Data Driven: Purdue's loss to Nebraska

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Nebraska 28, Purdue 10.

(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:

Hudson Card all 59
Gus Hartwig all 59
Marcus Mbow all 59
Mahamane Moussa all 59
Corey Stewart all 59
DJ Wingfield all 59
Jaron Tibbs 52
Max Klare 48
Shamar Rigby 41
Devin Mockobee 38
De’Nylon Morrissette 28
Reggie Love III 21
Leland Smith 18
Kam Brown 18
Drew Biber 14
Bakyne Coly 10
Andrew Sowinski 5
Arhmad Branch 2

Grades and notes:

• Purdue’s highest-graded offensive player? Hudson Card, by a wide margin. This ranks as his fourth-highest-graded performance since transferring to Purdue.
• Card turned in a strong day despite largely poor pass-blocking grades, except for Gus Hartwig. The guard spots took a beating on the report card.
• Very mediocre run-blocking grades across the board for Purdue. Nobody stood out one way or another.
• Nice, but not stellar, grades for the tailbacks. Both of them turned in nice pass-blocking performances
• A new wrinkle: Purdue used Bakyne Coly as a sixth offensive lineman in short-yardage situations
• Middling grades for receivers, though Jaron Tibbs took top honors from the group. Nice grade for him.
• Two drops by the Purdue receivers

Hudson Card’s passing chart:

• Clean: 12-15, 127 yards, TD (elite grade)
• Under pressure: 6-10, 47 yards, INT
• Not blitzed: 11-15, 102 yards, TD, INT
• Blitzed: 7-10, 72 yards (elite grade)
• Play action: 3-3, 23 yards
• No play action: 15-22, 151 yards, TD, INT
• Screen: 0-0
• No screen: 18-25, 174, TD, INT

• Card’s average depth of target: 8.2 yards downfield, a downtick from last week
• A very respectable seven yards per attempt from Card in this one
• Three “big-time throws” from Card, while two were graded “turnover-worthy”
• Card finished 6-9 on passes 10+ yards downfield

Running game:

• Even taking out sack losses, a mere 3.3 yards per carry for the Boilermakers
• Purdue did force 12 missed tackles, as Purdue actually finished with more yards after contact than total rushing yards
• Purdue ran more effectively between the tackles than it did to the outside

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

Will Heldt all 66
Joseph Jefferson II 64
Dillon Thieneman 63
Nyland Green 60
Kydran Jenkins 60
Markevious Brown 56
Jeffrey M’ba 49
Kyndrich Breedlove 42
Joe Anderson 42
Yanni Karlaftis 38
Winston Berglund 33
Cole Brevard 29
Shitta Sillah 27
Damarjhe Lewis 24
Mo Omonode 23
Botros Alisandro 14
Jamarrion Harkless 13
Demeco Kennedy 7
Tarrion Grant 4
Jired Ojata 4
Anthony Brown 3
Drake Carlson 2
Hudson Miller 2
Jamarius Dinkins 1

Grades and notes:

• Not a banner day for Purdue’s defense here, as middling-to-poor grades filled the scorecard
• Top honors: Cole Brevard
• A rough debut for Nyland Green, who finished as the defense’s lowest-graded player. Three penalties for him, too, all pass interference calls.
• Green’s return dramatically reduced action for Botros Alisandro and Tarrion Grant, not surprisingly
• 13 missed tackles by the Boilermaker defense, including three by Jefferson and two a piece for Heldt, Breedlove and Green
• Note: Kydran Jenkins did not return after heading to the locker room late in the game
• The pass rush generated average grades, but nothing special, as Purdue generated just five pressures

Dylan Raiola’s passing chart

• Clean: 14-19, 229 yards, TD
• Under pressure: 3-8, 29 yards
• Not blitzed: 8-12, 135 yards
• Blitzed: 9-15, 123 yards, TD
• Play action: 3-5, 54 yards
• No play action: 14-22, 204 yards, TD
• Screen: 3-3, 68 yards
• No screen: 14-24, 190 yards