Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1409378
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 18, 2021 37 GAME PREVIEW: PURDUE in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but the cupboards remain plenty full in the Purdue passing game. Junior quarterback Jack Plummer won the start- ing job over senior Aidan O'Connell in the pre- season after the two split time and posted similar impressive numbers at the position in 2020, so both can play. Plummer threw for 313 yards and two touch- downs in the win over Oregon State. Preseason All-Big Ten wideout junior David Bell — a 6-2, 205-pound coverage nightmare — head- lines a group of reliable and explosive targets. Even while playing opposite the NFL's Moore in 2020, Bell — who provides size and deep speed — led Purdue with 53 catches, 625 yards and eight touchdowns last year. Bell, who was the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, will be complemented by 6-3 junior Milton Wright along with talented tight ends junior Payne Durham and sophomore Garrett Miller. With 30 catches in 2020, Horvath provides another reliable receiving option. The Irish were solid but not spectacular defend- ing the pass last season, ranking No. 34 in pass efficiency defense, No. 40 in sacks (2.58) and No. 58 in total interceptions (seven). Notre Dame's pass defense has been prone to big plays early this season, a trait that won't wear well against Purdue, though the Irish did record five sacks and three interceptions against Florida State. Advantage: Purdue NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. PURDUE RUN DEFENSE After finishing in middle or lower tier of the NCAA and Big Ten rankings in every important de- fensive category the past several seasons, Purdue brought in veteran college coach Brad Lambert — the former head coach at Charlotte from 2011-18 — as a co-defensive coordinator to help improve this unit. Purdue returned two of its top three tacklers from last season in senior linebackers Jaylan Al- exander and DaMarcus Mitchell. In six games last season, Alexander finished second on the Boilers with 49 tackles. Mitchell was third with 34 stops and led the team with six tackles for loss. The Boilers allowed 144.8 rushing yards per game which ranked sixth in the Big Ten and 44th nationally. Junior Cam Allen is a solid all-around safety. He led the Boilers with two interceptions and added 27 tackles in 2020. Off to a sluggish start, at least in the season opener against Florida State, the Notre Dame run game is still expected to be the strength of its of- fense with junior Kyren Williams and sophomore Chris Tyree carrying the load. Junior Jalen Graham, a hybrid linebacker/safety, led the Boilermakers in tackles with six, broke up three passes and recorded a sack that forced a fumble in his team's season-opening 30-21 win over Oregon State. PHOTO COURTESY PURDUE ATHLETICS Junior wide receiver David Bell recorded 11 100- yard receiving efforts in his first 19 career games and already ranks 14th on the school's all-time receptions list with 147 catches. PHOTO COURTESY PURDUE ATHLETICS