Purdue notebook: Short-yardage offense not measuring up

Gaining that one tough yard. For Purdue, it has been a big issue the first three games of 2023.

“You gotta just go out there, there’s gotta be a mentality,” said offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.

But, too often, that mentality has been missing. To wit, on third- and fourth-down-and-two or shorter, Purdue is 8-of-19 on the season. In last Saturday’s 35-20 loss to Syracuse, the Boilermakers were just 2-of-6 in such situations.

The tone was set on Purdue’s initial possession, when it got stuffed on third- and fourth-and-one inside the SU 5-yard line.

“As soon as the ball is snapped, we’re playing in our own backfield, and that’s an issue,” said Ryan Walters after the Syracuse game. “We’ve got to get creative. We’ve got to understand who we are and how we can go get a yard.”

Gaining the tough yard has been a perpetual problem for Purdue … regardless of who has been the coach in recent years.

It’s not as if the staff doesn’t work on short-yard situations in practice. Efforts are made to create a rigorous environment, hyping up the defense to turn up the heat on the offensive line.

“The mentality has to change on short-yardage situations where it doesn’t matter what they do, we expect to move the line of scrimmage and get yards,” said Harrell, whose run game ranks No. 11 in the Big Ten (122.7 ypg).

“We have to have the mentality that we’re gonna get a yard no matter what they do, or what happens. We’re gonna find a way. As a staff, we have to find ways to put our guys in position to be successful.”

Purdue situational running

• Max Klare has been an early-season revelation, thrust into action with Garrett Miller and Paul Piferi dealing with injury. Klare has delivered … big time.

“A lot of times, you forget how young Max is,” said Harrell. “Max is still a (redshirt) freshman. That’s the craziest part about it. Every time you throw it to him, or every time he’s out there … you kind of take it for granted he’s gonna make the play.”

Klare seems unfazed by his rapid ascent.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” said Klare. “I put in the work based off of the summer and spring ball. I’m not surprised, no.”

Max Klare at a glance

• WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen has made 18 catches for 218 yards through the first three games of the season to eclipse his career total entering the 2023 campaign. He leads the Big Ten with 6.0 receptions per game.

• In 135 seasons of Purdue football, the Boilermakers have never hosted a Big Ten opponent on a Friday. The matchup with Wisconsin also marks the first Friday game at Ross-Ade Stadium since the Boilermakers beat Ohio, 44-21, six years ago (Sept. 8, 2017).

• The Boilermakers have been successful on their opening drives this season, racking up 218 yards with three red zone appearances and a pair of touchdowns.

• Freshman S Dillon Thieneman leads the nation in solo tackles per game (8.7) alongside Wisconsin S Hunter Wohler.

• With interceptions in back-to-back games, Cam Allen now has 12 career picks to rank third in program history.

• The Purdue defense has forced an interception in seven straight games, dating back to last season’s win over Illinois (Nov. 12, 2022).

• The Badgers are a perfect 12-for-12 in the red zone this season, nine of the opportunities resulting in touchdowns.

• Hudson Card had the biggest game of his career in last week’s matchup with Syracuse, going 32-for-46 for 323 yards with a touchdown to set personal bests in completions, attempts and yards.

• Wisconsin tops the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns (10) and yards per carry (5.71) with Chez Mellusi (267 yards, 6.7 ypc, 4 TDs) and Braelon Allen (255 yards, 7.1 ypc, 4 TDs) leading the ground attack.

• Purdue has allowed more plays of over 20 yards than any Big Ten team (22), while the third-down defense is No. 12 in the Big Ten (48 percent). Scoring defense? It’s No. 13 (30.3 ppg).

• Purdue has been flagged for more penalty yards than any other Big Ten school (210) and just one has drawn more than the Boilermakers’ 22 flags.

• Wisconsin’s dominance of Purdue is well-chronicled: It’s 16 triumphs in a row and counting for Wisconsin vs. Purdue. No foe ever has beaten the Boilers that many times in succession.

The last win vs. the Badgers? In 2003 in Madison. The last victory vs. Wisconsin in Ross-Ade Stadium? It was 1997. How long ago was 1997? Take a look at a snapshot of that year.

A look back at 1997

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