Season openers always are so intriguing because you never truly know what you're going to see, especially considering Purdue had all of its practices closed. So we're just basically going on potential. But this team certainly has loads of that.
A couple things I'm excited to see today:
- Quarterback Curtis Painter. Toledo is expected to utilize five defensive backs, a scheme Painter hasn't seen too much. Will the Rockets be able to confuse him? Will he fall back into his forcing-the-ball habits? Surely, it should help that the Boilers anticipate playing more nickel packages this year, too, so Painter should have had a good look during camp and practice for this game. It's not a ground-breaking statement, but I don't care how great the playmakers are on this team: If Painter struggles so will the team.
- Purdue's defense, specifically its alignment. It's reasonable to assume the Boilers will use a 4-3 with Josh Ferguson at middle linebacker on first downs. But after that on down-and-distance appropriate situations, could we see the nickel package exclusively with Dan Bick on the field with Anthony Heygood at linebacker?
- Kicker Chris Summers. He was simply awful from the second half of the season on last year on field goals. Tiller is pretty wishy washy on kickers in general, but he hasn't seemed too impressed with Summers' accuracy so far in camp. Regardless, Summers has the job. The only other option at this point is Brody McKnight, a freshman. One wouldn't think Summers' leg would come into play today -- I think Purdue wins this one by two touchdowns -- but surely there will be games this season he will be crucial.
-- By Stacy Clardie, The Journal Gazette