if you are playing against them. 
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Do you think Clete Blakeman could come and give them a crash course on how to officiate correctly.  They are TERRIBLE!

 
Despite looking shaky for a lot of the last five games, this team is at four wins not even halfway through the season. How that compares to the last ten years:

Year        Coach        5Games    Total
2015     -     Riley     -     2     -     6
2016     -     Riley     -     5     -     9
2017     -     Riley     -     3     -     4
2018     -     Frost     -     0      -     4
2019     -     Frost     -     3     -     4
2020     -     Frost     -     1     -     3
2021     -     Frost     -     2      -     3
2022     -     Frost     -     2     -     4
2023     -     Rhule     -     2     -     5
2024     -     Rhule     -     4     -     ?

 
Raiola's composure in the pocket is wildly impressive.  That can only come from a mastery of the playbook I don't think I've ever seen from a true freshman.  There's a purpose to buying time that again is subtle, but wildly impressive.  

Barney runs without an ounce of fear.  He looks like he's playing youth ball.  

This staff's ability to insert guys into the lineup w/o notice impresses me.  The standard as they say isn't where we all hope it gets, but even last season guys got inserted for injury or rest & it wasn't the automatic & immediate liability you typically see.  

On the flip side, it's a lot of little things.  Sometimes it's a lack of discipline or just sloppy play & that includes coaches, but this should have been a 40 pt blowout as effortless as Nebraska moved the ball.  Somebody else mentioned game management and it's time Rhule drink his own koolaid because that comes from feeling the pressure not to lose/make mistakes.  Overall, I like what Rhule has cooking, but they have to play a lot cleaner to reach their potential this season because like the Illinois, teams in the BIG rarely beat themselves.  

 
Moiraine said:
The punting wasn’t good though. The actual kicking of the ball part of the punt was really good, but if punting is considered the entire punt play, the coverage team acted like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off and just got lucky on the bounce on the one where we put them around the 7 yard line. 
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Agree, I was giving props to Buschini, he is punting and putting the ball in places we should capitalize on more.

 
knapplc said:
Despite looking shaky for a lot of the last five games, this team is at four wins not even halfway through the season. How that compares to the last ten years:

Year        Coach        5Games    Total
2015     -     Riley     -     2     -     6
2016     -     Riley     -     5     -     9
2017     -     Riley     -     3     -     4
2018     -     Frost     -     0      -     4
2019     -     Frost     -     3     -     4
2020     -     Frost     -     1     -     3
2021     -     Frost     -     2      -     3
2022     -     Frost     -     2     -     4
2023     -     Rhule     -     2     -     5
2024     -     Rhule     -     4     -     ?
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I'm glad we are where we are at, but our only give me game left is UCLA.  One would like to think we can win at least one more than that, but we also lost our last 4 last year after starting 5-3.  The special teams is concerning for close games.  I think we probably go 6-6, but I'd like to get to 7 to guarantee a winning season and to feel like a real improvement over last year.  6-6 gets you bowling, but feels a bit hollow with the talent level we have.

 
I learned we're tough to beat when you have a quarter mile worth of penalties.

Our ST is the worst in the country.

Our receivers don't practice blocking, ever.

EJ is our best back - shifty, tough, diverse, doesn't fumble.

Six wins is no guarantee.

 
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Packerhuskerfan said:
I'm glad we are where we are at, but our only give me game left is UCLA.  One would like to think we can win at least one more than that, but we also lost our last 4 last year after starting 5-3.  The special teams is concerning for close games.  I think we probably go 6-6, but I'd like to get to 7 to guarantee a winning season and to feel like a real improvement over last year.  6-6 gets you bowling, but feels a bit hollow with the talent level we have.
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You're not wrong, and nothing is guaranteed. And UCLA may be the only other solidly W game left, but we have a puncher's chance against Rutgers, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. And I think this team is overall better than the team that finished 0-4 last year, with losses in winnable games against all four of those opponents. 

 
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