Purdue struggled to keep up with one of the nation’s premier programs in a 30 to 56 loss but it wasn’t all bad for the Boilers. Let’s break down what went right and what went wrong on Saturday in South Bend.
What went right?
Ryan Browne is clearly the quarterback of the future for the Boilers
The moxy and leadership are clearly the strengths for the redshirt sophomore quarterback but Browne flashed more improvement from what we saw week one against Ball State. Going 21/34 for 250 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, Browne frequently was able to slide in the pocket and escape to extend
plays and allow receivers to get open. On the season, Browne is 56/88 (63.8%) for 786 yards, 5 touchdowns, but 4 interceptions. More on that later on.
Trick Plays and Aggressive Play Calls
The trick play that saw Devin Mockobee throwing a pass to Ryan Browne was designed brilliantly and quickly became the talk of social media. That allowed the Boilers to snatch some momentum from the Irish early on but when the Boilers ran a fake punt on 4th and 5 from their own 40 yard line, it was clear the Boilers were playing to win the game. That kind of trust and aggressive play calling is something that had been missing over the last several years.
Culture Shift
It is very clear that there has been a big time culture shift under Head Coach Barry Odom. Yes, the Boilers allowed 56 points to a very good Notre Dame team but it was evident that the team didn’t quit like it did frequently over the last two seasons. That was no more evident than following the kickoff return for a touchdown with just 1 minute left in the first half. The Boilers could have easily folded there but Browne led a touchdown drive that kept them in the game up to that point.
There are clearly issues at some key positions but guys continued to play hard and that kind of mentality comes from a team that trusts their coaches and believe in the message they are being presented with.
What went wrong?
Poor Run Blocking from the Offensive Line
Purdue has one of the better all purpose backs in Devin Mockobee but there was little to no room for him or any of the running backs to go on Saturday. Although Browne was sacked only twice in a game where he dropped back 34 times, Purdue isn’t going to be winning games if they can’t effectively run the ball. Both quarterbacks were the leading rushers today with Mockobee only generating 16 yards on the ground with 12 carries, the second lowest of his career (14 yards on 9 carries against MSU in 2024).
The offensive line was a big emphasis for Odom in the off season and they should be better with the guys they have. With a bye week coming up don’t be surprised to see changes along that offensive line either from a personnel or from a scheme standpoint to ensure the Boilers offense stays balanced.
Coverage on Kickoffs & Punts
This has been another weak point throughout the season so far. Purdue’s coverage has been suspect so far and it cost the Boilers big time against Notre Dame after the Boilers had scratched their way to being down just 12 with 1 minute left in the first half. Instead, the Boilers gave up a 100 yard return for a touchdown. As stated above, Purdue responded well with a quick touchdown drive of their own to go into the half 23-25 but the special teams has to get better if the Boilers want to pull off an upset this season.
The Defense Keeps Giving Up Big Plays
Yes, the defensive line has struggled this season and the loss of TJ Lindsey to an ACL tear is less than ideal but they could be given help if the defensive backs could stop giving up big plays in one on one situations. It appears as though defensive coordinator Mike Scherer may have blinked a bit following that 1 play-66 yard touchdown on Notre Dame’s first drive and rightly so. Purdue has given up big plays every single week and a lot of times that has been cornerbacks failing to defend the pass properly or set the edge.
What do those numbers look like exactly? Purdue gave up 6 plays of 20+ yards with four of those plays being for touchdowns. On the season, the Boilers are up to 19 plays given up of 20+ yards. Those are numbers that need to improve or Purdue is going to be giving up 35+ points per game here on out.
Lack of Turnovers Forced, Again
Yes, Purdue was finally able to generate their first turnover on the season that wasn’t a turnover on downs but there needs to be more for a struggling defense. It seems Purdue’s offense is good enough to score some points and the more times they have the ball in their hands is better. It is also better to keep the defense on the sideline as much as possible.
