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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 7 • 20 BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com P urdue's passing defense gave up 450 yards to the Fighting Illini on Saturday. It wasn't a pretty effort, but it didn't break the Boilermakers, either. Purdue still held the explo- sive Illini offense to 27 points and kept the hosts from hitting on big touchdown plays. "I guess everyone can see the breakdowns when the ball is in the air," defensive coordinator Greg Hudson said. "It started in the team meeting. Our first emphasis is that we had to eliminate the run. We wanted to completely stop the run, which we did for the most part. And then gimmick plays, we didn't want to give up a screen or a reverse for a touchdown, and just keep the ball in front of us. "We gave up too many pass - ing yards, but it's the passing yards that you keep in front of you that you can live with. They weren't for home runs." But the Boilermakers need to be better, too. And they'll be challenged on Saturday, with the Michigan State passing combina- tion of quarterback Connor Cook and receiver Tony Lippett. Against the Fighting Illini, Purdue had only two passes bro- ken up, including one by Jake Re- plogle on a third down at the line of scrimmage. The other was by cornerback Antoine Lewis. "No. 1, we've got to be better in alignment and rerouting receiv- ers, but then also we've got to be better on the back end, our speed in the break," Hudson said. "Our stop foot, drive foot and breaking on the ball has got to be just a little bit faster. We're close, and we've got to strip more balls, we've got to break them up. We don't have enough breakups, or defended passes, as a unit." EZECHUKWU'S CHANCE Without Sean Robinson — the senior linebacker is out with a knee injury — redshirt freshman Danny Ezechukwu is in line to see significantly more playing time. He'll line up as Purdue's weak- side linebacker, as Ja'Whaun Bentley moves over to take Rob- inson's spot in the middle. Eze- chukwu has at least a bit of ex- perience, playing about handful of snaps per game when the Boil- ermakers have gone to their nickel defensive package. But that role is expanded now, as he's likely to be on the field when Purdue is in its base defense. "His teeth are really going to get cut at Will and getting more reps," Hudson said. "… The biggest challenge is to do the little that we're going to ask him to do. Just relax and play like he's back in the backyard again. Shame on me if I have a bunch of calls that confuse him, and we won't. "And our front's got to play and safeties got to play and our corners have to play. They'll do a good job. They'll play hard." FIND THE TIGHT ENDS? Purdue's tight ends haven't been involved much in the pass- ing offense of late. Against Illinois, Gabe Holmes and Justin Sinz had only two recep- tions; a week earlier against Iowa, it was only one catch, by Sinz. But the Boilermakers should be getting more, considering their top three — Holmes, Sinz and Dol- apo Macarthy — are experienced F O OT BA L L Offensive Coordinator John Shoop Defensive Coordinator Greg Hudson Shoring Up The Pass D Tom Campbell Purdue's defensive backs struggled against Illinois' passing offense last week. Frankie Williams, especially, had a dif- ficult time containing Illini receivers.