Through two games this season, junior wide receiver David Bell leads the Big Ten conference with three touchdown receptions and ranks second with 127.5 yards per game.
The UConn defense was unable to slow down Purdue's star receiver last week, and he went on to make six grabs for 121 yards and a trio of scores in just one half of play.
As Purdue's Week 3 road matchup with Notre Dame inches closer, the Fighting Irish are planning how they can stop Bell from dominating for a third straight game.
"From an offensive standpoint, I think everybody focuses on David Bell, and he is an outstanding player," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "He’s a game breaker and again, another guy that you have to have a plan for. He's going to beat you one on one. So, we'll have to do some things relative to bracket coverage or things that they do against Mike Mayer. You have to know where he is at all times."
The Fighting Irish have narrowly won both of their games so far this season while giving up 393.5 yards and 33.5 points per game. By those statistics, the Boilermakers' offense poses a big threat Saturday.
Alongside Bell, junior tight end Payne Durham has caught 11 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games of the year. Junior quarterback Jack Plummer has put up 558 yards through the air and six touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Kelly said that Purdue has talented options across its offense surrounding Plummer.
"He's got really good receivers and it's not just Bell. He’s got two good tight ends," he said. "It’s a really good offense. We're going to have to do some things in coverage. We can't just line up and play man the whole day. We have to do some other things to disrupt them and we've got to get a pass rush."
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