Expect More of Same From Purdue This College Football Season

The 2021 college football season will be a critical one for Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm, who is entering his fifth season as the head coach of the program and only has one winning season to show for it. After an ugly shortened 2020 campaign that saw the Boilermakers go 2-4, improvements will need to be made on both sides of the ball in 2021 if Brohm wants to keep his job.

WynnBET is expecting more of the same from Purdue, as it has its win total set at 5.5 with the under favored at -170 odds. Purdue also has the second-longest odds to win the Big Ten West division at +400, with only Illinois at +500 having longer odds.

The Boilermakers offense will go as far as junior receiver David Bell will take them. Bell was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2019, and followed it up with an impressive sophomore campaign that saw him grab 53 catches for 625 yards and eight touchdowns. 

The person who will be throwing the ball to Bell remains a mystery. A quarterback competition between Aidan O’Connell and Jack Plummer is expected to continue in 2021, as both players split reps at QB during the shortened campaign.

Purdue finished last in the Big Ten in 2020 in rushing yards per game at 81.5, so finding their rhythm in that department this season would do nothing but help their chances. Neither running back Zander Horvath or King Doerue impressed in 2020, so the Boilermakers will need someone to earn their reps in their backfield this season.

New defensive coordinator Brad Lambert plans to implement a 4-3 defense in 2021 that should highlight the strengths of their defensive ends, George Karlaftis and DaMarcus Mitchell.

The Boilermakers linebacking crew will get a boost this season with the addition of Auburn transfer OC Brothers. He’ll join an experienced corps led by Jalen Graham and Jaylan Alexander.

Purdue’s success will come down whether or not it can establish a running game, and if it can be strong enough on defense to keep itself in games. Unfortunately, there’s not enough signs within the program that we’ll see anything different from Brohm and his Boilermakers in 2021.