And 10 reasons to be excited for Boilermaker Football this fall.
100 Days Until Kick-Off.
9/1/2022 Vs Penn State, can momentum carry on? I think so.
Here are 10 reasons why we should all be excited for the upcoming season.
- Starting Quarterback is locked in since AOC announced he is returning. – For the first time since Sindelar, quarterback is locked in coming into the season, which oddly feels a long time ago. AOC lit the B1G on fire last season once he became the full time starter. Then he went ahead and did the same damn thing to Tennessee with his top two wide receivers not playing. Which, we will need to get used to, as Bell is in Cleveland now and Wright is not on the team any longer.
- Interior Defensive Line Depth and New Edge Rushers – The defensive line will look a bit different with George Karlaftis to the Chiefs and DeMarcus Mitchell finding his footing with the Chiefs. Look for Frosh Joe Strickland to make an impact, Grad Transfer Scotty Humpich and Jack Sullivan to make their mark on the edge. The interior DL is going to be very good as well, Lawrence Johnson is back, Penn State transfer Cole Brevard will arrive in a couple of weeks, Joe Anderson can play IDL and DE, Demarjhe Lewis, Branson Deen, Greg Hudgins, JP Deter and Mo Omonode (Frosh) will all provide depth, it is a very good and experienced group.
- Coach Brohm hit his rhythm – It seemed by mid season Coach Brohm hit his stride as a play caller with a cemented quarterback. He and the staff jived well it appeared as well, the first time probably since 2018, in my opinion. I hope this will carry over into 2022, momentum is there, I don’t see why not.
- New Blood at Wide Receiver – Losing Marvin Grant Jr to Kansas (lol) hurts, but there has to be more to the story. But, the good news is, while the loss hurts, there are plenty of pieces in the secondary with about 3 or 4 years of playing experience and a lot of starting experience to fill in. Jalen Graham, Reese Taylor (IU Transfer), Bryce Hampton (Adams State), Cory Trice, Tee Denson (Kansas State), Jamari Brown, Cam Allen, Chris Jefferson, Sanoussi Kane, Antonio Stevens (coming off bad injury from 2020) all have starting experience at Purdue or elsewhere, we will be just fine!
- An emerging Run Game? – Horvath is out west with the Chargers now, but, King Doerue is back. Sampson James is eligible after being forced to sit out last season after a late transfer from IU. Dylan Downing is back at the bigger back and I like walk on Devin Mockobee a lot, a speedy walk on from Boonville, Indiana.
- Best Tight End Duo in the B1G – Payne Durham and Garrett Miller are some of the best playmakers in the B1G at any skill spot, but they may be the best 1-2 punch at the TE spot. Those two compliment each other perfectly and lean on one another to better themselves.
- Mark Hagen – He may be the best hire of the Brohm Era thus far. A top notch recruiter, ties all across the state and nation. On top of that, he gets the most out of his players each year. Karlaftis loved him last season and the players gravitate towards him.
- Draft Prospects All Over the Roster – Last year we saw three taken. This year, I think we could see more than 5. There are guys all over this roster that could play at the next level and that is EXCITING.
- New Special Teams, again – This seems to be a never ending cycle now, but it is what it is. Coaches leave, players leave. Hopefully we can have stability here for a couple of seasons now.
- A packed Ross-Ade. – One of the best college football environments when it is filled. On top of that, new renovations are on the horizon.