'Took him just 17 games to devastate this program.'

Purdue Boilermakers limping into Champaign...

*Purdue (1-4) at #23 Illinois (4-1)

Saturday 2:30 central kickoff

TV: FS1

Notes: Boilermakers 17.5 to 20-point underdogs mid-week.......Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman have the call on FS1....Purdue has lost four games in a row by an average of 35 points....Bret Bielema's team looking to avenge last year's embarrassing 44-19 road loss to the Boilermakers....Former Illini defensive coordinator (2021-2022) Ryan Walters 2nd year as Purdue head coach....not going well....fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell two weeks ago...elevated offensive analyst Jason Simmons to play-caller...nothing against coaches at that level....two years ago Simmons was calling plays for Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

Many Purdue fans calling for Walters’ firing...media has been harsh....one beat writer’s comment about this season’s performance....'Penalties are a problem. Tackling is a problem. Turnovers are a problem. Moving the ball is a problem.'.....Boilers by my count 230 penalty yards last two games....'You’ve got to hand it to second-year coach Ryan Walters. Took him just 17 games to devastate this program.’ Indianapolis Star proclaimed after last week’s 52-6 loss at Wisconsin.

*Purdue on offense...

-Vs. the Badgers.....Purdue lined up more in 12 personnel (one back/two tight ends) added pre-snap motion both rare when Harrell play-caller.... would expect that to continue vs. Aaron Henry's 'D'.....Boilermakers have fallen behind early in all four losses causing them to have to throw to catch up.......o-line struggles in pass pro/wide receivers struggle getting consistent separation/quite frankly catching the ball has been an issue....that being said....Purdue does have players that can give Illini ‘D’ problems.

Senior quarterback Hudson Card (#1) can make ‘baller’ plays scrambling/accurate dink and dunk passer when given time....Illini 'D' has struggled stopping inside running and that's a Purdue strength with backs Devin Mockobee (#45) pairing with former Illini Reggie Love III (#23)....talented 6-foot-4 sophomore tight end Max Clare (#84) Card's most dependable target.

Defensively....Purdue going to line up in a five-man front...stuff the middle of the line with their two-gap interior linemen...back end.....aggressive man-to-man coverage with a lot of grabbing/holding of receivers....huge part of the Boilermaker penalty issues...defensive backs not letting go when engaged……Defenders that stand out...sophomore safety Dillon Thieneman (#31) makes plays all over the field....linebacker Kydran Jenkins (#4) played d-end last year now inside/love his blitzing/pass coverage not so much.....another player who impressed 6-foot-6 sophomore rush end Will Heldt (#15) NFL-potential.

*Prediction-Yeah 2024 Purdue stinks...bad bad bad....they have just enough talent to be dangerous if Bielema's team starts off slow/let Boilers get early success....last year such an awful loss...hopefully ILL. coaches assholes this week at practice making sure team remembers that contest/stay focused prepping for a ‘bad’ team.

This will be a coordinator battle...how well will Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr./offensive line coach Bart Miller play call/scheme against Walters 'D'?....Strength of the Purdue head coach as a defensive coordinator…. ability to attack blocking schemes/o-line ‘rules’ with his blitz packages/getting opponent’s offense in 3rd and long consistently....see Boilermaker blitzers running free thru the guard/tackle gap....Walters is winning the scheme battle...Illinois wins….if you can get Purdue plus 21 points....take the bet.

*Greg Landry passes away...

-Longtime NFL quarterback/assistant coach Greg Landry passed away last week....He was Illini offensive coordinator/QB coach 1993-1994.....remember like yesterday....halftime of a basketball game....Loren Tate interviewing Lou Tepper who had just fired offensive coordinator Tom Beck....Tate, 'I hear Mike Ditka has just let Greg Landry go as Bears offensive coordinator...would Landry be someone under consideration?'....Tepper stammered, 'well that's an interesting name'....Jim Caldwell was Tepper's first choice but he turned the job down again....Tepper had offered him the offensive coordinator job when first named Illini head coach.

Landry at Illinois...always remembered his offense’s being productive...well-liked by both assistants/players.....1994 final two games…. after loss to Penn State/19-13 'L' at Wisconsin....Tepper decided to make a change at offensive coordinator...head coach waited till the week of the Liberty Bowl to tell Landry...not after the game during the week....reportedly after Tepper told him he would not be back....Landry went down to the hotel bar told the other assistants/certain players having a few 'cold ones’ he was done....all were shocked.

Landry had landed a commitment from Parade Magazine player of the year/Louisville Male quarterback Chris Redman....after being fired/still under contract.....Tepper had Landry continue to recruit Redman like he would be his coach...think about that.....by the way….Illini beat East Carolina 30-0 in bowl game…..Redman family wasn’t told about Landry till after he signed his letter of intent…when news broke…he asked for his release….eventually ended up playing at Louisville…All-American with the Cardinals/NFL career.

Written about it before but as a reminder……'Urban legend' reason for firing……head coach didn’t like Landry's drinking/smoking/salty language....personality clash with Tepper who couldn't take him anymore....probably something to that...real reason heard years later…..head coach perceived Landry a poor game manager/play-calling questionable when it mattered….'scapegoated' Landry for the 6-5 1994 season....That squad in my opinion forever known as the 'most talented' 6-5 team in Illini history....two Butkus winners/veteran talent on offense....someone had to take the fall for 1994 and it was Landry......Tepper later would say his issue with Landry was 'he didn't understand the complimentary football we wanted to play'....nice way of saying Tepper's 'D' was on the field too much leading to breakdowns/losses….hurt the head coaches ‘rep’ as a defensive genius....after Illinois Landry coached for a couple of seasons with his old team the Detroit Lions.....He was 77....no cause of death given.