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Purdue appeared to have a disaster on its hands Saturday.
A double-digit favorite, the Boilermakers struggled to put points on the board against Illinois, needing a late touchdown by the backup QB, then a hold by the defense, to escape with a 13-9 victory.
It was far from pretty, but a win nonetheless, and Purdue improved to 3-1.
Let’s take a look at the grades:
Passing offense
Down David Bell, who wasn’t cleared out of concussion protocol, the Boilermakers struggled to move the football through the air.
The problems were multiple: After a successful first drive, Jack Plummer settled into a far-too-conservative approach, looking too often for higher-percentage throws close to the line of scrimmage and not willing to take chances down the field. And when he did, his throws were off target or late. When Plummer was clicking in the first 2 weeks of the season, he was decisive with his reads, choosing and throwing in rhythm. Outside of the first drive vs. Illinois, including on a couple nice throws to Milton Wright, he was out of sync.
However, backup Aidan O’Connell continued a propensity to turn the ball over before he led a late touchdown drive for the Purdue victory. The first pick wasn’t pretty, with a late throw in the back of the end zone — the receiver flashed open for a second — that was tipped then intercepted. The second came on a ricochet off tight end Kyle Bilodeau.
However, O’Connell can throw a fastball and has a willingness to push the ball deep. He found a groove with redshirt freshman Adbur-Rahmaan Yaseen, hitting him on a 43-yarder, but then more impressively on a deep slant on the game-winning touchdown drive. The scoring pass was excellent too, with a bullet to TJ Sheffield on a quick inside slant. He was decisive and didn’t allow the prior 2 picks to cloud his judgement.
In leading the fourth fourth-quarter comeback of his career (which is a Purdue record), O’Connell finished with 182 yards on 12-of-19 passing with the 2 interceptions but also the 1 touchdown. Plummer needed 21 attempts for his 95 yards on 12 completions. The QBs were sacked 3 times, as the offensive line allowed — again — too many pressures.
Wright had a solid outing as the primary receiver in place of Bell, with 7 catches for 88 yards (but with another drop), while Yaseen had 77 yards in the first significant action of his career.
But for a Jeff Brohm-led team that wants to bomb opponents through the air, the Boilermakers have proven a gigantic mystery. And now, the 5th-year coach has a quarterback controversy to deal with, although at least it comes after a Purdue victory.
Grade: D+
Rushing offense
Purdue entered the season with only 2 experienced running backs.
And now both are hurt. Zander Horvath missed his second consecutive game with a broken leg, while backup King Doerue was in street clothes with an undisclosed ailment. It left the Boilermakers with a walk-on transfer (Dylan Downing) and a true freshman (Ja-Quez Cross) to get a bulk of the carries, and the results were predictable, especially for a Purdue team that struggles to run even with its front-line guys.
Purdue had only 38 yards on 26 carries, a pathetic 1.5 yards per attempt (although 18 of the lost yardage came via the sack, a bizarre NCAA rule that subtracts rushing yards on pass plays). But even with only the gained yardage, Purdue had only 63 total. Not good.
It led to one of the interceptions. On a first-and-goal from the Illinois’ 4-yard line late in the third quarter, Purdue ran back-to-back pass plays, the second being picked in the back of the end zone. A good running team, or maybe even a competent one, would have rushed the ball at least once in the sequence.
It helps to explain Purdue’s inefficiency in the red zone, where it had to settle for field goals on its first 2 possessions.
Grade: F
Offense overall
Purdue scored only 13 points with just 315 yards of total offense.
The Boilermakers were extremely inefficient, scoring only 1 touchdown in 4 trips inside the red zone, with 2 field goals and an interception. Sure, Purdue was missing its top wide receiver, one of the best in the country, and top 2 running backs.
But Purdue only started moving the ball after Brohm made the change to O’Connell. After his 2 interceptions, O’Connell showed once again that he’s still got some magic in his right arm, hitting 6 of 8 passes on the TD drive.
Grade: D-
Pass defense
Excellent.
Purdue never allowed Brandon Peters and the Illini to get anything going. And when the Boilermakers needed stops in the final minutes, they got them, with tight coverage from Jamari Brown and Dedrick Mackey. Brown, the Kentucky transfer, has been just a gigantic addition for the Boilermakers, especially when Cory Trice is out. Each had a PBU. Brown has nearly been a lock-down corner, making a big play early to prevent an Illini deep pass. Peters’ longest completion was only 18 yards, as he finished 14 of 26 for 100 yards. He was sacked twice, once early when George Karlaftis came off the edge to knock the ball out of the QB’s hands.
Credit to Kydran Jenkins, who had an incredibly athletic PBU on a throwback. His deflection, in which he was injured, prevented a big play in the third quarter that likely would have put Illini into scoring position. Instead, the drive ended with a long Illinois FG.
Grade: A
Rush defense
Freshman Josh McCray proved to be a load for the Boilermakers to bring down.
The 240-pound back had 156 yards on 24 carries, one of those when he got loose for a 38-yarder that put Illinois in Purdue territory and led to the visitors’ go-ahead field goal early in the fourth quarter.
But otherwise, Purdue wasn’t gashed, allowing the Fighting Illini only 4.2 yards per carry. Illinois finished with 175 on the ground.
Grade: C+
Defense overall
Purdue needed a massive performance from its defense and got it, not only with the Boilermakers preventing the Fighting Illini from reaching the end zone but holding them in the final minutes.
After Illinois had driven to Purdue’s 19-yard line with 1:40 left, the Boilermakers stuffed McCray on a first-down carry, then forced 3 straight incomplete passes.
All told, Purdue gave up only 275 yards while allowing only 4 yards per snap.
Grade: A
Special teams
A week after Purdue’s punting was frightening against Notre Dame, it was excellent vs. Illinois. Jack Ansell punted 5 times, putting one inside the 20 and booming 2 for 50-plus yards. He averaged nearly 46 per boot.
And PK Mitchell Fineran stayed perfect on the season, hitting from 23 and 30 yards (although you’d prefer he not be forced to attempt red zone FGs).
Purdue’s kick and punt coverage was solid, but its own return game didn’t amount to much either.
Grade: A
Coaching
Brohm pulled the plug on Plummer late in the third quarter, although he probably could have sooner. Regardless, it appears to have been the right call, as O’Connell rallied Purdue to the win, despite throwing a couple interceptions.
Credit also to Brohm and his staff for preparing a Purdue team that was down significant personnel on both sides of the ball. In other years, the Boilermakers might not have been able to overcome the adversity. The win was ugly, but it was a win.
Grade: B
Overall
Purdue’s defense took another significant step forward Saturday, locking down the Illini to hold them to only 9 points, then getting a red zone stop in the final minute for the win.
The offense, however, is struggling. Maybe Bell’s return, either next week or after the bye, will be the potion that fixes all. But Purdue will need to find a quarterback to play a consistent 60 minutes.
Grade: C
Kyle Charters, a familiar face at Gold & Black, covers Purdue, Indiana and college basketball for Saturday Tradition.