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THE AUTHORITY ON PURDUE ATHLETICS VOLUME 22, EX 2 • SEPT. 7, 2011 In this issue: • Pages 6-9: Complete Rice Preview O-line Paves Way E Big Boys Get High Grades BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com ntering training camp, Purdue's offen- sive line was thought to be a strength with four players returning with starting experience and Nick Mondek in his second year at tackle and Peters Drey in his second year at center. And then late in camp, the line got shuffled. Nick Mondek, only one year after being moved from defense to offensive tackle, got pushed inside to right guard. Peters Drey, only one year after being moved to center, was bumped to left guard. Rick Schmeig, who spent last season at guard, was slid over to center. And Justin Kitchens, another de- fensive transplant who only just made the switch in the spring, was slipped in as start- ing right tackle. So there was still experience, maybe, just not functional experience. And then that group, including left tackle mainstay Dennis Kelly, went out and guided the Boilermakers to a 200-yard rushing day and mostly adeptly protected first-year start- ing quarterback Caleb TerBush in the face of a rash of blitzes in a season-opening victory over Middle Tennessee State Satuday. There were glitches, sure. Kitchens had a false start and a holding call. James Shep- herd, who filled in for a handful of snaps at guard, had a false start. Mondek had a hold- ing call. But for only working as a group for about three weeks, it was not a bad first out- ing, players and Coach Danny Hope said. GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com In his first game as a guard, Purdue's Nick Mondek helped free Ralph Bolden for big runs and combine with his linemen teammates to offer mostly solid protection for first-time starting quarterback Caleb TerBush against Middle Tennessee State. "I'd say they get an A," receiver Justin Siller said. "They held up. Middle Tennessee was a very high-blitz team. They brought a lot of pressures. It was good to see our of- fensive line and our running backs handle those pressures. Caleb was sacked three times. Late in the game, the fourth quarter in particular, they did a really good job of holding up as Caleb held the ball a little bit, waiting for things to develop." Tom Campbell 4 7 • Pages 17-18: Short A Big Man • Pages 24-25: Purdue's Opponents' Results • Pages 30-31: Recruiting Update Inside The NUMBERS The number of true freshmen who played against MTSU, including Raheem Mostert, Brandon Cottom, Akeem Hunt, Taylor Richards. None, however, played a snap on of- fense or defense. Purdue's wins, including bowl games, vs. three loses and a tie in Texas. Purdue last played in the Longhorn State in the 2004 Sun Bowl, a 27-23 loss to Arizona State. 50 To be exposed to so many blitzes and players coming from all angles was a chal- lenge for TerBush, who is largely responsible for recognizing those blitzes and making changes to the protection. He didn't always get those calls correct, and Hope said that produced two of the three sacks. Hope said he doesn't expect Rice, this Saturday's opponent, to blitz as much as Middle Tennessee, but the Owls still could 11/95 220 The length of Carson Wiggs' first field goal vs. MTSU, the fifth of 50 or more yards in his career. most of any Big Ten teams in their openers. Penalties and yards for the Boilermakers vs. the Blue Raiders, the which Purdue's quarterback has passed for that amount. The passing yardage for Caleb TerBush Saturday, the third straight season-opener in be active up front with three players back on the defensive line who have started a combined 50-plus games. Rice ran a lot of stunts and twists up front in its Week 1 loss to Texas, which caused the Longhorns' of- fensive line problems at points. But if Rice does come with some blitzes, Purdue's linemen said they're ready to han- dle it. "I think it was good for the whole season — (MTSU) threw a lot of things at us that we had to be ready for," Drey said. "This week, they might not move as much horizontally, GOLD & BLACK ILLUSTRATED • VOLUME 22, EXPRESS 2 • 1