http://www.indystar.com/article.php?inthehuddle23.html

"The opponent: The Boilermakers (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten) play at Northwestern (2-6, 0-4) Saturday at 11:05 a.m. (WTTV 4, WNDE 1260 AM). The Wildcats are last in the Big Ten in total defense (516.1 yards per game) and have just five sacks. No other conference team has fewer than 11.

Nothing for granted: Northwestern would seem a perfect opponent for a struggling Purdue team, but the Boilers have lost six consecutive road games dating to a 35-28 overtime victory at Minnesota on Sept. 29, 2001. "We think offensively, they've had some moments where they've been as productive as they've ever been in the past," Tiller said of Northwestern. "There have been times recently where Northwestern has been the most productive team in the Big Ten."

No hesitation: Tiller has great affinity for Kyle Orton, but he said he didn't wrestle with the decision to make Brandon Kirsch the starting quarterback in Orton's place. "I've never had a problem replacing a player, if in my opinion the player we are replacing him with gives us a better opportunity to win," Tiller said. "I've never struggled with that." Kirsch will make his second start on Saturday and Tiller said he has no plans to rotate quarterbacks. Kirsch will likely be removed only if he's injured or ineffective.

Boilers healthy: Left guard Nick Hardwick (high ankle sprain) is the only Purdue starter questionable for Saturday. Tiller said the Boilers are as healthy as he can remember this late in the season

Noteworthy: Purdue is 5-0 against Northwestern in Tiller's six seasons. The only other Big Ten opponent it is undefeated against during that span is Minnesota (6-0). . . . John Standeford has 159 career receptions and needs six more to pass Brian Alford (1994-97) for sixth on Purdue's career list. Standeford is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the nation's top receiver."

-- Michael Pointer

_____________________________

Players contend there's no quit in Boilers

By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200210230purdue_football1035351101.shtml

"The Purdue football question du jour is "what's the mood of the team?" Almost every interview the Boilermakers go through nowadays includes that question. But that's what happens when a team is in the back half of a disappointing season, with a 3-5 overall record and a 1-3 Big Ten Conference mark.

"You'd have to have a degree to do that," sophomore wide receiver Taylor Stubblefield said when asked if he could figure out the team's psyche.

"It's funny, because you'd think, at a time like this, that everybody would be like, man, we suck," Stubblefield said. "You'd think we would be down; nobody wants to play football any more. But that is not the case. We feel that we are still a really, really good team. If anything, we are the best 3-5 team in the nation.

"One of these days, we are going to put a complete game together and either just blow somebody out or come in and have a good game against a team like Ohio State."

The Boilermakers would seem to have a very good chance of snapping their three-game losing streak Saturday at Northwestern. The Wildcats have the worst overall record (2-6) and conference record (0-4) among Big Ten teams. Purdue then has a bye week before returning home to take on fourth-ranked Ohio State."

for the full story click on the link above

_____________________________

Boilers refuse to take Northwestern lightly
By Jason Tomcsi
and Andrew Hershberger

http://www.purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/10/25§ion=sports&storyid=index

Just because the Northwestern football team is last in the conference doesn't mean it is a pushover.

"It's a Big Ten team," said Purdue head coach Joe Tiller. "If there is any doubt in anyone's mind about Northwestern's ability to be a good football team, put on the Ohio State game — it gets your attention in a hurry.

"They got after it when they played Ohio State. I don't know the psyche of their team at that time; I don't know what was going on but for some reason they put forth an outstanding effort against Ohio State.

"If you watch that game, they were pretty impressive on both sides of the ball."

for the full story click on the link above

_______________________________

Tiller won't juggle quarterbacks

By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200210231purdue_football1035351101.shtml

"Purdue coach Joe Tiller watched tapes of the Michigan loss for a second time Monday night. Not to add insult to injury, but because he wanted to evaluate the performance of Brandon Kirsch, the true freshman quarterback who got his first collegiate start against the Wolverines.

"I just wanted to watch him and not watch the rest of the team," Tiller said. "I think he played very well. He did some things which I think are very encouraging for Purdue. He did some things that were outside our system.

