Will share defensive thoughts later …
• The staff made sure all eight of the o-linemen they are comfortable playing each saw decent action. C Gus Hartwig, G Spencer Holstege, T Eric Miller, T Cam Craig, G Marcus Mbow, T Mahamane Moussa, T Daniel Johnson and G Sione Finau. Purdue used Moussa as a sixth lineman on a few occasions. Craig saw action at G and T. I think Mbow (who also can play T) could become one of the better OLs Purdue has had in recent years. The fact he was used as an in-motion lead blocker on King Doerue's third quarter TD run speaks to the athletic ability of the 6-5, 305-pound redshirt frosh, too. Hartwig is the best OL. Look for Craig’s snaps to be limited and monitored so his back doesn’t act up. He only played 40 vs. PSU.
• King Doerue is a solid back who can get the job done. But, he’s not a difference maker who is gonna rip off big plays. None of the RBs are. Dylan Downing looks entrenched as the No. 2 back. Kobe Lewis may see his role increase as he continues to get his feet on the ground with the playbook after not playing in 2021 after a knee injury. He's still rusty and needed to trim up. Devin Mockobee is in the mix and could see some action. There is ZERO explosive ability in this group. I don't see anyone unseating Doerue as the No. 1 RB. I thought maybe Lewis had a shot, as he was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2019 at CMU.
• What was up with Tyrone Tracy? He only played 24 snaps and had just two touches: a rush and a reception. He was targeted just four times. He was an X-factor who I thought was gonna inject some playmaking ability into the attack, especially the backfield, in a "Deebo Samuel" role. Need to ask about him and his use. This offense needs some juice outside of Charlie Jones. I still would like to see Tracy be a full-time RB.
• Charlies Jones was everything I thought he was gonna be ... and then some. Just hope he stays healthy. He is a bit slight and never has seen this much action. T.J. Sheffield looks like the No. 2 option. He's a speedy one. Need more from Deion Burks, who may be the fastest WR. He wasn't even targeted. Too bad. I figured him as a "breakout" guy in 2022. There is time. Nice to see Mershawn Rice impact. Remember: He was a 4-star recruit. Rice is a smooth operator who just needs to stay healthy. Broc Thompson? Wow, when he went down, I was concerned. Looked to be a knee, but he went back in eventually. Thompson needs to regain his Music City Bowl form. He obviously isn't there yet. A nice rangy target who oozes quiet swagger. Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen still isn't healthy (knee).
• This offense misses Garrett Miller … big-time. He was the best blocking TE, and he looked poised for a breakout season as a redshirt junior. Miller has speed, athletic ability and big play potential, looking ticketed for the NFL one day. He is THE most talented TE on the roster. Not even close. Working in concert with Payne Durham, Miller would have been half of a TE duo that would have been a big part of this offense. Miller also would have helped as a blocker in the run game. Brohm doesn’t seem comfortable with Paul Piferi. It showed vs. Penn State, when he played just 10 snaps. No other TEs played. So, there you go.
• Aidan O'Connell was solid. He was under some duress and had to throw into some tight windows vs. an aggressive and physical PSU defense. Brohm thought he may have gotten rid of the ball too quickly sometimes. But Brohm also said the WRs need to win more of the contested throws, too. Bottom line: AOC hit just 50 percent of his passes; was at a 72 percent clip in 2021. Eager to see if Austin Burton is used on occasion in short-yard situations. Why not? I would do it.
• Purdue won't see many better defenses than Penn State's, which had a talented secondary. Lots to learn from for the players. And, now is the time to figure things out.
• The staff made sure all eight of the o-linemen they are comfortable playing each saw decent action. C Gus Hartwig, G Spencer Holstege, T Eric Miller, T Cam Craig, G Marcus Mbow, T Mahamane Moussa, T Daniel Johnson and G Sione Finau. Purdue used Moussa as a sixth lineman on a few occasions. Craig saw action at G and T. I think Mbow (who also can play T) could become one of the better OLs Purdue has had in recent years. The fact he was used as an in-motion lead blocker on King Doerue's third quarter TD run speaks to the athletic ability of the 6-5, 305-pound redshirt frosh, too. Hartwig is the best OL. Look for Craig’s snaps to be limited and monitored so his back doesn’t act up. He only played 40 vs. PSU.
• King Doerue is a solid back who can get the job done. But, he’s not a difference maker who is gonna rip off big plays. None of the RBs are. Dylan Downing looks entrenched as the No. 2 back. Kobe Lewis may see his role increase as he continues to get his feet on the ground with the playbook after not playing in 2021 after a knee injury. He's still rusty and needed to trim up. Devin Mockobee is in the mix and could see some action. There is ZERO explosive ability in this group. I don't see anyone unseating Doerue as the No. 1 RB. I thought maybe Lewis had a shot, as he was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2019 at CMU.
• What was up with Tyrone Tracy? He only played 24 snaps and had just two touches: a rush and a reception. He was targeted just four times. He was an X-factor who I thought was gonna inject some playmaking ability into the attack, especially the backfield, in a "Deebo Samuel" role. Need to ask about him and his use. This offense needs some juice outside of Charlie Jones. I still would like to see Tracy be a full-time RB.
• Charlies Jones was everything I thought he was gonna be ... and then some. Just hope he stays healthy. He is a bit slight and never has seen this much action. T.J. Sheffield looks like the No. 2 option. He's a speedy one. Need more from Deion Burks, who may be the fastest WR. He wasn't even targeted. Too bad. I figured him as a "breakout" guy in 2022. There is time. Nice to see Mershawn Rice impact. Remember: He was a 4-star recruit. Rice is a smooth operator who just needs to stay healthy. Broc Thompson? Wow, when he went down, I was concerned. Looked to be a knee, but he went back in eventually. Thompson needs to regain his Music City Bowl form. He obviously isn't there yet. A nice rangy target who oozes quiet swagger. Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen still isn't healthy (knee).
• This offense misses Garrett Miller … big-time. He was the best blocking TE, and he looked poised for a breakout season as a redshirt junior. Miller has speed, athletic ability and big play potential, looking ticketed for the NFL one day. He is THE most talented TE on the roster. Not even close. Working in concert with Payne Durham, Miller would have been half of a TE duo that would have been a big part of this offense. Miller also would have helped as a blocker in the run game. Brohm doesn’t seem comfortable with Paul Piferi. It showed vs. Penn State, when he played just 10 snaps. No other TEs played. So, there you go.
• Aidan O'Connell was solid. He was under some duress and had to throw into some tight windows vs. an aggressive and physical PSU defense. Brohm thought he may have gotten rid of the ball too quickly sometimes. But Brohm also said the WRs need to win more of the contested throws, too. Bottom line: AOC hit just 50 percent of his passes; was at a 72 percent clip in 2021. Eager to see if Austin Burton is used on occasion in short-yard situations. Why not? I would do it.
• Purdue won't see many better defenses than Penn State's, which had a talented secondary. Lots to learn from for the players. And, now is the time to figure things out.
