Boiling Pots of Questions

As the countdown to 2010 kickoff dips below the one week mark and Irish anticipation begins to heat up past a simmer, it makes perfect sense to start talking Boilers.  As we take our first look at this season's run in with our long time cross state rival, it becomes clear that Purdue is one team that can see our stack of question marks and raise us a few more of their own.

Want questions?  Start with Junior transfer QB Robert Marve.  The highly touted Tampa recruit's redshirt freshman season with the Canes in 2008 ran amok with problems on and off the field.  1300 yds, 9 TDs and 13 INTs later, he announced his intent to transfer to West Lafayette and then dropped a cherry on the sundae by tearing his ACL three days later in on field drills.  Highly touted, unproven, and recently injured... remind you of any QB phrases we've been dropping lately?

Questions related to injuries and depth don't stop under center.  Tailback Ralph Bolden (900 yds, 9 TDs) is out with a second serious knee injury, likely for good.  In fact, all five scholarship backs were sidelined for the spring game with injuries.  Two great starters return to the O-Line, but the rest of the crew is young and unproven.  Questions surrounding the line and the running game may force Marve to quickly find WR Keith Smith, which could lead to success by air - Smith was the league's best receiver last year while playing most of the season with a broken wrist.  The biggest question regarding Purdue's offense is really:  how one dimensional will they be forced to be, and if so, can they be successful?

Questions about the offense are but a shadow of those regarding the defense.  Sound familiar?  The secondary is in shambles after losing four starters and there is not much evidence of retooling to any degree that would keep Brian Kelly from salivating like Charlie Weis at a buffet line.  The program was still actively recruiting DBs in the Spring to plug the holes.  The foundation up front is solid, but additional questions from injuries around the linebacking core raise another question:  will the pass rush be solid enough to stop the temptation to soak this team with a persistent aerial attack?

Overall, the biggest question has to be, which Purdue will show up?  The team that beat Ohio State and Michigan last year, or the one that lost to Northern Iowa, Northwestern, and Minnesota?  How will the still new coaching regime fare after an accelerating start in its first season last year?  How much transition is too much transition for this team?  How many wins can be guaranteed from a schedule that matches the hot hots and cold colds of Notre Dame's?  Can Purdue squeeze out a bowl birth for the first time since 2007?

You wanted questions - you got 'em.  We should be used to this by now.  In seven days, we'll no doubt each have at least some of the answers.  Here's to boiling up the right ones, and evaporating our share of the pot.