MSU Opponent Preview: Purdue Defense
The Michigan State Spartans face a crucial two-game stretch to conclude the season.
Jonathan Smith’s team is 4-6. It needs to win both games to reach bowl eligibility. Making a bowl and having extra practices are beneficial to a young team.
The quest for bowl eligibility begins with a home game on Friday night against the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue is 1-9, losers of nine straight games.
This should be an easy game for the Spartans, but they do not have the luxury of overlooking any teams, no matter their record. Michigan State should prepare for Purdue just like any other team.
Looking at what the Boilermakers bring on the defensive side of the ball, it has been a bad unit this season. When Purdue hired Ryan Walters away from Illinois, they did so with the hope he would improve their defensive unit, as he did for the Fighting Illini.
That has not been the case, as he and Defensive Coordinator Kevin Kane do not have a high-performing unit.
Walters and Kane run a man coverage-heavy secondary with a 3-4 base defense. His defensive line is aggressive, often exploding off the snap. For a Michigan State offensive line that has struggled, this will be a match-up to watch.
Purdue ranks 122nd in the country in total defense (455.7 yards per game allowed), 111th in passing defense (252.4), 120th in rushing defense (203.3), and 131st in scoring defense (38.9 PPG allowed, fourth-worst in D1).
Purdue allows teams to do whatever they want on the defensive side of the ball, which is an indictment of a defensive-minded head coach.
Purdue’s top tackler is defensive back Dillon Thieneman. The sophomore has put himself on NFL Draft radars because of his excellent play in the secondary. He has 83 total tackles and four passes defended this season.
Kydran Jenkins is also a player to watch. The senior linebacker has recorded five and a half sacks this season, leading the team. Will Heldt and Cole Brevard will also be important players for Michigan State to account for along the defensive line.
Kyndrich Breedlove leads the Boilermakers in interceptions with three. If Aidan Chiles is not careful pushing the ball down the field, Breedlove will make a play on it. Antonio Stevens also has an interception this season.
While Purdue has just one win this season, they will play as hard as possible for a second one. The Spartans should not take the Boilermakers lightly and must execute their offensive game plan to the best of their ability.
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