I'm filling in for Tom on this this week as spends the day driving back from Lincoln after American Airlines canceled his flight back today.
After rewatching the game this morning, some takeaways ...
WHY DID THE RUNNING GAME WORK SO MUCH BETTER?
First off, Nebraska played Purdue to pass, keeping a skeleton crew in the box on early downs especially and that allowed Purdue some room to breathe. Out of two-back sets, it could win a numbers game at times.
Beyond that, I think Purdue did a good job keeping things multiple, with two-back sets giving the defense more to think about, and the many pistol sets it used allowing for some flexibility in terms of where the play was actually going directionally. They ran out of pass-blocking sets and threw out of run-blocking sets.
Look at all this space Purdue has to run on second-and-one
Ingenuity really helped Purdue in the running game, too.
That was a really unique play Purdue ran on its second possession where it lined up Jackson Anthrop in the slot (after he'd lined up in the backfield on the first series), then brought him in motion right to left only to reverse him as the ball was snapped, setting up what looked like an option pitch sort of thing. Only, instead, they pulled David Bell across the formation and pitched it to him for a nice gain on a sweep, with Zander Horvath set up in the backfield to act as a lead blocker for Bell. Really sharp play design by Purdue and nice execution. Nice blocking in space by Payne Durham too.
Lastly, the offensive front did a solid job. On a big play by King Doerue in the second quarter, Cam Craig carried out a key inside pull block as well as Purdue has all season.
Having Zander Horvath back helped some, and Jackson Anthrop may have found a real home in this sort of multiple role. He did a good job as a ball-carrier. But the offensive line did a good job and King Doerue played well.
GETTING DAVID BELL GOING
A week after Wisconsin stymied David Bell by rolling a safety in front of him to take away slants and such, Purdue didn't let Nebraska focus on a stationary target.
On the third snap of the game, Bell lined up in the slot and that matched him up against linebacker Luke Reimer. Easy completion.
Bell only lined up in the slot a half dozen or so times, but it feels like Purdue drew some impact from it.
DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS
So, it's always been my belief that sportswriters shouldn't write about "adjustments" unless they can tell readers exactly what those adjustments were. I'm not sure I can regarding Purdue's defensive improvement from one half to the next, but it seems like maybe Purdue put more people in the box at times in the second half to try to take away the run, and maybe didn't line up as wide on the line after halftime, not as worried about Martinez getting outside the pocket.
Jeff Brohm said after the game that they changed their approach on Martinez at halftime, and it seems to me as if that changed from them trying to prevent the QB from beating them to trying to make him beat them. The running game largely dried up on Nebraska after halftime and Martinez turned the ball over three times.
A COUPLE PLAYS TO HIGHLIGHT
• I just want to mention this play because I think it illustrates what Jeff Brohm is good at it as a play designer.
This is a third-and-four in the first half.
David Bell is again lined up in the slot, with a linebacker over him, and Nebraska looking like they're going to be in zone.
Purdue brings TJ Sheffield in motion from the opposite side of the field toward Bell and that compels the linebacker over Bell to shift to his outside shoulder, while the safety who was over Sheffield slides over slightly. But the pre-snap jostling gives Bell an inside angle and a robust gap between the two defenders right at the first down marker. Bell is able to sit down between the two for an easy first down.
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
Everything Jackson Anthrop touched in this game turned to gold, and Purdue's use of him in the backfield didn't just help the running game, but was a boon to the passing game, too, as he gave them an extra legitimate route-runner from the running back position.
That set up what we'd consider the biggest play of the game.
With Purdue up 21-17 and facing third-and-goal at the 8, Nebraska brought a blitz off the edge that Anthrop was slipping out into the open from, and where Payne Durham was operating. Meanwhile David Bell was breaking from that side of the field into the middle, drawing considerable attention.
This traps Nebraska safety Myles Farmer between Durham and Anthrop. Whether he did this on purpose or not, I'm not sure, but it sure looks like Durham flat out gives himself up once Farmer chooses him. The tight end just drifts to the sideline on what seems like a sacrificial maneuver, and that helps open the space Anthrop needs to score between Durham and Bell.
