Purdue’s defense making gains under new coach Brohm
MADISON – Purdue officials have been searching for Joe Tiller’s replacement for nearly a decade.
In 12 seasons at the school (1997-2008) Tiller won 55.2% of his Big Ten games, 58.4% of his games overall, and led the Boilermakers to a share of the 2000 Big Ten title and a berth in the 2001 Rose Bowl. Not impressed? Consider that in the eight seasons following the retirement of Tiller, who passed away Sept. 30, the Boilermakers went 1644 in Big Ten play and 3167 overall.
They never finished above .500 in league play during that span and won seven games overall just once, in 2011 under Danny Hope.
The Boilermakers appear to have finally found the right man in Jeff Brohm.
“You see a team that’s got a lot of talent, playing at a high level, playing confident,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said.
UW (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) hosts Purdue (3-2, 1-1) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Boilermakers are coming off an impressive 31-17 victory over Minnesota and already have matched their victory totals in league play (one) and overall (three) from last season.
Brohm came to Purdue after three impressive seasons at Western Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers were 19-5 in Conference USA play and won the league title in 2015 and ’16. They went 30-10 overall under Brohm. During that threeyear run, they averaged 44.6 points and 526.2 yards per game.
“It is truly an offensive system, where everything complements each other,” Chryst said. “And I think they do a good job of making you have to defend the whole field."
Purdue is tied for fifth in the Big Ten in scoring at 29.6 points per game, an increase of five points over last season (24.6).
Yet the defense has seen the biggest improvement.
Purdue overcame four first-half turnovers against the Gophers because the defense refused to yield, and the Boilermakers enter the week allowing 20.8 points per game.
That is only eighth-best in the Big Ten but a huge improvement from last season, when opponents averaged 38.2 points.
“Four turnovers in one half is not good, especially when I really dislike turnovers," Brohm said after the victory over the Gophers. “You know what? Sometimes it will happen. Our defense has been very good all year and they kept us in the game.”
The defense allowed a 39-yard touchdown drive in the opening quarter after an interception and then gave up a 51-yard run that sparked an 80-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.
After those scores, the defense had enough.
The Boilermakers forced a three-and-out after a lost fumble at the Gophers’ 43, forced a turnover after a lost fumble at their 37 and gave up a field-goal drive in the fourth quarter but then secured the victory with an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.
“I did like the personnel when I got here,” Brohm said when asked about the defense. “And the more I watched them and got to be around them and our guys got to work with them, I liked some of the parts we were able to work with.
“We had some experience. We had some guys that really not only looked the part but they played the part from what we saw in practice.
"And you know, it really was about just getting some of the other guys that had not played a lot in the mix and see where they fit in and trying to build some depth."
Purdue’s defense allowed 35 points to Louisville in a season-opening loss, holding the Cardinals to three touchdowns and three field goals on eight red-zone trips; held Ohio to two scores through three quarters before giving up a late touchdown in a 44-21 victory in Week 2; limited Missouri to 203 total yards in a 35-3 victory in Week 3; and held firm until wilting in the final quarter of a 28-10 loss to Michigan.
“I think our defensive coaches have done an outstanding job,” Brohm said. “We do try to play an attacking style of defense and try to take away the run and make a team beat us throwing the football.
“You know, load the box, so to speak, as much as we can, to make a team earn every touchdown they get.”