Irish look to take steam out of Boilers
By BRIAN KESSLER
Notre Dame invades West Lafayette, Ind., to take on Purdue, Saturday, with hopes of rebounding from last weekend's disappointing loss to Michigan.
"I think our players enjoy the challenge, but there is no question that we need to correct mistakes," head coach Bob Davie said. "We have got to eliminate the sloppiness.
"We cannot pitch the ball on the ground," he explained. "We have had seven turnovers. We are fortunate it isn't in double digits the way we have pitched the ball. We need to improve and I think we can do that."
The Boilermakers are unbeaten in their last seven games, and Purdue is expected to try to avenge last year's fourth-quarter loss to Notre Dame.
"I think everybody realizes that they have done a great job with that program," Davie said. "You look at what they have done, I think 11 and 1 at home since Joe Tiller has been the head coach, you just look — they have won seven straight games; won two Bowl games against two really good teams.
"They are an aggressive style team," Davie continued. "So we have got our work cut out for us. It will be a challenge going down there playing — once again playing away from home."
Davie and the coaching staff have spent the week focusing on the Irish, rather than the Boilermakers.
"As much as I respect Purdue and the challenge we have with going down there and playing, I am much more concerned, right now, much more interested, in our football team and the progress we make," Davie said. "That is the challenge we have."
The Irish, however, are concerned with stopping Heisman-hopeful, quarterback Drew Brees.
"Obviously you have to control the football, to try to keep them off the field with their offense," Davie said. "But they are such a quick strike offense that they are going to score points, so you can't just button it up and say you are going to just run the football in there.
"You are going to have to create some plays to score some points. Because even though you control the ball and take away from their time at possession, they are going to score some points because it is a quick strike offense," he said.
The Irish have put up big numbers on offense so far this season. Quarterback Jarious Jackson threw for 302 yards against Michigan and the Irish rushed for 363 yards in the season opener with Kansas.
"It's definitely going to be a hard game," Davie said. "They're going to look at the Michigan tape and the Kansas tape, and they pretty much know what we're going to do on offense. It's no secret anymore, so we're going to have to play hard. It's not going to be a walk-over game."
Notre Dame hopes to keep control of the Shillelagh Trophy, awarded to the winner of each Notre Dame-Purdue match-up. The Irish hold a 46-22-2 all-time record against the Boilermakers.
All Sports Stories for Friday, September 10, 1999
