Purdue’s offense is heading into Saturday with a fresh layer of uncertainty, and it has nothing to do with what the Boilermakers themselves do on the field.
Illinois shook up its defensive staff after parting ways with defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck following its loss to Ohio State, and Purdue offensive coordinator Josh Henson said the timing complicates the prep work for a team already trying to rebound from a rough outing. Illinois coach Bret Bielema has not named an interim defensive coordinator, and he also will not make defensive staff and players available during media sessions before the game in Champaign.
“The challenge of Illinois is going to be, at least leading into (Sunday's) announcement, is going to be getting on the right people and the twisting games and the different things they present to you,” Henson said.
That makes this week different for Purdue, which saw its offense get slowed in a 49-10 loss to Notre Dame after looking sharper the week before at UCLA. Ryan Browne was efficient against the Irish, going 18-of-28, but Purdue never found the explosive throws that had shown up earlier.
His completions averaged less than 6.2 yards per play, and his only two gains of double-digit yards went to Asaad Waseem for 20 yards and Tra'Mar Harris for 11. Browne was also sacked four times.
The Boilermakers have leaned on Browne’s growth from last season, his first as a full-time starter, especially in the way he gets rid of the ball and reads defenses. But the run game has now been stalled in back-to-back weeks, and that leaves Purdue looking for answers as it heads to a defense that may not look exactly like the one it has spent the week studying.
Illinois has been using a 3-3-5 look that can shift into four down linemen, a setup designed to create confusion and generate movement. Henson said it is a system he has dealt with before, including multiple matchups against longtime defensive coordinator and former New Mexico and San Diego State head coach Rocky Long.
“I've been in I think three games with Coach Long and this defense over my career,” Henson said. “They're multiple.
They've got a lot of rule breakers. They've got a lot of different pressures and blitzes in what they do.
A lot of twisting, a lot of movement. That is the challenge it presents.”
The challenge is made trickier by Illinois’ numbers. The Illini have allowed the third-most points per game among Big Ten teams this season, trailing only Purdue and Rutgers, and they rank last in the league with three sacks through four games. Their pass defense is last in the conference in passing yards allowed per game, and their rushing defense sits 15th.
If Illinois keeps the same basic structure, Purdue may still have to sort through a defense that mixes looks and throws in plenty of movement. If Bielema changes things up, Browne and the Boilermakers could be forced to adjust in real time.
“Bret has been around the block,” Purdue head coach Barry Odom said. “He is a veteran, and he's got a lot of answers, and so he'll have I know, and I haven't talked to him, my guess is he has a plan in place like he does for everything.”
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