A few observations from the game

[TC4THREE]

1. Taylor-Britt's talk exceeds his play.
2. Getting Horvath back was big for the running game. You know, to actually have one.
3. What has happened to Fineran? I remember a few games back I was thinking we had stumbled into the best kicker we've ever had. He has certainly struggled recently. Hope to see him get back on track.
4. We were fortunate to recover that onside kick at the end. Great kick by Nebraska and someone from our team should've attacked it before it got to ten yards. We let it get to the ten yard mark and Nebraska had 2 guys there to pounce on it but fortunately our 1 guy got it instead of their 2. Had they recovered, they certainly would've had the time and momentum to drive for another touchdown.

Obviously overall a good win as is any conference win is, particularly on the road. AOC played his role and made the throws necessary to keep the ball moving without making big mistakes. We were able to get contributions from other players than just Bell which is where this offense really needs to keep evolving this season. I was really disappointed in the defense in the first half but we got bailed out when Nebraska missed the wide open receiver deep at the end of the first half and then the defense adjusted and dominated the second half until that last Nebraska touchdown. Special teams is a concern. Lots of room for improvement there. Getting better field position consistently could really help us on both sides of the ball as would, of course, making our field goals.

 

[purduepat1969]

1. Taylor-Britt's talk exceeds his play.
2. Getting Horvath back was big for the running game. You know, to actually have one. Those that were clamoring for King Doerue to supplant him can think about our running game the last few weeks before making their next bold prediction.
3. What has happened to Fineran? I remember a few games back I was thinking we had stumbled into the best kicker we've ever had. He has certainly struggled recently. Hope to see him get back on track.
4. We were fortunate to recover that onside kick at the end. Great kick by Nebraska and someone from our team should've attacked it before it got to ten yards. We let it get to the ten yard mark and Nebraska had 2 guys there to pounce on it but fortunately our 1 guy got it instead of their 2. Had they recovered, they certainly would've had the time and momentum to drive for another touchdown.

Obviously overall a good win as is any conference win is, particularly on the road. AOC played his role and made the throws necessary to keep the ball moving without making big mistakes. We were able to get contributions from other players than just Bell which is where this offense really needs to keep evolving this season. I was really disappointed in the defense in the first half but we got bailed out when Nebraska missed the wide open receiver deep at the end of the first half and then the defense adjusted and dominated the second half until that last Nebraska touchdown. Special teams is a concern. Lots of room for improvement there. Getting better field position consistently could really help us on both sides of the ball as would, of course, making our field goals.

Actually, the success of the running game today had little to do with Horvath. He had 24 yards to Doerue's 74 yards.

 

[TC4THREE]

Actually, the success of the running game today had little to do with Horvath. He had 24 yards to Doerue's 74 yards.

Fair enough. He finally had a decent game once Horvath is back. I don't think it's coincidence. And of course we shouldn't overlook Anthrop's contributions in that area today either.

 

[purduepat1969]

Fair enough. He finally had a decent game once Horvath is back. I don't think it's coincidence. And of course we shouldn't overlook Anthrop's contributions in that area today either.

Absolutely. I love seeing Horvath back. It's a nice 1-2 punch. And yeah, Anthrop had a really good game.

 

[BCfanatic2020]

Fair enough. He finally had a decent game once Horvath is back. I don't think it's coincidence. And of course we shouldn't overlook Anthrop's contributions in that area today either.

Doerue had 95 against Minnesota.. today had more to do with Nebraska not being Wisconsin than either of them

 

[PaBoiler78]

Doerue had 95 against Minnesota.. today had more to do with Nebraska more being Wisconsin than either of them

still think we play better on artificial turf

 

[SDBoiler1]

Actually, the success of the running game today had little to do with Horvath. He had 24 yards to Doerue's 74 yards.

None of our other running backs get hit at the LOS and still score a TD like Horvath did today.

 

[purduepat1969]

None of our other running backs get hit at the LOS and still score a TD like Horvath did today.

