Some of the biggest plays from Purdue's win over Illinois.
Third-and-21
On Purdue's first touchdown drive, the Boilermakers found themselves in third-and-forever around midfield after Caleb TerBush was pressured on second down and called for grounding.
On the shotgun snap that followed, Purdue lined up three receivers in a diamond sort of formation to the quarterback's right. From that side, Michael Buchanan beat right tackle Trevor Foy to get to the QB.
But in the backfield, TerBush side-stepped Buchanan, who had the clearest shot possible. The quarterback then fled toward the right sideline. While on the run, he just heaved the ball down the field toward Justin Siller, who held position behind DB Justin Green.
Green jumped to try to break up or intercept the pass, but just couldn't extend quite far enough. Purdue's biggest receiver, though, could, as Siller caught the 32-yard pass between a couple Illini players for a third-down conversion that was really, really important.
A couple plays later, on second-and-goal, Siller scored on a six-yard screen that could not possibly have been executed any better.
Blocks from Crosby Wright, Foy and Peters Drey made it to where Siller could just walk in the end zone. That play is a red-zone staple for Purdue and with Wright lined up in the slot next to Siller, you'd think Illinois might have had an idea that was coming. Sure didn't look like it.
Raheem Mostert's TD
One play after TerBush made another big play outside the system, picking up a third down with a throw on the run to Antavian Edison, the QB handed out the shotgun to freshman Raheem Mostert for a 21-yard touchdown run that looked every bit as easy as Siller's touchdown did.
There was nothing special about the play, just how well it was blocked. Drey at left guard stoop up D-tackle Akeem Spence while left tackle Dennis Kelly just moved end Tim Kynard out of the way, opening a big hole.
Akeem Shavers, the other part of the two-back set, led Mostert by sealing off linebacker Trulon Henry and guided him into safety Suppo Sanni, who had a bad angle on the play, allowing Mostert to make a simple cut inside into the clear. The speedy freshman out-ran Green and safety Steve Hull the final 10 yards or so.
Shavers' block, really, was the one that made the play.
The fumbled punt snap
Not much to say here. The Illinois punter just lost the ball as he initiated his drop, bobbled it and couldn't get the kick off.
It was just another example of how fast and vicious Purdue looked defensively - in this case, it was special teams - that before the punter could even get his bearings, four Purdue players were on top of him: Chris Quinn, Chris Carlino, Tommie Thomas and Mostert, who wound up making what amounted to a solo tackle after the punt had snuck out.
Mostert's a hell of a tackler, by the way, for a wide receiver. Purdue's gonna need safeties next year, you know. Just saying ...
Purdue might have found something special teams-wise, because Quinn and Mostert moved from outside-rush positions to inside spots prior to the snap look for gaps to rush. The one Quinn picked worked, 'cause he was right on top of the kicker right after the bobble.
Carlino went flying over the personal protectors, too, so I'm not sure that ball wouldn't have gotten blocked anyway had the kick not gotten off.
Perhaps the rush led to the bobble.
A couple plays later, TerBush got sacked on third down, but a personal foul on Spence - he put his hand on Drey's facemask - gave Purdue a first down. TerBush then hit Jared Crank for a TD on a bootleg pass, to make it 21-0.
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