The Power is Shifting in the IU/PU Rivalry

Last night I’m sure most Hoosier fans were thrilled to see VCU put up 94 points against Purdue sending the Boilers to an early exit from the NCAA tournament. All season long we have been told by Purdue fans how good there team is and how much they have enjoyed beating up the Hoosiers in the past few years. Yet Painter’s 1 talented class has failed to live up to expectations in the post season.

Most Hoosier fans probably had the same struggle as I did when filling out there NCAA brackets last week. How far can you pick an arch rival advancing in the NCAA tournament? On one hand it would be gratifying to see Purdue lose in the 1st round of the tourney. However, I still want to win my bracket and realistically it probably won’t happen. Picking them to win too many games in the tourney could diminish my place among Hoosier fans as being a die hard fan so we all walk a fine line.

With the ending of Purdue’s basketball season it really hit me that there is about to be a huge power shift when it comes to the Indiana and Purdue rivalry. On the basketball front, the Hoosiers will be adding Cody Zeller and Austin Etherington to next year’s team and hopefully Maurice Creek comes back fully healthy from his knee injuries. I understand that it probably won’t be until our loaded 2012 class that Indiana basketball will have arrived but the gap between IU and PU will be closing rapidly next year.

Purdue loses their two man tandem of E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. Those two combined for over 53% of Purdue’s offense this season. What has Matt Painter done on the recruiting front with the last few years of success? Nothing compared to what Tom Crean has. Next year’s class currently has two power forwards, Jacob Lawson and Donnie Hale. Lawson is a 3 star out of North Carolina and Hale is currently not ranked. There 2012 and 2013 class aren’t terrible but nothing compared to what Crean has been able to assemble for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers could get even stronger with the announcement from Jeremy Hollowell later this week (most likely). Signs point to him coming to Indiana per multiple sources.

When looking at what the Boilermakers are losing on the basketball front versus what they are gaining it looks like the gap next season will close drastically. Once 2012 rolls around it looks like the Hoosiers will have an opportunity to put the hurt on them for a couple of years while the Boiler’s find life without Moore and Johnson (and Hummel at that point). All of the trash talking and taunting we have had to deal with from Purdue fans could be over very soon and Hoosier fans will soon be able to let the play on the court do the arguing. The days of Hoosier fans reminding Boiler fans about our banners are soon to be over (even though it is a viable argument).

This brings me to the football field. Hoosier players have received the new staff very positively and are buying into Wilson’s new system. Coach Wilson has built a high quality staff around him and this is something Hoosier players and fans probably aren’t very used to. I personally believe Wilson will be the guy that gets this train rolling and people will be surprised at how much progress the team makes next season and for many years to come.

Purdue had a nice run with Coach Tiller but they are trying to find life after him. They have had a couple of good spurts under Coach Hope and I will say if it wasn’t for all the injuries they could have pulled off a couple of more wins (although that is part of the game). However, I strongly believe the Hoosier program will improve  much faster than Purdue’s will under Hope.

Big Ten leading receiver Keith Smith gets denied a 6th year of eligibility and they lose Ryan Kerrigan among others on an already average team. With their current staff and recruiting classes coming in it definitely seems like Purdue will sputter a bit and if Wilson can get the Hoosier program playing to their potential it seems like even on the football field the Hoosiers could see a decent amount of success against Purdue in the near future.

What am I trying to say with all of this? Well, Purdue’s embarrassing loss to VCU yesterday could have be the turning point in the IU vs PU rivalry. Purdue’s basketball team will be taking a major step back next season while the Hoosiers will be taking a step forward next year and an even bigger step in 2012 with our top ranked class. On the football field, I am confident that Wilson will succeed in turning the program around and believe that they will surpass Purdue quickly out of the basement of the Big Ten. Hoosier fans will be able to take a long break from the constant debates with Purdue fans over whose team is better because the Hoosiers will be able to handle them for a while on the field/court.

Feel free to post a comment or post your thoughts on both schools football and basketball teams. If I am wrong with my predictions I will gladly eat my words but I am very excited about the potential of IU being in charge of this rivalry for a few years.