Data Driven: Indiana State

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Purdue 49, Indiana State 0.

(Editor’s note: PFF data is just one organization’s interpretation of the happenings from Saturday’s game. It is not to be taken as gospel)

OFFENSE

Offensive snap counts:

DJ Wingfield 58
Gus Hartwig 58
Marcus Mbow 50
Shamar Rigby 47
Hudson Card 47
Joshua Sales Jr. 43
Mahamane Moussa 42
Jahmal Edrine 40
Max Klare 35
Jaron Tibbs 31
Drew Biber 28
Joey Tanona 27
Jalen Grant 27
Devin Mockobee 26
Ryan Browne 23
Reggie Love III 22
Bakyne Coly 20
Jaheim Merriweather 18
Jayden Dixon-Veal 18
DeNylon Morrissette 15
George Burhenn 14
Tra’Mar Harris 12
Jaden Ball 12
Arhmad Branch 12
Leland Smith 11
Andrew Sowinski 9
Jesse Watson 8
John Randle Jr. 6
Luke Griffin 6
Elijah Jackson 4
Ethan Trent 1

Grades and notes:

• Dazzling grade for Hudson Card, as one would expect after a nearly flawless performance
• The starting offensive line earned strong grades, led by Marcus Mbow. The second-team offensive line generated more of a mixed bag with low pass blocking grades.
• Great numbers for Max Klare with an elite grade, though his pass blocking number did not come back very high
• Nearly a 50/50 split in running back snaps: 26 for Mockobee, 22 for Love III. How does that change when the Fighting Irish come to town?
• Limited action for Leland Smith, but he earned a great grade from a nice drive where he caught two passes, one for a long touchdown.

Hudson Card’s passing chart:

• Clean: 21-22, 258 yards, 4 TD (elite grade)
• Under pressure: 3-4, 17 yards
• Not blitzed: 21-21, 238 yards, 4 TD (elite grade)
• Blitzed: 3-4, 37 yards, (very good grade)
• Play action: 10-11, 120 yards, TD (very good grade)
• No play action: 14-14, 155 yards, 3 TD (elite grade)
• Screen: 7-7, 61 yards, TD
• No screen: 17-18, 214 yards, 3 TD (elite grade)

• Card’s average depth of target: 8.3 yards downfield
• 11.0 yards per attempt for Card
• Card completed all eight of his passes between 10 and 20 yards downfield, but he only attempted two beyond 20 yards (note: a few were wiped off by penalties that aren’t reflected here)
• He graded remarkably well on those intermediate passes of 10-19 yards, but his numbers looked good at every depth
• Three “big-time throws” and zero turnover-worthy passes from Card

Running game:

• 29 rushing attempts for Purdue. For comparison, the Boilermakers ran the ball 40+ times in each of their last three games in 2023
• 74 of the 256 rushing yards came after contact (PFF’s data)
• Purdue’s ball-carriers forced five missed tackles (three for Mockobee, two for Love)
• Seven runs of ten-or-more yards for Purdue
• Mockobee, Love and Merriweather all graded out nicely as pass-blockers

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

Dillon Thieneman 46
Antonio Stevens 45
Will Heldt 44
Markevious Brown 44
Tarrion Grant 40
Jeffrey M’ba 39
Kydran Jenkins 39
Kyndrich Breedlove 34
CJ Madden 32
Mo Omonode 31
Cole Brevard 30
Shitta Sillah 25
Damarjhe Lewis 24
Winston Berglund 18
Botros Alisandro 18
Jamarrion Harkless 11
Earl Kulp 9
Jireh Ojata 9
Demeco Kennedy 9
Jamarius Dunkins 9
Yanni Karlaftis 9
Koy Beasley 6
Hudson Miller 6
Joseph Jefferson II 6
Anthony Brown 6
Salim Turner-Muhammad 6
Caleb Irving 3
Trey Smith 3
Joe Strickland 3
Joey Sumlin 1

Grades and notes:

• Purdue’s top-graded starter? Damarjhe Lewis, who returned to action after injuries cost him most of 2022 and 2023
• Hard to gauge too much from Purdue’s secondary with Indiana State hardly throwing the ball. Nice grades for Alisandro and Stevens.
• Purdue missed nine tackles
• Purdue defenders recorded eight pressures of Indiana State QB Elijah Owens on just 15 dropbacks
• Antonio Stevens with a stellar run defense grade
• Just nine snaps for Yanni Karlaftis, who missed the first half due to a targeting suspension from last season’s Old Oaken Bucket game
• Not a great grade in Kydran Jenkins’ debut at inside linebacker

Elijah Owens’ passing chart

• Clean: 4-7, 27 yards
• Under pressure: 1-3, 23 yards (good grade)
• Not blitzed: 1-1, 8 yards
• Blitzed: 4-9, 42 yards
• Play action: 2-2, 38 yards (very good grade)
• No play action: 3-8, 12 yards
• Screen: 2-2, 4 yards
• No screen: 3-8, 46 yards (good grade)