Rock, paper, scissors.
Well, actually, “paper, rock, scissors.”
That was what Purdue running back Brandon Jones said he played with a teammate on the sideline during last year’s 42-13 win over Northwestern. Jones said it was so easy to run on NU that it didn’t matter which tailback played.
This year Wildcats running back Noah Herron added some of his own words to the saying.
“Rock, paper, scissors, who wants to go ahead and get sent to the hospital?” Herron asked at NU’s Monday press conference.
Herron’s teammate, Pat Durr, immediately recognized the statement as “bulletin board material.” But it also illustrates the Cats’ (4-4, 2-2 Big Ten) newfound confidence heading into Saturday’s 11 a.m. game against the Boilermakers (6-2, 3-1) in West Lafayette, Ind.
Last year Jones and Purdue racked up more than 400 yards on the ground against the Cats.
“He wasn’t wrong,” Walker said. “But what happened against Purdue in the past has no relevance this year.”
That’s good for Walker and NU.
Purdue coach Joe Tiller is 6-0 against NU, and the last time the Cats beat Purdue was in 1996.
“I think they are a rapidly improving team, significantly better than they were a year ago when we played them,” Tiller said.
Last year NU entered its game against Purdue coming off a 49-0 loss to Penn State.
But now the team is optimistic in its chances after last week’s 16-7 upset of Wisconsin.
“They’re a better team than everybody thought, after beating (Wisconsin),” Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton said.
Orton and Purdue are trying to bounce back after a 31-3 shellacking at Michigan last Saturday.
The quarterback runs a short passing attack that features senior wide receivers John Standeford and Taylor Stubblefield.
The 6-foot-4 Standeford and 6-foot-1 Stubblefield have each caught more than 200 career passes and are second and fourth on the Big Ten’s all-time receptions list.
But the receivers need Orton to deliver the ball.
“If you get some pressure on Kyle he gets a little flustered,” Durr said. “We can get after him and force him to make some bad decisions.”
But Orton will just have to turn and hand the ball to Jones and sophomore Jerod Void if NU can’t stop the run.
The Boilermakers average only 158 rushing yards per game, but Walker said stopping the run will still be a priority.
“Purdue will run, and run a lot, if they can,” Walker said.
While Purdue’s offense is known for throwing the ball, the defense has made its mark stopping the run.
Purdue has only allowed 71 yards rushing a game, which is better than every Big Ten team besides Ohio State.
“They are really fast and have great defensive speed,” Walker said. “Their safeties play downhill and fly to the ball.”
Purdue’s defense is led by hard-hitting free safety Stuart Schweigert, who has 13 career interceptions and was a Playboy Preseason All-American.
Despite Purdue’s strong run defense, Walker said the Cats need to establish the run. NU tailback Jason Wright is day-to-day with an ankle injury.
But Wright’s status hasn’t affected the Cats’ optimism.
“They flat-out embarrassed us last year,” Durr said. “They can try to do it again, but if we come out and play our game they aren’t going to have to deal with the rock, paper, scissors.”
