Grading the Boilermakers: Purdue-ISU
As? Bs? Cs? What grades did we hand out following Purdue’s dominating 49-0 win vs. Indiana State on Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium?
Rush offense
How much success did Purdue have rushing the ball? It averaged 8.0 yards per tote. Devin Mockobee led the way with 89 yards on 11 carries (8.1 ypc). How about speedy walk-on Elijah Jackson? He raced 69 yards for a TD–Purdue’s longest rushing score since 2018–and finished with 83 yards on three carries. You get the picture. The squad finished with 248 yards on the ground. Big people beat up little people.
Grade: A
Pass offense
Take a bow, Hudson Card. He enjoyed a game for the ages, tying a FBS single-game mark for completion percentage by hitting 24-of-25 passes (96 percent). He tallied 273 yards and four TDs along the way. Card was sacked twice but often left unfettered to work, hitting passes to 12 different players. No. 2 man Ryan Browne enjoyed his moments, hitting 6-of-10 passes for 62 yards. Could be the start of a big season for TE Max Klare, who led all pass catchers with five receptions for 71 yards and a TD.
Grade: A
Offense overall
Not much to quibble with on a day Purdue tallied 49 points and 583 yards. The balance was good, as the attack had 335 yards passing and 248 yards rushing while converting seven of 12 third downs. This is what an Air Raid attack looks like, as all seven TDs were scored by seven different players. Big plays? There were many, with seven rushes of over 10 yards and seven passes over 15. One issue: Six penalties by five different offensive linemen. And there was one turnover on a fumble by TE Drew Biber.
Grade: A
Rush defense
What success Indiana State had came on the ground–and it was modest. The Sycamores finished with 104 yards, netting a mere 2.4 per carry. That total was muted by three sacks and 11 TFLs. Will Heldt led the way with two sacks and three TFLs. No. 15 could be special.
Grade: A
MORE: 10 observations | Purdue roster
PDF: Purdue-Indiana State statistics
Pass defense
Indiana State’s passing game is rudimentary, at best. Success? There was none vs. Purdue, which held ISU to 5-of-10 passing for 50 yards. Indiana State had only two passes over 15 yards with a long of just 23 yards.
Grade: A
Defense overall
Nothing to complain about for a defense that allowed only 154 yards. One thing missing: No turnovers generated. Bottom line: This was a stifling effort for a defense looking to tighten its screws.
Grade: A
MORE: Purdue-ISU photo gallery | Points after
Special teams
Lots of new parts blended well, beginning with good coverage units. Dillon Thieneman displayed moxie in his first punt return duty, starting with a nifty 14-yard run back. This is gonna be fun! Jackson had a 33-yard kickoff return. Keelan Crimmins averaged 46.7 yards on three punts with one inside the 20. Spencer Porath didn’t get to attempt a field goal but was true on seven PATs. Ben Freehill boomed his kickoffs. Kudos to special teams boss Chris Petrilli.
Grade: A
