Good Spread Awaits Maryland in Bowl

Purdue's Unique Offense Poses Challenges

Quarterback Curtis Painter is the key for Purdue's offense, which is tops in the Big Ten in total offense (425.8 yards) and passing offense (293.7 yards). (By Andy Lyons -- Getty Images)

Before he had a chance to study game tape of Purdue's offense, Maryland cornerback Josh Wilson couldn't take his attention from a glaring number on the Boilermakers' stat sheet: 3,721.

"That's enough to get my eyes open," Wilson said of Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter's passing yards this season.

The Terrapins face the Boilermakers for the first time in Friday's Champs Sports Bowl. The game poses a unique challenge.

Through 12 games, the Terrapins have lined up against teams that run the spread option, such as West Virginia. They've played against those with a more traditional balanced offense, like Boston College. But Purdue Coach Joe Tiller plays an offensive style that Maryland hasn't seen this season, a balanced spread offense that leans toward passing but has shown the ability to run.

Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen called the Boilermakers' offense a mix of what the Terps have faced before.

"They pose a lot of problems for our offense," Friedgen said. "Hopefully we can go down there and play one of our better games."

The problems begin at quarterback, where Painter has followed Kyle Orton and Drew Brees on the list of quarterbacks who have put up big numbers while playing in Tiller's open system.

"He's a big, strong quarterback with a strong arm," Friedgen said of Painter.

Thanks to Painter, the Boilermakers led the Big Ten in passing offense (293.7 yards per game) and total offense (425.8) while throwing 23 touchdowns passes. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound junior also faced some criticism for his 18 interceptions and for an offensive slide during which the high-powered offense scored just three total points in back-to-back meetings against Wisconsin and Penn State midway through the season.

"I think that he's kind of a streaky guy," Friedgen said. "When he gets going, he's pretty darn good."

That streakiness showed in Painter's last three games, in which he has thrown seven interceptions, including three against Indiana on Nov. 18. But he also managed six touchdown passes in that time, including four against Hawaii.

Painter also has the help of a dangerous target in the speedy Dorien Bryant. The 5-10 junior averages more than six catches per game, which ranks 12th nationally and first in the Big Ten.

But the Terrapins have had success against the passing game, a trend that Wilson hopes continues against the Boilermakers.

"We haven't allowed the passing game to eat us alive," said Wilson, who will likely draw coverage duties against Bryant in what should be a speed-against-speed matchup. "We've been able to control it. Even when we went to Georgia Tech, we didn't let the pass get us."

Purdue, though, has been able to run the ball this season behind sophomore running backs Kory Sheets and Jaycen Taylor. After serving as the backup last season, Sheets emerged as a consistent runner while Taylor, a junior college transfer, earned steady carries. The two combined for 1,256 yards and 15 touchdowns.

"Even though they threw the ball extremely well, they've got a balanced attack," Friedgen said. "And to me, that's what makes it tough."

To prepare for the Boilermakers, Maryland defensive coordinator Chris Cosh said he wanted to shift his team's focus toward fundamentals, especially during the long break between the Terps' regular season finale against Wake Forest and Friday's bowl game.

"Sometimes what happens when you get in the season, you go from week to week and you're preparing for a new system, and a scheme and all of that, and you have less individual time to work on fundamentals," Cosh said. "Now we have time."