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This is a big year for Jeff Brohm.
When Brohm took over at Purdue in 2017, he seemed to re-establish the program as a feisty competitor in the B1G. After several down years under Darrell Hazell, the Boilermakers went bowling in back-to-back seasons, knocking off No. 2 Ohio State and recruiting was on the upswing.
Things have gone south quickly in West Lafayette. Purdue is just 6-12 in the last two seasons, has been bitten by the injury bug frequently and has shown real weaknesses at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football.
It feels like Purdue has to get back to the postseason for Brohm to safely return to the program for Year 6.
Purdue still has a lot of question marks entering this season, but there are some reasons for optimism. Before the Boilers take the field on Sept. 4 against Oregon State, here are five bold predictions for the season:
1. Purdue’s run game will see some improvement
There may not be a word in the dictionary that sums up Purdue’s rushing attack over the last two seasons. In the last 18 games, the Boilermakers have eclipsed 100 yards on the ground just 8 times, are averaging under 83 yards per game an have been held to 50 yards or less 7 times.
Basically, it’s hard to imagine it getting any worse.
Offensive line is still a concern with a lack of depth and experienced bodies to put on the line. The running back room is slim too, led by Zander Horvath and King Doerue. But the inability to run the ball has been such a nuisance for the Boilermakers that I have to believe it’s been a point of emphasis for Brohm. If Purdue can just hit an average of 100 yards per contest, that’ll be a huge improvement.
2. The secondary is drastically better than the past three seasons
Brohm wasn’t messing around this offseason when it came to fixing the defense. He fired Bob Diaco and brought in Brad Lambert from Marshall, secondary coach Ron English from Florida and former Purdue defensive line assistant Mark Hagen to fill that same role. Purdue also added a lot of talent from the transfer portal in hopes those guys would be able to contribute quickly.
Those additions should be helpful. Plus, Brohm said he’ll have a more hands-on approach to the defense this season than in his first four years. He wants the secondary to play aggressive, fighting for more interceptions, pass break-ups and forced fumbles.
Purdue should have the personnel to play a more aggressive style, returning Cory Trice, Cam Allen and Marvin Grant, while also bringing in former Florida defensive back C.J. McWilliams. This group could be one of the most improved for the Boilers in 2021.
3. David Bell is the B1G Receiver of the Year
Everything thrown his way, he comes down with. Even when defenders are focused on him, Bell knows how to make a play on the football. That’s why the Purdue receiver has caught 139 passes for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first two seasons in West Lafayette.
Bell has a lot of competition with Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and Minnesota’s Chis Autman-Bell, but Brohm has been known to feed his playmakers. Bell is going to get the targets and he’s proven more than capable of making the plays.
4. The Boilermakers score at least one upset
Purdue’s schedule is incredibly difficult and is generally considered one of the 10 toughest in college football among multiple outlets. That means it’s going to be difficult to make a bowl game, but it also means there are plenty of opportunities to notch an upset.
The Boilers will play five teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 of the Associated Press Poll: No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 18 Iowa, No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 17 Indiana. The Boilermakers might be fighting for postseason eligibility this year, but the offense can be tough to game plan for — at least that’s what we’ve seen in the past.
With an improved defense, I think Purdue knocks off at least one of those five teams.
5. Both George and Yanni Karlaftis receive postseason accolades
This year will probably be the only time brothers George and Yanni Karlaftis share the field in West Lafayette. George is a preseason second-team All-American and Yanni is an incoming 4-star linebacker. We know what George is capable of accomplishing but the jury is still out on Yanni.
Considering Yanni’s familiarity with Purdue and his brother’s style, there’s a good chance he’ll have an opportunity to make early contributions at the linebacker position for the Boilers. If that’s the case, the younger Karlaftis could easily be a freshman All-B1G selection by the end of the season.
If he’s at full strength again, George is capable of being one of the best defensive ends in the country. It should be incredibly fun to watch these two share a field together. It should pay off with some postseason recognition, too.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB