Purdue @ Notre Dame preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2009 ) Notre Dame 24, Purdue 21

The Brian Kelly era officially begins Saturday. The new Irish coach, who has won everywhere he’s been, begins his reign at home against the Purdue Boilermakers.

Kelly has been a head coach for 19 years. At Grand Valley State, his teams won two Division II National Championships. While at Central Michigan, the Chippewas won a Mid-American Conference Championship in his third year. Then, at Cincinnati, Kelly led the Bearcats to a record of 34-6 with back-to-back Big East titles and two straight Bowl Championship Series appearances.

Kelly inherits an outstanding offense that averaged 452 yards per game last fall. However, two skilled players from that unit have departed for the NFL. Record-setting quarterback Jimmy Clausen threw for over 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns last fall but is now the property of the Carolina Panthers. Wide Receiver Golden Tate was Clausen’s favorite target, catching 93 passes for 15 touchdowns, but he’s now a Seattle Seahawk. Clausen’s replacement is 6-4, 235-pound junior Dayne Crist, who tore his ACL against Washington State last October. All accounts, though, are that his knee is 100% and he will be ready to go Saturday.

Taking up much of the slack for the departed Tate is wide receiver Michael Floyd. Injured halfway through the season, he still managed to catch 44 passes. The Irish also have a potential All-American in Kyle Rudolph at tight end. And Notre Dame returns its leading rusher, Armando Allen, who gained 697 yards a year ago. Kelly will be using his no-huddle spread offense featuring three wide receivers, a tight end, and a tailback.

Purdue counters with first-year quarterback Robert Marve, a transfer from Miami (FL) who won the job this spring and gives second-year head coach Danny Hope the potential for a high-powered offense. Purdue has become known as the Cradle of Quarterbacks. Time will tell if Marve can be favorably compared with the likes of Len Dawson, Bob Griese, Mark Herrmann, Jim Everett, Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. The Boilermakers, 5-7 in Hope’s first year, also return their leading rusher, Robert Bolden, who gained 965 yards, and wide receiver Keith Smith, who caught 91 passes last season. The highlight of Hope’s first season was a 26-18 upset of Ohio State.

The questions for both clubs revolve around their defenses. The Irish lost three defensive starters and gave up nearly 400 yards of offense per game. They have switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Purdue didn’t fare much better in 2009. The Boilers surrendered 29 points per game but do return an outstanding defensive lineman, Ryan Kerrigan, who recorded 17 sacks in 2009. Kerrigan is a 6-4, 263-pound senior who anchors the line.

Saturday’s matchup marks the 82nd meeting between the Irish and the Boilermakers. The first game was in 1896 and it has become one of the longest-running rivalries in the nation. The Irish lead the series 45-27-1. Last fall, Notre Dame hung on to nip Purdue, 24-21. Can Kelly, in his first year as head coach, bring respect to a Notre Dame team that went 16-21 the last three seasons? Can Hope bring Purdue to the forefront of the Big Ten?

Both teams have explosive offenses, but the key to this game is defense. Whichever team gets a few stops should win it.