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volume 24, EX 5 • sept. 26, 2013 Inside | NIU preview 9-13 | Assistants take big role 17–18 Women's hoops get key commit 33 | Basketball notes 35-37 'Very Important' Week BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com to work hard through the process. That's the only way you get out of erhaps Purdue's start isn't much where we are right now. of a surprise. We have good players, The Boilermakers figured to be in but we still have to get a for a rebuilding year with a new staff lot better on all the little and its new schemes and a schedthings that we need to ule that wasn't expected to provide do to become a good much room for growing into either. football team. That's been the case, as Purdue "We have to take enters its final non-conference game steps forward. We can't Saturday against Northern Illinois afford to take steps having won only one of its first four back. This game we games. Typically, a matchup against need to come out and the Mid-American Conference is an we need to play well. Tom automatic W. This one won't be so Rob Henry needs to play much better, and needs better play from his line, againstCampbell We need to find a way a easy — the Huskies return key pieces Northern Illinois' defense that has struggled mightily this season. The coaches have been to have some success. from their shocking run to the Or- firm in their support for Henry, but he needs to make strides. It's very important for ange Bowl last season and are unPurdue needs to make some progress the rest of the season." beaten in 2013. on Saturday to take some momentum The list of areas to improve is signifiBut NIU is vulnerable. It has won in into the first bye week, post-NIU. cant, but these three areas are crucial: shootouts, overcoming a struggling de"I felt honestly we took a little bit of R The offensive struggles start with a fense. a step back this past Saturday, and it's a line that's been largely inconsistent, espeThat leaves promise for the Boiler- process," Darrell Hazell said Tuesday, days cially at the guard spots. In simple terms, makers, who desperately need to have a after his team got walloped again at Wis- the group needs to block better. good week. consin, 41-10. "We're going to continue Trevor Foy and Devin Smith have P THE Numbers 22-14 The score of Purdue's most recent Homecoming game against a non-conference opponent played on Oct. 14, 1967, a tough loss for secondranked Boilermakers to Oregon State. The times previously that Purdue has been an underdog at home to a team from the Mid-American Conference. NIU is a 3.5-point favorite Saturday. Northern Illinois' record in its last seven games against the Big Ten. Before then, the Huskies were 1-31-1. The Boilermakers' winning percentage (12-3) in their last 15 games against MAC schools, dating back to 2003. Many games have been close: Only five have been decided by two or more touchdowns. 0 3-4 80 been especially slow as pulling guards on the power play, a staple in John Shoop's offense, and they've struggled to blow open big holes in the middle because they've been ineffective on double-team blocks. It was a point of emphasis in practice this week with Jim Bridge barking orders, per usual, but being especially vocal during double-team work, especially with converted tackle Foy. If Purdue can't get its fundamentals GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 5 • 1