"We have been a team this year that hasn't had a lot of that happen for us. It's been kind of like, whatever's been there is what we've gotten and if it isn't there we haven't gotten it. I thought that was very positive on his part."

Tiller, who announced Sunday that Kirsch will be the starter Saturday at Northwestern, said he currently has no plans to play both Kirsch and sophomore Kyle Orton against the Wildcats.

Unless the Purdue offense is struggling, the plan is for Kirsch to go the distance in Evanston. Tiller said that Kirsch will get about 80 percent of the snaps this week in practice."

for the full story click on the link above

_____________________________

The Daily Word - Weekend Preview
By Andy Gamm

http://www.thefinalscore.net

Editor's Note: Joining me this week is MSU fan Zakath. Zakath went 5-0 and held off two others in the tiebreaker. Your host (me) is now 48-17 for the year. Play along this week, and every week, on the message board. Picks are due in by 11am EDT Saturday.

"Purdue at Northwestern - Game Time: 12:10 pm EDT / TV: ESPN Plus
Purdue fans surely remember that when I came out with my preseason report on the Boilermakers, I picked this as the upset of the year in the Big Ten. Well, that was then. I also thought Purdue would be 6-2 (3-1) right now and primed to make a run at the Big Ten title. I was a bit closer on my Northwestern preview (had them 3-5 and they are 2-6) but nonetheless, Northwestern took a huge step back in a 49-0 drubbing last weekend and with Purdue being so close to 6-2 or better, this weekend will not provide the upset I once prognosticated.

That said, it will be a good, close game. The Wildcats have some talent in players like Raheem Covington and Jason Wright but Purdue has found it's next Drew Brees in Brandon Kirsch. Kyle Orton has been serviceable as the starter, but Kirsch can do so much more as he adds fantastic mobility to a good arm and great instincts. Aside from not coming to the quarterback realization earlier, the reason Purdue is fighting for its bowl life is special teams. There are not many kickers in the Big Ten worse than Berin Lacevic and this has cost Purdue dearly more than once this season. However, things will all balance out this weekend as Purdue should be able to run and pass with success against a porous Wildcat defense. The 'cats keep it close for a half, but in the end, Purdue gets back on the winning track... PURDUE 34 - NORTHWESTERN 23.

Zakath says... That sound you just heard was Penn State scoring again on the Purple Helmeted Warrior defense. JoePa's irritation at Big Ten pinstripes led to a Wildcat slaughter, as the Kitties now are yielding an unconscionable 333 yards per game on the ground (add to that their league leading 70 penalty yards/game). Enter a Shot and a Beer (sans those abysmal home unis), who seem to have the innate ability to play to the level of their competition (what other team could lose to Illinois by 7, Michigan by 2, and Wake Forest [WAKE FOREST?] by 3). I'm pretty sure if DIII Lake Forest showed up, Purdue'd find a way to lose by 4. The hydra behind center in West Lafayette isn't helping consistency from the Gold and Black (or is it Black and Gold?), but I can't see the Boilers dropping to 1-4 in conference this week. PURDUE 33 - NORTHWESTERN 17."

for all the Big 10 Previews click on the link above

____________________________

Boilers look to Stubblefield on third down

By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200210250purdue_football1035525081.shtml

"It hasn't taken Taylor Stubblefield long to become an important part of the Purdue offense.

After missing the first three games this year recovering from an offseason head injury, Stubblefield has appeared in the past five games and already is the Boilermakers leading receiver, with 46 receptions to 45 for John Standeford.

It's no surprise that Stubblefield has quickly turned into a go-to guy, considering that as a redshirt freshman last year he led Purdue with 73 catches for 910 yards.

What is surprising is that after 17 career games, he's caught 119 passes for 1,361 yards -- but only two for touchdowns, and both of those came in last year's 33-27 loss to Washington State in the Sun Bowl.

"I wanted this year to become more of a threat, especially scoring touchdowns," Stubblefield said. "But like I've said many other times, third down is the down where I think I excel. If I keep moving the ball, somebody's going to score."