Never said they did. Like I said in a previous post above, I'm glad he's back. Did he help score a TD? Yes. Was he the sole reason the running game was more effective? No

 

[FLAG HUNTER]

Never said they did. Like I said in a previous post above, I'm glad he's back. Did he help score a TD? Yes. Was he the sole reason the running game was more effective?

I agree, Doerue ran hard today, broke tackles, took some big hits, and did pretty well running! Nice to have Horvath to come in when needed!

 

[Purdue85]

Doerue ran harder AND the OL played significantly better against Nebraska, as well.

 

[SDBoiler1]

Doerue ran harder AND the OL played significantly better against Nebraska, as well.

Agreed. He seemed to run harder yesterday than any other game I remember.

 

[SIBoiler2]

Agreed. He seemed to run harder yesterday than any other game I remember.

Nothing like the return of some hard running competition to bring out improvement.

 

[Riveting]

still think we play better on artificial turf

Interesting thought, but studies show that grass has a lower risk of injury to players.

You wouldn't think so considering all the guys that have been carted off our grass field.

 

[DAG10]

Fair enough. He finally had a decent game once Horvath is back. I don't think it's coincidence. And of course we shouldn't overlook Anthrop's contributions in that area today either.

You hit it here as I was going to respond to the initial post on the matter...Anthrop warranted being mentioned as making a difference in the game.

They young man is not the most talented guy on the field, but, nobody gets more out of what they have than him...he leaves everything on the field whenever he plays and I admire him for coming back this year...and, for the contributions that he has made (and I am sure there are more that he makes off of the field/in the locker room as well).

 

[DAG10]

Actually, the success of the running game today had little to do with Horvath. He had 24 yards to Doerue's 74 yards.

Horvath's presence benefited Doerue, and, Purdue's running game is exponentially better just with Horvath a part of it.

It was not as if the running game set the world on fire, but, it was effective enough at times to aid the overall cause offensively.

 

[DAG10]

Agreed. He seemed to run harder yesterday than any other game I remember.

May be the fact that he is competing for touches/carries with Horvath back that he otherwise was not...does not really matter...to your point, it was his best overall effort (literally for that matter), and, it helped for certain.

 

[BCfanatic2020]

You hit it here as I was going to respond to the initial post on the matter...Anthrop warranted being mentioned as making a difference in the game.

They young man is not the most talented guy on the field, but, nobody gets more out of what they have than him...he leaves everything on the field whenever he plays and I admire him for coming back this year...and, for the contributions that he has made (and I am sure there are more that he makes off of the field/in the locker room as well).

I think he has more talent innately… he looks like injuries have maybe robbed him of a step or two since he was a freshman

 

[DAG10]

1. Taylor-Britt's talk exceeds his play.
2. Getting Horvath back was big for the running game. You know, to actually have one.
3. What has happened to Fineran? I remember a few games back I was thinking we had stumbled into the best kicker we've ever had. He has certainly struggled recently. Hope to see him get back on track.
4. We were fortunate to recover that onside kick at the end. Great kick by Nebraska and someone from our team should've attacked it before it got to ten yards. We let it get to the ten yard mark and Nebraska had 2 guys there to pounce on it but fortunately our 1 guy got it instead of their 2. Had they recovered, they certainly would've had the time and momentum to drive for another touchdown.

Obviously overall a good win as is any conference win is, particularly on the road. AOC played his role and made the throws necessary to keep the ball moving without making big mistakes. We were able to get contributions from other players than just Bell which is where this offense really needs to keep evolving this season. I was really disappointed in the defense in the first half but we got bailed out when Nebraska missed the wide open receiver deep at the end of the first half and then the defense adjusted and dominated the second half until that last Nebraska touchdown. Special teams is a concern. Lots of room for improvement there. Getting better field position consistently could really help us on both sides of the ball as would, of course, making our field goals.

You touched on it...special teams is in the past couple of weeks rearing its head again as an area of concern.

There have been some horrible decisions in the return game that have hurt Purdue...and, while not wanting to single a guy out, it did not strike me as ironic that the guy that "messed up" most noticeably on the onside kick was the same guy that has made some mistakes as well with respect to the return game.

