When previewing Purdue football these days it is like looking at a bizarre version of the defense. From 2004 to 2014 Purdue was known to have subpar linebackers. No matter the year, it seemed like the Boilers couldn’t find three Big Ten caliber linebackers to put on the field. It was a massive deficiency that never seemed to be addressed in recruiting.
Fast Forward to last season and this season. Purdue seems to have a wealth of quality linebackers that could play on any team in the league. Unfortunately, the progression of offensive football often means that you can’t have three on the field at the same time because of match-ups.