Whereas Standeford's 45 catches have covered 875 yards (19.4 average), with eight of them ending in the end zone, Stubblefield's 46 receptions have covered only 451 yards (9.8), with no TDs."

for the full story click on the link above

____________________________

Ex-QB starts making catches

Rhinehart yearns to throw passes, but he has begun to make an impact at tight end.

By Michael Pointer

michael.pointer@indystar.com

October 25, 2002

http://www.indystar.com/article.php?pufb25.html

"WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Mike Rhinehart doubts he will ever totally get over not being a quarterback.

"I'm still in mourning," joked the Purdue sophomore tight end, who is third on the team with 14 receptions heading into Saturday's game at Northwestern. "I'll be in mourning forever."

It's little wonder. From the moment he was moved to quarterback before his junior year at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Rhinehart felt like a natural at the position.

It wasn't just because he stood an imposing 6-6. He also craved the responsibility that came with it. Being a leader, being the guy his teammates looked up to . . . it was football nirvana to him.

"I love being in the spotlight and being in control and managing the game," Rhinehart said.

So when Purdue -- which was on its way to a Rose Bowl season with quarterback Drew Brees leading its vaunted spread offense -- offered a scholarship, he turned his back on an offer from Michigan and took it."

for the full story click on the link above

____________________________

Cruel jokes, curses bounce off Lacevic

Kicker remains confident he'll end struggles

By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200210240purdue_football1035437316.shtml

"It happened to Travis Dorsch, and now it's happening to Berin Lacevic. Nasty e-mails. Snide comments from students on campus. Crude fans swearing at him from the Ross-Ade Stadium stands.

When Lacevic, who has made only 3 of 10 field goal attempts this season -- including two misses in last Saturday's 23-21 loss to Michigan -- showed up for one of his classes Tuesday, this is what he overheard one of his male classmates telling another student:

"Did you hear the Purdue kicker tried to hang himself? But he couldn't kick the chair."

Lacevic, in his first season as Purdue's kicker after transferring from Garden City (Kan.) Community College, said it's gotten so bad that he's begun deleting most e-mails from unknown sources.

The electronic hate mail began flowing in after Lacevic missed three field goals in a 24-21 loss to Wake Forest.

"After that last game, I think one of the dudes wanted to attack me," Lacevic said of a particularly unruly fan that verbally accosted him as he ran off the field. "He used every cuss word that he could."

for the full story click on the link above

_____________________________

Three teams may fight for one bowl spot

By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200210241purdue_football1035437316.shtml

"Even with the 12-game regular season schedule this year, it still only takes six victories to become bowl eligible. For the 3-5 Boilermakers, who are allowed to count their win over Division I-AA Illinois State in the season opener, that means they must win at least three of their final four games.

But while a 6-6 record would make them bowl eligible, it won't guarantee a bowl bid.

The Big Ten Conference has seven bowl tie-ins -- the Rose, Capital (formerly the Citrus), Outback, Alamo, Sun, Music City and Motor City.

That's two more than a year ago, with the Music City (in Nashville, Tenn.) and the Motor City (in Detroit) added this year to the Big Ten bowl menu.

As long as the conference ends up with seven (or fewer) bowl-eligible teams, all will go bowling. But if the league winds up with eight bowl-eligible teams, that last team could get left out, unless it receives an at-large bid.

The only bowl games with built in at-large slots are the Humanitarian and the Silicon Valley.

At-large slots could open up if any conferences don't have enough bowl-eligible teams to equal the number of their bowl tie-ins."

for the full story click on the link above

_____________________________

Michael Pointer: Purdue Q&A

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR

October 25, 2002

http://www.indystar.com/article.php?purdueanswers_p.html

"Question: Two unrelated questions. Do you think Tiller should give Kersch the same opportunity to develop that he has given Orton and clearly gave Hance? That would mean letting him play all the significant parts of the remaining games. Then if he didn't cut the mustard they could battle it out in the spring, but if he turned out to be as good as he appears, we would have an excellent three-year starter. 2) What's your feeling on the Purdue men's BB team for this year. Thanks (Vern from Urbana, Ill.)

