We're two games into the season, and our Boilers are coming off of a bye week. I asked the BS staff if they would change their season predictions if given a do-over...As usual, the responses were thoughtful, but are your pals at BS feeling a bit more optimistic?

Let's find out, shall we:

Andy said:

I’d like to change my excuse for not documenting a prediction from low bandwidth to apathy.

Initially, I was busy with life obligations and did not have the bandwidth to give a well thought out analysis of the season.

At the moment, I have the time and capacity to analyze the schedule and give well researched write-up outlining my dismal prediction for the remaining 10 games.

Regardless, I’m not sure I could add anything meaningful to the conversation. My analysis: We lack the talent to compete against even below averagehigh major teams, and we lack the coaching to mitigate any shortage of talent.

Purdue football has been part of my DNA since I was in diapers. But I cannot emotionally invest in a team that converts a PAT less reliable than an average high school team.  I’ll probably still watch each and every Purdue football game this season. But it’s out of morbid curiosity just far the bottom really is.

A quick look at the schedule tells me that we might conclude the season with a historically ugly 11 game losing streak.

Yikes. Surely the outlook gets better from here...

Michael said:

I don't think I gave an official win prediction for the season, but I remember thinking three wins was about right. I'd like to revise that. My new prediction is Purdue will have 💩💩 wins this season. I don't want to talk about it anymore, because it's just going to piss me off.

I'm not sure if the amount of chocolate ice cream icons = wins...I'll have to double check on that.

J Money said:

"There are tons of winnable games on the schedule, as there are no juggernauts and few true contenders in Purdue’s path. If Coach Hazell wants to make big progress, this is the season it has to happen.

I don’t believe it will.

Season prediction: 3-9"
---------------------------------

I don't really want to change that because it's depressing to think about ratcheting down from 3 wins. But I understand those who currently don't see any more wins on the schedule. I don't see any more where I'd favor the Boilers necessarily, but my prediction was based on lucking into one or two just because the opposition is so unimpressive.

What I am now beginning to think is more possible is Darrell Hazell getting the boot in-season. I still wouldn't wager on it happening but if the trajectory continues, Ross-Ade will be literally near-empty in October and Purdue will be a bigger punchline than they currently are. That could be enough to make AD Bobinski feel he just HAS to make a change to get the attention of the alumni. And hey, maybe a change like that spurs the boys to a win or two.

I'll stand fast (nervously) at 3-9.

Warm and fuzzy...but wait- There's more!

Dave K said:

Right now, to me 2-10 requires a Nevada win. If they lose to the WolfSpacePack, who are easily the worst I-A team on the schedule (and sadly right about Purdue's strength), then I expect 1-11.

I'm a little heartened by the fact that LSU's offense is still run by a bunch of cats, or maybe through Twitch. Etling hasn't been particularly effective in the two games he's played - not that he has to be, in general with LSU and Florida defenses, the QB just needs to not run the offense into a ditch, which tells you something about Brandon Harris maybe - and as long as Les Miles is on the sidelines, there's a chance of bizarre decision-making that costs the Tigers a game. Still, when 50% of Hazell's four-star recruits are starting for SEC teams ...

I continued on Dave's coattails:

I told Lil' Boilerdowd that his mid-summer pick of four wins was utter craziness. Real nice of me to crush a young fan's dreams (who happens to be my son). But, as we looked at the schedule in July, we couldn't find four teams that we thought our Boilers could beat...a few weeks back, I couldn't find three.

Now, after I've watched Purdue's revamped offense move the ball a little bit, and the defense look like they're trying to tackle without the use of their arms, I'm a bit more educated.

Northwestern and Iowa don't look great, Illinois might look worse than Northwestern. Nevada, and Penn State look to be quite beatable, while Maryland and IU look like two very flawed undefeated teams. As we've said all along, this schedule is RIPE for the picking.

Does that matter? No.

Injuries are already starting to mount on the o-line; that's much earlier than I thought it would become an issue. Blough is waffling between forcing passes and missing open receivers, his receivers are not doing him any favors and Jones is coming off of an injured shoulder. Defensively, the unit looks fundamentally unsound and has the ability, to get gashed for large chunks of yardage.

I think this squad won't win more than three games...and since I need to give a specific number, I'm holding at two wins for my Boilers, sadly...and I think #2 will ironically come in the form of a sweet-smelling win over Nevada, this week.

Neesh said:

I'm in rare agreement with J Money on this one. I initially predicted a 3-9 season, and I think I'm sticking with that...but I honestly didn't think it would be this miserable after Purdue's first loss of the season, and (like J Money) I'm beginning to see that an in-season Hazell firing might actually be plausible.

We're all basically chalking this year up as a gigantic waste of time, even though the team is only 1-1. It's not just the single loss...it was the complete lack of defensive preparation, compounded with a lack of offensive depth, that got us here. After all of the predictable off-season platitudes, Hazell's team looked as unprepared as ever in their loss (at home, mind you) vs Cincinnati. The blowout was apparent from the opening kick off.

Pair all of that with the fact that two Hazell cast-offs are starting for SEC powerhouses, and you get a fan base that slowly transitions from apathy back to frustration. Terry Malone's playcalling has been a welcome addition, and might have saved Hazell's job a few years ago, but the writing seems to be on the wall. If Bobinski wants to show fans he's truly invested in rebuilding Purdue's football program, a Ross Ade loss vs Nevada this Saturday might clinch it.

Initial predicto: 3-9, Hazell lasts the year.
Predicto reviso: 3-9, Hazell doesn't last until November.

From there, the conversation devolved into a bit of a debate or discussion as to if we thought it was possible for Hazell to be fired during the season...what the advantages or disadvantages of such a move might bring...what it would mean for Bobinski's young tenure in God's Country.

I watched BTN analysts speak about how important of a game this Saturday's contest v. Nevada will be. They're correct on one level- if Hazell is going to have any chance of surpassing the lofty three-win mark, his boys must beat the Wolf Pack...but outside of West Lafayette, no one cares about Purdue at this point other than using our Boilers as a punchline or the equivalent of a bye.

We're on the eve of game three, and I feel like I'm in game 10-like depression...and I thought they'd be lousy. Here's to a lil' fool's gold on Saturday afternoon just to make us feel better for a bit.