Quarterback position remains open

By Greg Doddridge
Staff Writer

Purdue coach Joe Tiller said the Boilers do not have a quarterback controversy between true freshman Kyle Orton and redshirt freshman Brandon Hance. Instead, Tiller preferred to say that Purdue just has no clear-cut favorite right now to start at quarterback.

"I don't think either guy has had enough success," said Tiller, sitting before practice in Ross-Ade Stadium on Sunday afternoon. "Certainly neither guy has had enough sustained success and we have won six games. Sustained success is to say that this guy is a clear-cut starter over that guy."

Hance is 136-of-258 passing (52.7 percent) for 1,529 yards with 10 interceptions and eight passing touchdowns this season.

Orton is just 14-of-28 passing (50 percent) for 165 yards with no passing touchdowns in four games this year in a non-starting role. But he has no interceptions this season.

It was Orton who led Purdue (6-3, 4-3 Big Ten) to three scoring drives during the Boilers' 24-14 win over Michigan State on Saturday. He replaced Hance with 2:03 to go in the second quarter and finished the game 6-of-9 passing for 61 yards. Hance finished the game 7-of-12 passing for 65 yards.

And it was Orton who was making the big plays in the Michigan State game. He hit Taylor Stubblefield for 13 yards on a third-and-8 from the Michigan State 18 late in the third quarter to set up a Montrell Lowe touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

Tiller said after the game on Saturday that if Purdue were to play another game the next day, Orton would be the starter.

"I feel great that coach Tiller has that type of confidence in me," said Orton, who also engineered an 84-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that was capped by a 10-yard Lowe touchdown run.

But Orton was operating on a limited set of plays against Michigan State (5-4, 3-4).

"I'm not all the way there," said Orton. "I think a lot of it had to do with the play calling (on Saturday)."

Tiller said the coaching staff would increase the amount of plays that Orton will run this week in practice and he'll decide which quarterback handles the game plan the best for the Nov. 24 game against Indiana (3-6, 3-4).

"If we feel like one guy is picking up the plan better than the other, executing the plan better than the other, that's the guy we'll go with," said Tiller.

But as of Sunday afternoon, the Boilers still did not know who will start at quarterback for the game against Indiana.

"We're going to let Kyle run with the ones (in practice), but we're going to let Brandon run with the ones too," said Tiller.

Purdue will probably not go to a quarterback-by-committee approach, where both quarterbacks are used in a game depending upon the play called.

"I don't particularly like that," said Tiller. "I have always felt like you always have a No. 1 guy. But, you know, the longer I am around, the more I am prepared to change, if that is what we need to be successful."

Hance did come into the Michigan State game as quarterback for two plays after he had been pulled for Orton.

Would Tiller put Hance in on a play that maybe Orton hadn't got a grasp on?

"It's possible, but doubtful," said Tiller. "I don't like to do that because I do think you tip your hand to the defense."

Tiller said the coaching staff will "talk about exactly what our plan is from here.

"But we really don't have one yet."

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Boiler ground game propels offense in 24-14 win

Purdue wins home opener by 56

Guards lead Boilers to season-opening victory over Valpo

Quarterback position remains open

Team earns top finish in opener

Volleyball team loses to Hoosiers and Illini

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