GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 9 • 10
or four and that's huge."
Behind Abdullah, Nebraska's
running game ranks sixth nation-
ally, averaging 293.4 yards, but the
senior isn't a one-man show.
Quarterback Tommy Arm-
strong is effective in the option run-
ning game, having rushed for more
than 500 yards himself, while I-back
Imani Cross could start at a lot of
major programs.
But Abdullah, conceivably a
fringe Heisman consideration if he
finishes strong, is the centerpiece.
"He's a complete back," Purdue
coach Darrell Hazell said. "… He
can block. He can catch it out of the
backfield. For 190 pounds, he runs
like he's two-and-a-quarter. He's
very physical. And he's got great
quickness. He gets in open space
and really breaks people down.
He's a pretty special player."
Nebraska makes it difficult to
pay extra attention to its prolific
running game.
Kenny Bell is the most accom
-
plished wide receiver, statistically,
in program history.
Callahan believes fellow receiv-
er Jordan Westerkamp will push
Bell's numbers through the remain-
der of his career.
They both average better than
17 yards per catch and have totaled
six touchdowns.
Both are downfield threats
complemented by Armstrong's
powerful arm. He averages 15 yards
per completion and, "his (down-
field) accuracy is as good as you're
going to see in the conference," Cal-
lahan said.
"You have to take one thing
away and make them as you one-
dimensional as you can," Hazell said.
Nebraska will be trying to do
the exact same against a Boiler-
maker offense that put up big num-
bers in the three games prior to the
bye week.
In a win over Illinois and losses
to Michigan State and Minnesota,
Purdue has averaged 35.6 points
and 258.7 rushing yards.
The Cornhuskers would like
nothing more than to neutralize
big-play ballcarriers Akeem Hunt
and Raheem Mostert and make
Purdue one-dimensional, in which
case the Boilermaker offensive
front would have to contend in
pass protection with an excellent
Husker front four and an overall de-
fense that ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten
in efficiency against the pass.
Up front, defensive end Randy
Gregory is one the most feared
pass-rushers in college football, but
only part of Nebraska's front-line
mix, joining fellow end Greg Mc-
Mullen and defensive tackles Ma-
liek Collins and Vincent Valentine.
"They finally have a good front
four," Callahan said. "This is the first
time they've had what I consider
four NFL-type guys on the line,
other than that one or two a year.
They've got four very good guys,
and that allows them to not have to
blitz a lot. That's a huge advantage
because (Bo) Pelini, what he likes to
do, is cover … three receivers with
seven bodies and they're able to do
that a lot."
Opponents are completing
only 48 percent of their passes
against Nebraska, with one more
interception (nine) than touch-
down pass allowed.
Purdue will have its hands full
at Nebraska in more ways than one.
The Boilermakers, though,
very much have the College Foot-
ball Playoff-hopeful Cornhuskers'
attention.
"I think they're a well-coached
football team that has gotten bet-
ter. You watch where they were a
year ago compared to now and it's
like night and day, which doesn't
surprise me," said Pelini, whose
team won 44-7 at Purdue in 2013.
"Darrell Hazell is a heck of a coach
and they have some really good
coaches on that staff. (John) Shoop
over there on offense has been
around for a long time and is a re-
ally good coach. They do a good
job defensively. It's a program that's
on the rise. I think they're going to
continue to get better. You see the
good coaching. The kids play very
hard. They're very sound in what
they do."
j
OPPONENT NEWSSTAND
HuskerOnline.com: Cherish this final month of Abdullah
JournalStar.com: Huskers hope their fresh feeling brings
November payoff
JournalStar.com: Husker secondary and Warren jelling
Omaha.com: Nebraska preparing for much-improved Purdue
Omaha.com: Starting at No. 15 in playoff rankings, Huskers have
a shot
Huskers.com: Nebraska game notes
Scott Bruhn/Nebraska
QB Tommy Armstrong is effective in the option running game but also has a powerful enough
arm to be a downfield passing threat.
