Boilers Pull Sheet(s) Over CMU Eyes!

Three games into the 2008 season, the Purdue Boilermaker football team has treated its fans to three home games, two wins and a double-overtime loss to a nationally ranked Oregon team. However, that 2-1 record and close call against the Ducks is a bit misleading.

With the exception of the Purdue defense and Kory Sheets, the rest has been fairly disappointing. Especially as it relates to senior quarterback Curtis Painter. The lack of production by Painter in critical moments over his previous two seasons has been the main knock on his game (by me and others) and he has lived up to that billing thus far.

Now to be fair, Painter is playing behind a more inexperienced offensive line than he has his first two years, and the receiving corps is made up of players who will eventually be pretty good, but are still feeling their way through the first few games. So he does have a bit of a handicap coming into the pre-conference schedule.

The biggest disappointment for me is his lack of inspirational leadership and "show 'em how to lead" attitude up to this point. A senior QB is looked upon to be the team leader and must show (as well as tell) the team to kick it in gear. He has failed to do that much of the past two games when it matters most.

Curtis Painter has a good, strong arm and throws some beautiful passes. But he didn't against Oregon when the Boilers needed it most, and took entirely too long to get started yesterday against the Chippewas. And if I were an NFL scout forced to choose right now between Curtis Painter and Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour it's not even a question that takes more than a couple of seconds to answer. Dan LeFevour, hands down.

So even though Painter has passed some legends on the all-time passing list for Purdue QB's, and is probably going to surpass Drew Brees as the all-time passing leader in Boilermaker football history, I'd venture to bet dollars to doughnuts that his stats against major competition is much worse. And that's the problem. Big games equal little production for Painter to this point, and don't think that isn't realized by NFL scouts, coaches and GM's.

So while Purdue fans were treated to an exciting game and a "W" yesterday, the long-term success for this season must be tempered with the knowledge that Curtis Painter - for a whole host of reasons - hasn't lived up to his billing in West Lafayette, to date.

Until that changes, the Boilermakers look like a possible opponent for Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl, part deux.