Hoosiers prepare for Purdue, Brees

How does a defense go about stopping Drew Brees?\nFor that matter, can a defense stop Drew Brees? Purdue's senior quarterback, who is winding down his campaign for the Heisman Trophy, has shown that might not be possible. A defense can only hope to slow him down.\nBrees has torn through the Big Ten, completing 266 of 444 passes for 3,177 yards and 23 touchdowns, against just 11 interceptions. What makes Brees all the more dangerous is his ability to move around the pocket and create plays for himself and his receivers down the field.\nHaving spent nearly three full seasons in the same offense under Purdue coach Joe Tiller, Brees is comfortable in the Boilermakers' offensive scheme. He also knows how to pick apart opposing defenses.\n"He reads defenses really well, and he's a pretty mobile quarterback," Hoosier senior defensive tackle Paul Mandina said. "We're going to do whatever we can to get to him. He does a great job of beating pressure."\nBrees has completed at least 52 passes to three different receivers. The leader has been senior wide receiver Vinny Sutherland with 59 catches for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns.\nMaking Brees all the more effective has been the emergence of a running game in the form of sophomore running back Montrell Lowe. Taking the pressure off Brees, Lowe has rushed for 711 yards and two touchdowns on 168 carries.\nBrees is the second-leading rusher for Purdue (7-3, 5-2 in Big Ten play). While evading defensive pressure, Brees has rushed for 461 yards and four touchdowns this season.\n"That was the difference in the Michigan game, his ability to run the football," IU coach Cam Cameron said. "When you throw as well as he does and complete as many balls and you add another 500 yards (rushing), that really helps you. He has continually improved his game."\nBrees and the entire Purdue offense create the ultimate problem for a defense since they can run and throw the ball. The Boilermakers defeated the Hoosiers (3-7, 2-5) at Memorial Stadium last November in their 34-31 win.\n"You have to be aggressive and be smart, and you have to find a way to eliminate mistakes," Cameron said. "You're talking about one of the top offenses in the country. You don't necessarily go out and stop an offense like that."\nWhen Brees can't beat the pass rush is when a defense can slow him down. In the Boilermakers' last two games, a win against Ohio State and a loss at Michigan State, Brees has thrown seven interceptions. The combination of good downfield coverage and a solid pass rush has proven effective against Brees.\n"You have got to pick and choose when you do that because when you come after him he's got people out in space," Cameron said. "You have got to find some creative ways to create pressure without trying to get people matched up one-on-one in space."\nTiller and the offensive coaches have helped Brees get away from defensive pressure by creating pass plays that get the ball out of Brees' hands quickly.\nSo how can the Hoosiers slow down the mighty Drew Brees? Cameron's idea is to bring out more defensive backs.\nFrom Brees' perspective, it doesn't matter to him if the Hoosiers are able to stop him. With a Rose Bowl bid on the line for the Boilermakers, Brees only has winning on his mind, not statistics and the Heisman.\n"We're still playing for the Rose Bowl," Brees said. "The Heisman is not up to me."\nWith Purdue having such an explosive offense, perhaps the best way for IU to combat the offensive barrage is to have a short memory. If Brees does make a big play, the Hoosiers will need to get refocused in a hurry.\n"We're going to try to emphasize our players being players and not focusing back on if something bad occurs," Mandina said. "We know what we're up against"