NASHVILLE — This 49-point loss doesn’t derail the progress.
Yes, this program is moving forward. It didn’t Friday. Both can be true at this juncture.
But in the big picture, the Boilermakers remain on track one day to return to this city against a similar opponent and walk away with different emotions.
And here’s betting it won’t be 63-14 or anything close to that margin.
Purdue and coach Jeff Brohm are in the process of closing the gap. That gap looked wide throughout the sun-splashed afternoon inside Nissan Stadium as Auburn did anything and everything it wanted and when it wanted in exposing the weaknesses and taking advantage of its strengths.
It was embarrassing at times, seeing players out of position and others unable to make a play because the team they were chasing was just better. Shocking to some degree that the same team which throttled Ohio State could only come within seven touchdowns of the Tigers. Purdue did allow the most points in a single game in program history Friday.
It’s OK to be disappointed by Friday’s outcome but doesn’t lose sight of what’s ahead.
Pushing the program to back-to-back bowl appearances is an accomplishment in these parts. Going beyond the six-win mark takes more than what we’ve seen the last two years.
But the foundation is solid. The commitment remains strong. The fan base, which came to Nashville in droves, isn’t going anywhere. Strides are being made, even though it didn’t show Friday.
“We’re not quite there yet,” linebacker Markus Bailey said. “We have a lot of work to do in preparation for the offseason and going forward with our program.”
Last year’s 7-6 record may have accelerated the movement forward to the outside world but inside the Football Performance Complex is a group of coaches who understand reality and the patience it takes to reach a consistent level.
The deficiencies have been covered up by solid teaching and coaching, emphasizing fundamentals and hard work. However, those elements get trumped against a program like Auburn.
There will be some soul-searching and second-guessing until spring practice starts but a complete overhaul isn’t necessary.
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