Things aren’t looking great for the Purdue defense. Kevin Kane is drawing ire just about every day on every corner of the Purdue internet. Yes, there’s a Purdue internet. So I asked the staff if Kane was the problem or if the players are the issue. Here are their responses.
Ledman:
I really just think it’s some combination of both, but since you can’t just get rid of players and bring in all new ones at midseason the only thing you can do to show your fans that you give a shit about the way things
are going is by putting a head on a pike. So, yes, it’s a multipronged problem, but in my opinion you’ve got to get rid of Kevin Kane and the sooner the better. He’s been an abject failure and there’s no good to come from keeping him around. Bye bye Kevin.
Jed:
In most instances, I think there is roughly an equal amount of blame between players and coaches. This, however, isn’t most instances and that is due to Kevin Kane.
This is Kane’s second stint as defensive coordinator and it is going just as most fans expected it to: terribly. During the last of his two seasons, the defense gave up an average of 39.9 points per game and 200 yards rushing per game. Those numbers are appalling and this year isn’t too far off as the defense is currently giving up 36ppg through three games. If you take out the 19 that Indiana State scored, it rises to 45ppg in the two FBS games.
Long story short, I don’t blame the players at all because this is the same story as 2023 and 2024 with Kevin Kane. This is squarely on Odom’s shoulders for making an absolutely ridiculous hire and on Mike Bobinski for not having the ability to tell his football coach no.
I’m sure Kevin Kane is a great person but it seems as though Purdue is not a place he needs to be coaching at. That decision should have been made at the Purdue airport Sunday morning.
Travis:
It is probably a little of both, really.
The scheme has been awful. Giving up 3rd and long or 4th and long on the regular is on the scheme. If Purdue stops even half of those many conversions it is easily 3-0 right now. The 4th and 14 against Wake was egregious, especially when they threw well short of the sticks. at UCLA I had zero confidence we were getting a stop regardless of distance on third down, and giving up long ones means guys are not in the right spot.
The players have some responsibility too. There were too many blown tackles in LA, especially on Wayne Knight. Penalties have also been a factor, and penalties lie with the players on the field.
All that said, it is relief that Purdue is definitely better than the last two years despite the 1-2 record. The offense looks excellent and if there can be even modest improvement on the defensive side of the ball we can win a Big Ten game. Overall, we have the look of a 4-8 team that has like 5 losses in the 45-35 range.
Casey:
I blame the third Jupiter moon being in Aries with Capricorn.
How are you ever gonna play two deep with the planets in such formation?
Coaches. There’s no way this team looked good defensively anywhere in the off season. Cant put that product out there and think you’re consistently competing at a high level.
