Each week during football season, GoldandBlack.com will take a quick look ahead at Purdue’s next opponent through Pro Football Focus’ data and analytics.
Today, Indiana.
OFFENSE
• Indiana has a raft of talented wideouts. In fact, the top three graded players on offense are receivers: Nick Westbrook, Ty Fryfogle and Whop Philyor, though the later is banged up but is expected to play. Philyor is an All-Big Ten talent who has been targeted a team-high 86 times (60 catches). He also has a team-high five drops. Fryfogle is second in targets with 54.
• If that isn’t enough, Indiana also has a top tight end in Peyton Hendershot, who has been targeted 52 times. Bottom line: QB Peyton Ramsey has no shortage of weapons to throw to.
• Speaking of Ramsey, he has assumed command in the wake of the season-ending injury to Michael Penix, Jr. Ramsey is a good athlete who can beat teams with his feet. But as a passer, he is pedestrian. The majority of his throws come within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. His most prolific zone: between the numbers between 0-10 yards. Ramsey has hit 45-of-55 in that area. It’s no wonder he is completing 70 percent of his passes. But he has been sacked 17 times. That’s the peril of a running QB. On the plus-side for IU, Ramsey has carried 31 times 223 yards.
• The line has been OK. The top-rated blocker is center Hunter Littlejohn. Guard Simon Stepaniak also has been effective. IU has a massive right tackle in Caleb Jones (6-8, 358). But he grades out as just average. No doubt, Indiana has missed senior tackle Coy Cronk—a Lafayette Central Catholic product who has been out most of the season with injury. Purdue may want to go after Crider (16 pressures allowed) and Jones (team-high 19 pressures and four sacks allowed), who haven proven vulnerable in protection.
• Indiana has some nice backs. The top one is Stevie Scott, but he got dinged last week in the home loss to Michigan. His status for Saturday is unknown. If Scott can’t go, the Hoosiers would turn to Ronnie Walker or Sampson James. Not having Scott would be a blow to the IU attack. He is the club’s top-rated rusher and has 845 yards on the season. When the Hoosiers have ran the ball, they have gone around left end the most (54 carries for 263 yards). The second-most popular area: left guard, followed by middle left (between the guard and center).
DEFENSE
• This unit has been solid. Tom Allen cuts his teeth on this side of the ball. And this season, he is taking more chances with blitzes, stunts, stems, etc. There is no statistical aspect of this defense that stands out.
• The top-rated players who are regulars are two cornerbacks: Tiawan Mullen and Reese Taylor. Mullen has been targeted a team-high 23 times and has yielded just eight completions (35 percent).
• Micah McFadden is the top linebacker. He is a dervish who covers a lot of ground. He leads the defense in total pressures and hurries. Bottom line: McFadden needs to be accounted for, but he is vulnerable in coverage (70 percent completion percentage allowed). He teams with Reakwon Jones to give the Hoosiers two good ‘backers.
• Jerome Johnson and Michael Ziemba are above-average linemen. But the front lacks a formidable pass-rushing presence. That’s why IU has had to blitz often to get pressure.
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