Answer: 1) Purdue still is in bowl contention, so Tiller must start the quarterback that gives the team the best chance to win. At the moment, I would say that is Kirsch. But no matter what happens, I expect the quarterback competition to be thrown open in the spring.

2) The men's basketball team can be pretty good if it plays with the heart shown by some other Keady-coached teams. With a little effort, it has to be better than last year. If things break right, I see a 20-victory season and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. If they don't, well, I don't think Purdue fans want to go through anything like last season again. "

for the full story click on the link above

____________________________

Purdue fans can relive memorable moments at Spoilermaker.com

By Ken Thompson, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/football/columns/200210210purdue_football1035263335.shtml

"Purdue football fans wishing to relive some of the greatest moments in the last 25 years should make a stop at www.spoilermaker.com.

Dave Mengel, with a big assist from fellow Purdue fans who supplied the clips and the know-how to install it on his Web site, is enjoying the latest addition to his fan page.

"I take no credit other than offering the webhosting," said Mengel, who resides in Walnut Creek, Calif. "I need to thank all the Purdue fans who contributed their clips to the section. The directory will always remain free of charge for Purdue fans everywhere to download for their own enjoyment."

The video clips, which are best viewed with a Windows Media Player, include the most famous touchdown pass in the last 30 years of Purdue football -- Drew Brees to Seth Morales against Ohio State, complete with the call by ABC's Brent Musberger.

Other top clips include Travis Dorsch's game winning field goal against Michigan in 2000, Brees' 99-yard TD pass to Vinny Sutherland against Northwestern in 1999, Adrian Beasley's fumble return for a touchdown against Notre Dame in 1997 and Scott Campbell's game winning TD pass and two-point conversion to Steve Bryant against Notre Dame in 1981.

Anyone who wishes to submit clips should e-mail Mengel at spoilerdave@spoilermaker.com."

for the full story click on the link above

___________________________

Boilers have high expectations high for JUCO center

By Jeff Washburn, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/hoops/stories/200210231purdue_hoops1035351440.shtml

"So much potential. So many expectations.

Purdue center Chris Booker is well aware that among coach Gene Keady's first-year players, he is the one Boilermaker fans can't wait to see.

At 6-foot-10, 247 pounds, this junior college transfer should give Purdue an interior presence along the lines of Stephen Scheffler and Brad Miller.

But as Booker's former junior college teammate Darmetreis Kilgore learned this past season, potential and reality often are different entities.

"I let Chris know not to buy into all the expectations," Kilgore said during Tuesday's Purdue Basketball Media Day. "That's what I did, and that's what could mess him up. But Chris has done a great job of just working hard on his own and listening to coach."

Booker comes to Purdue after averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds a game at Tyler (Texas) Junior College last season."

for the full story click on the link above

_____________________________

Two Boilers expected to redshirt

Keady will make decision before exhibition opener

By Jeff Washburn, Journal and Courier

http://www.boilerstation.com/hoops/stories/200210230purdue_hoops1035351101.shtml

"Barring a last-minute change of heart, two Purdue men's basketball players will be redshirted this season.

Purdue coach Gene Keady said Tuesday that he plans to make an announcement on Nov. 5 -- the day the Boilermakers begin exhibition action against the Harlem Globetrotters.

While Keady still is deciding which two to redshirt, he said one will be a freshman and one will be a sophomore.

Power forward Matt Carroll is the likely sophomore candidate. The freshman class is comprised of guard David Teague and forwards Matt Kiefer, Melvin Buckley and Chris Hartley.

"We will redshirt, but we probably won't decide until exhibition game day," Keady said. "We will wait and see what the injuries are like. Some guys may play above and beyond what we expected."

•ON THE MEND -- Junior guard Kenneth Lowe's broken right thumb should heal in time for him to be at 100 percent for the Boilermakers' Nov. 22 regular season opener against Miami (Ohio)."

for the full story click on the link above