Defenders carry Purdue

By Paul Trembacki
Sports Editor

CINCINNATI — Akin Ayodele and Stu Schweigert may not make every play every down, but when it came time to make a big one, as it did Sunday against Cincinnati, they were there.

Late in the fourth quarter, with Cincinnati down by five and driving, Ayodele had a tackle for a three-yard loss and a blind side sack for a nine-yard loss on consecutive downs. Two plays and an illegal procedure penalty later, Schweigert intercepted a desperation pass to preserve Purdue's 19-14 win over the Bearcats in the season opener for both teams.

"We knew we had to make plays and I thought we did a good job of that," Schweigert said. "When it was time for us to come up and play hard, we played hard."

Schweigert's interception was his second of the game, and Ayodele's sack was his second.

"We play a lot better when we play with emotion," Ayodele said. "Toward the end we just got together as a defense."

For his efforts, which included 11 tackles (six for loss), Ayodele earned recognition as the Big Ten's defensive player of the week Monday. His tackle-for-loss total was one shy of a Purdue record, and his clutch play was reminiscent of one of coach Joe Tiller's old defensive ends, who's now in the NFL.

"Ayodele has the ability to flip the switch and go get one every now and then," Tiller said. "The only other guy we've ever had who can do that was Rosevelt Colvin. Akin obviously made a couple of critical plays right at the end."

Ayodele's efforts were necessary only after Purdue's Ralph Turner got called for pass interference on a fourth-and-2 play to extend Cincinnati's drive with 2:32 to play.

But with 36 seconds to play and Cincinnati facing fourth-and-21 on the Purdue 38-yard line, Schweigert made the game-saving play to keep Cincinnati from upsetting a major conference school for the third consecutive year.

Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack said he wanted the defense to be tested.

"I told them this is where we want to be. If they don't score, they don't win," Spack said.

The defense, which has 10 starters back from last year's unit, held Cincinnati to 87 yards rushing and gave the offense good field position all game.

Travis Dorsch made both of his field goals after Purdue interceptions — one by Schweigert and the other by defensive end Kevin Nesfield, a redshirt freshman playing in his first game.

However, the Cincinnati offense succeeded at first. On the Bearcats' opening drive, they went 67 yards in nine plays and scored on a 20-yard pass play in which several Purdue defenders missed tackles.

"I think the two scores they got were more the result of mental than physical breakdowns," Tiller said. "And that's good because we can get those corrected."

Tiller also said that the no-huddle offense Cincinnati used was a shock, but he's happy his team adjusted well.

"I'm glad they ran the no-huddle because there's a couple of teams in our league that run it," Tiller said. "Now that we've played against it, I think we'll be better equipped to play against it in the future."

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