Data Driven: Michigan State

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Michigan State 24, Purdue 17.

(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:

Jahmal Edrine all 68
Gus Hartwig all 68
Marcus Mbow all 68
Mahamane Moussa all 68
Corey Stewart all 68
DJ Wingfield all 68
Hudson Card all 68
Max Klare 64
Devin Mockobee 50
Jaron Tibbs 43
Shamar Rigby 41
De’Nylon Morrissette 22
Reggie Love III 18
Kam Brown 18
Drew Biber 15
George Burhenn 1

Grades and notes:

• Top honors went to Hudson Card, who eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the second time as a Boilermaker.
• Right behind Card: Max Klare. Another strong day for Purdue’s best offensive weapon. His blocking numbers hamper the overall grade, but he’s a strong pass-catching tight end.
• Really nice pass-blocking grades for Marcus Mbow, Gus Hartwig and Corey Stewart. Not so much for Mahamane Moussa.
• As one may expect with -4 rushing yards on the day, Purdue did not grade well in run blocking.
• A decent grade for Jahmal Edrine, but the rest of the outside targets middled, including Drew Biber.
• Only 16 players saw the field on offense for Purdue. That has to be the lowest number of the season.
• Kam Brown finished with the lowest grade for the offense.

Hudson Card’s passing chart:

• Clean: 21-30, 251 yards, TD, INT (elite grade)
• Under pressure: 5-18, 91 yards
• Not blitzed: 12-26, 160 yards
• Blitzed: 14-22, 182 yards, TD (good grade)
• Play action: 13-18, 197 yards, TD (good grade)
• No play action: 13-30, 145 yards, INT
• Screen: 2-3, 30 yards
• No screen: 24-45, 312 yards, TD, INT (good grade)

• Card’s average depth of target: 9.8 yards. Purdue continues to try to push the ball downfield with Card taking the snaps.
• Card’s best grade? He scored very nicely on medium passes (10-19 yards downfield), where he was 9-14 for 166 yards. Elite grade for him there.
• Three “big-time throws” with one “turnover-worthy throw”
• Six drops by Purdue pass-catchers. Mockobee (2), Brown, Edrine, Rigby, Tibbs.

Running game:

• Adjusting for sack yardage, Purdue ran 16 times for 20 yards. Not good. With sack yardage, Purdue finished with -4 rushing yards.
• The longest run: an eight-yarder by Mockobee.
• Purdue did not record a first down on the ground.
• All of Purdue’s rushing yards came after contact.

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

Dillon Thieneman all 71
Antonio Stevens all 71
Nyland Green 68
Kydran Jenkins 67
Will Heldt 64
Kyndrich Breedlove 64
Hudson Miller 58
Jeffrey M’ba 56
Mo Omonode 45
Joe Anderson 45
Jireh Ojata 37
Botros Alisandro 37
Shitta Sillah 34
Tarrion Grant 17
Yanni Karlaftis 17
Drake Carlson 11
Trey Smith 7
Jamarius Dinkins 5
Demeco Kennedy 3
Hudauri Hines 2
Owen Davis 2

Grades and notes:

• Top honors: Hudson Miller, the walk-on linebacker who’s turned into a starter.
• Right behind him? Dillon Thieneman. Nice day for him despite having an interception called back by penalty.
• Purdue cleaned up the tackling, missing just eight tackles on the day.
• The defense totaled 12 pressures of Aidan Chiles and recorded three sacks, exploiting a vulnerable MSU offensive line.
• This had to be the best Purdue’s linebackers have graded all season.
• The lowest grades on the defense came from the corner positions. Not great from Nyland Green and Tarrion Grant.
• Trey Smith sure drew a lot of attention in his seven snaps. Felt like he played more.
• Three pass breakups by the Purdue defense.

Aidan Chiles’ passing chart

• Clean: 13-24, 153 yards, 2 TD
• Under pressure: 2-7, 6 yards (poor grade)
• Not blitzed: 9-21, 69 yards, TD
• Blitzed: 6-10, 90 yards, TD
• Play action: 4-9, 29 yards, TD
• No play action: 11-22, 130 yards, TD
• Screen: 3-3, 18 yards
• No screen: 12-28, 141 yards, 2 TD