Painter's 431 passing yards leads Boilers to win

By Tyler Wilson

Executive Reporter

Publication Date: 10/13/2006

Jessica Sembach | Senior Photographer

Senior tight-end Dustin Keller catches a pass from sophomore quarterback Curtis Painter.

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EVANSTON, Ill. - Sophomore quarterback Curtis Painter took what the defense gave him against Northwestern Saturday.

Painter had a total of 260 yards passing and a passing touchdown by the end of the first half and ended with a total of 431 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown for the Boilers (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten).

Offensive coordinator Bill Legg said Painter took another step forward in Purdue’s 31-10 win over the Wildcats, after Painter took a step backward against Iowa last week.

“I thought Curtis played better today,” offense coordinator Bill Legg said. “I told him after the game that he took another step forward. I said ‘you are never going to play a game perfect physically, but if we can get you to be perfect mentally, it could be something special.’

“And I thought he was a lot closer to that today."

Painter said the reason he had a big game was because receivers hit their holes on the field.

“The good thing about our offense is we have a lot of weapons,” Painter said. “My job is pretty easy, I just have to get the ball to them and they do great things out there. I was a lot more patient in finding who was open.”

Painter connected with nine different receivers in the game and sophomore Greg Orton finished as the leading receiver with 144 yards.

With the receiving corps playing well, Legg said Painter did a good job in taking what the defense gave him. Even if that meant he had to make the same pass over and over.

“If that means throw the 5-yard play 27 times, then you throw the 5-yard play 27 times,” Legg said. “The defense was giving us the outside receiver and Greg (was that) outside receiver and that’s why he had such a big game today.”

Spreading the ball around is something the Boilers were willing to do after studying Northwestern (2-5, 0-3) all week. Legg knew the Northwestern defense would use a lot of different formations.

“We spent a lot of time studying (Northwestern),” Legg said.

“Curtis did a pretty good job today of reading (the defense). He stepped it up and made some plays.”

One of those plays was a fourth quarter flea flicker that Painter threw to Orton for a 40-yard gain to set up Painter’s rushing touchdown.

“I thought that was as good of time as any and to take a shot; first down let’s go for it and it worked,” Legg said. “It worked because the (players) executed it well and that’s normally how things go.

“When the (players) play well, things work. And they played well today.”

Next Saturday Purdue hosts Wisconsin at noon in Ross-Ade Stadium.