For Purdue to have called timeout for the onside kick, and then handled it as poorly as it did...that was definitely concerning to me...as it was sheer good fortune that Purdue recovered (and props to Durham for his great play on the play).

Purdue had a couple of chances to put that game away yesterday and struggled, and I admittedly was sure that they were going to somehow find a way to lose the game at the end despite there being no reason at all for it to happen...there were a lot of questionable play calls and decisions in terms of what to do as the game was winding down (on both sides of the ball and on the ultimate onside kick) that need to get fixed.

 

[BCfanatic2020]

May be the fact that he is competing for touches/carries with Horvath back that he otherwise was not...does not really matter...to your point, it was his best overall effort (literally for that matter), and, it helped for certain.

He was better against Minnesota in 2019. Then our OL started getting hurt and then when the run blocking was better early last year doerue was hurt. Minnesota in 2019 was really his only game where he played with good run blocking OL

 

[mediaexpert]

Let's examine the facts. After Horvath's injury, we had the worst rushing attack and the worst offensive line in the Big Ten. We are playing Nebraska which lost by one score to top 10 teams Michigan, Michigan State, and Oklahoma. This is a must win game for Nebraska at Nebraska. We have been playing with 6 ironmen OL who are banged up and without our best OL. Nebraska on the other hand was banged up but had an extra week of rest.

Our running backs and our OL have one of their best games of the year. Credit artificial turf and the return of Horvath. Horvath stunk on paper but so did Willis Reed when I saw him go against the Lakers in 1970.

BTW, with a healthy Horvath all year, my pre-season prediction of 8-4 looks very reasonable if not conservative. Now we have to beat Michigan State and we should be there.

 

[Chi-Boiler]

Actually, the success of the running game today had little to do with Horvath. He had 24 yards to Doerue's 74 yards.

But he turned a couple of runs that could have been for zero or 1 yard into 4 or 5. That's huge in certain times of the game. Doerue looks for a hole, and there were some decent ones yesterday. Horvath looks for bodies to run over or jump over. I thought he was a great compliment and should only get better next week.

 

[boilermaker75]

But he turned a couple of runs that could have been for zero or 1 yard into 4 or 5. That's huge in certain times of the game. Doerue looks for a hole, and there were some decent ones yesterday. Horvath looks for bodies to run over or jump over. I thought he was a great compliment and should only get better next week.

Yes another week to get back into football condition.

 

[FirstDownB]

Yes another week to get back into football condition.

Think Brohm know he was going to play all week? Seemed pessimistic in interviews. But this was right on the original timeline.

 

[Chi-Boiler]

Think Brohm know he was going to play all week? Seemed pessimistic in interviews. But this was right on the original timeline.

Gamesmanship I figure. Just like when he gave a solid "O'Connell will be the quarterback" ahead of the Iowa game. Don't give anything away that's not required.

 

[FirstDownB]

Horvath brings an element of physicality that goes beyond the stat sheet.

 

[FirstDownB]

Gamesmanship I figure. Just like when he gave a solid "O'Connell will be the quarterback" ahead of the Iowa game. Don't give anything away that's not required.

My thoughts too. Frosty & Co. didn’t spend five minutes preparing his defense for a power running game.

 

[purduepat1969]

But he turned a couple of runs that could have been for zero or 1 yard into 4 or 5. That's huge in certain times of the game. Doerue looks for a hole, and there were some decent ones yesterday. Horvath looks for bodies to run over or jump over. I thought he was a great compliment and should only get better next week.

Wouldn't argue with anything you said. It's always great to see Horvath back and the impact he has on the short running game. My point was that our running game was effective not solely based on Horvath being back. Both backs had a good game.

 

[BCfanatic2020]

Horvath brings an element of physicality that goes beyond the stat sheet.

He will be needed. DE Jacub panusiuk leads America in QB pressures. We will need Horvath’s blocking unless cam Craig is suddenly 100%