The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 129 BY RYAN TICE It's hard to imagine a much more difficult start to the Jeff Brohm era at Purdue. Game one is a neutral-site contest in Indianapolis against defending Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson and Louisville. After a home game against Miami (Ohio), the Boilermakers go on the road to play at Missouri, and then open Big Ten play against Michigan. That's quite the welcome to the big time for Brohm, a former Louisville quarter- back who was an NFL backup for seven sea- sons before embarking on his coaching career. In his three years of leading Western Ken- tucky, he went 30-10 overall and ended with back-to-back Conference USA titles and a 15-1 mark in league play over his final two seasons. The school he takes over has won just three Big Ten games in the last four seasons and went 9-39 overall during that span. One anonymous Big Ten assistant told Athlon: "That job became as unappealing as any I can think of in the Power Five." The biggest positive for Brohm is that he does inherit a returning starter under center in redshirt junior David Blough, one of the Big Ten's top returning passers after finish- ing second in the conference with 25 touch- down throws and third with 3,352 passing yards a year ago. The passing attack ranked 21st nationally, averaging 294.9 yards per game, but Blough will need to cut down on last season's 21 interceptions. Another huge positive is a deep and experi- enced stable of running backs. Last year's top four rushers return, along with redshirt junior D.J. Knox, who tore his ACL in the 2016 spring game after gaining 409 yards and two touchdowns on just 108 carries, while adding 189 receiving yards in 2015. Junior Markell Jones is a budding star in the backfield — over the last two years he has rushed for 1,491 yards and 14 scores, while compil- ing another 454 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. Sophomore Brian Lankford- Johnson enjoyed a promising debut last season, averaging 6.5 yards on his 48 carries. However, major problems loom on an offensive line that returns just two starters and allowed 11 "sacks" in the spring game, and a wide receiving corps that loses its top three contributors. Redshirt junior tight end Cole Herdman is the top returning pass catcher, after hauling in 35 passes for 344 yards and three scores. Jones, who snared 32 passes for 215 yards, is the second-leading returning pass catcher, al- though Notre Dame graduate transfer Corey Holmes (11 career receptions) is expected to give the group a boost. Offensive tackle Dave Steinmetz, a 31-game starter at Rhode Island who checks in around 300 pounds, could provide a similar impact up front. Two graduate transfers will also be im- mediately eligible on the other side of the ball, although it isn't in as much need as the offense thanks to six returning starters. Western Kentucky linebacker T.J. McCol- lum followed his coach to West Lafayette in the spring after ranking third on the Hilltop- pers with 85 tackles despite missing the last three games. The 6-3, 240-pounder was out- standing in 2015 — his first year after trans- ferring from UAB, which cut its program — leading WKU with 106 tackles, in- cluding a team-best 11.5 for loss. He should form a danger- ous duo with redshirt sopho- more Markus Bailey, who paced the team with 97 tack- les and four interceptions last year. Seniors Je'Whaun Bent- ley (50 tackles with seven for loss in nine games) and Danny Ezechukwu (52 tack- les) are also back to fill out the middle of the unit and won't easily cede playing time. Wake Forest graduate transfer Josh Okonye should add some stability to an inexperienced sec- ondary. Junior college transfer T.J. Jallow is known as a big hitter and is another new- comer. Fifth-year senior cornerback Da'Wan Hunte (six passes broken up and 47 tackles) and sophomore safety Navon Mosley (49 tackles) are the top returners. The front is led by senior tackle Gelen Rob- inson, who ranked third overall with 61 tack- les while playing end last year — and he's still expected to occasionally bump outside. Mammoth 345-pound sophomore Lorenzo Neal (11 tackles with three for loss) and junior Eddy Wilson (36 tackles, six stops for loss and 2.5 sacks) are also back along the interior. A bowl game isn't likely for the Boiler- makers in year one of the Brohm era, but that isn't required for them to show improvement from his predecessor. Notes Purdue's strength might be its special teams — sopho- more J.D. Dellinger started just 2 of 5 on field goals last season, but was 8 of 9 the rest of the way … Junior Joe Schopper is even more proven, the two-year starter punted 56 times for a clip of 40.7 yards per attempt last year and had 24 downed inside the 20 with eight of 50 yards or more … Athlon ranked Purdue's quarterbacks fifth in the Big Ten; every other position group was ranked 10th or lower. ❏ The Boilermakers Start Over Under New Coach Jeff Brohm 2017 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2016 Result Sept. 2 vs. Louisville* — Sept. 8 Ohio — Sept. 16 at Missouri — Sept. 23 Michigan — Oct. 7 Minnesota L, 44-31 Oct. 14 at Wisconsin L, 49-20 Oct. 21 at Rutgers — Oct. 28 Nebraska L, 27-14 Nov. 4 Illinois W, 34-31 (OT) Nov. 11 at Northwestern L, 45-17 Nov. 18 at Iowa L, 49-35 Nov. 25 Indiana L, 26-24 * At Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: David Blough, R-Jr., QB — The 6-1, 200-pounder has thrown for 4,926 yards and 35 touchdowns during his 20 starts, but he's also been picked off 29 times … Eclipsed 300 passing yards five times in 2016, including a career-best 458 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-35 loss to Iowa … Posted a quarter - back rating of at least 101 in 10 of 12 games. Defense: Gelen Robinson, Sr., DL — The 6-1, 283-pounder started seven times and had nine tackles for loss in 2015, but broke out last year with 61 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks … He also forced a fumble and intercepted a pass, which he returned 78 yards for a touchdown … Is the son of former NBA star Glenn Robinson, the No. 1 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Purdue … Younger brother of Glenn III, who played basketball at U-M. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Markus Bailey was just the sec- ond freshman in school history to lead the team in tackles (97) and interceptions (four). PHOTO COURTESY PURDUE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS • SEPT. 23 • GAME 4 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: U-M leads 44-14 First Meeting: U-M 34, Purdue 6 (Nov. 1, 1890, at Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 44, Purdue 13 (Oct. 6, 2012, at West Lafayette, Ind.) Head Coach: Jeff Brohm, first year at Purdue and 30-10 overall (fourth year) 2016 In Review: 1-8 overall, 3-9 Big Ten (7th West) Final 2016 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 14 (5 offense, 7 defense, 2 spe - cialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2012 (Heart of Dallas, vs. Oklahoma State, L 58-14) Big Ten Championships (last): 8 (Shared in 2000) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: David Blough (3,352 yards, 25 TD, 21 INT) Rushing: Markell Jones (616 yards, 4 TD) Receiving: Cole Herdman (344 yards, 3 TD) Tackles: Markus Bailey (97) Sacks: Gelen Robinson (5) Interceptions: Markus Bailey (4)