Outstanding execution by Purdue.
MISC
• Nebraska did a good job, especially after Graham's pick-six, crossing up Purdue's rush defense with loaded backfields and conflicting motion. Kind of froze the Boilermaker front seven ever so slightly and allowed Nebraska to be the aggressor.
• Highlight of the broadcast: Kelly Stouffer shutting down the PBP guy Roy Philpott for suggesting that the creeping shadow in Memorial Stadium contributed to Nebraska blowing that touchdown right before the half.
Reminded me of this legend ...
• As good as Purdue's defense was after halftime, it sure helped that Adrian Martinez still plays like a redshirt freshman. Again, he looks like he's never been coached. Him not picking up that first down on the first series of the second half. because he stepped out a yard short with the ball in his outside hand was just one example.
• One little defensive wrinkle that it feels like has been pretty effective for Purdue this season has been to bring Jalen Graham on a blitz off George Karlaftis' outside shoulder on weak-side snaps. It can really help Karlaftis at times by giving the offensive tackle blocking him something to think about, and at best, you've got a 2-on-1 in favor of two really high-end athletes.
On this third-quarter snap, Purdue caught Nebraska motioning its H-back away from Karlaftis, the tackle went with Graham and Karlaftis planted the running back like a sapling.
On the very next play, Karlaftis blew up the play and Martinez threw a ridiculous interception to Graham, who made a hell of an athletic play. The athleticism of that 2019 recruiting class has really started to show up on defense for Purdue this season.
• A week after Wisconsin's emphasis on David Bell opened up Payne Durham for a 100-plus-yard game, Purdue's biggest pass play against Nebraska came on a second-and-nine in which Purdue ran a post for Bell over the deep middle, and hit on it because the safety in the middle of the field was drawn to Durham running up the seam. Purdue got 21 yards on that play with Bell one on one.
Two plays later on a huge third-and-four, Jackson Anthrop gets a conversion operating right between Durham (who motioned to Anthrop's and Bell's side pre-snap) breaking into the flat and Bell showing a deep route. The safety is beyond stuck.
Purdue moved the pocket toward the action, making for an easy rhythm throw for O'Connell, with no real threat of the rush blowing the play up.
Later, Anthrop picks up another huge third-down conversion on third-and-eight, beating Nebraska on a slant. Why Nebraska's deep safety is playing the end zone instead of the marker, I have no idea, but it allowed Anthrop a straight one-on-one and he won that matchup;
After rewatching the game this morning, some takeaways ...
WHY DID THE RUNNING GAME WORK SO MUCH BETTER?
First off, Nebraska played Purdue to pass, keeping a skeleton crew in the box on early downs especially and that allowed Purdue some room to breathe. Out of two-back sets, it could win a numbers game at times.
Beyond that, I think Purdue did a good job keeping things multiple, with two-back sets giving the defense more to think about, and the many pistol sets it used allowing for some flexibility in terms of where the play was actually going directionally. They ran out of pass-blocking sets and threw out of run-blocking sets.
Look at all this space Purdue has to run on second-and-one
Ingenuity really helped Purdue in the running game, too.
That was a really unique play Purdue ran on its second possession where it lined up Jackson Anthrop in the slot (after he'd lined up in the backfield on the first series), then brought him in motion right to left only to reverse him as the ball was snapped, setting up what looked like an option pitch sort of thing. Only, instead, they pulled David Bell across the formation and pitched it to him for a nice gain on a sweep, with Zander Horvath set up in the backfield to act as a lead blocker for Bell. Really sharp play design by Purdue and nice execution. Nice blocking in space by Payne Durham too.
Lastly, the offensive front did a solid job. On a big play by King Doerue in the second quarter, Cam Craig carried out a key inside pull block as well as Purdue has all season.
Having Zander Horvath back helped some, and Jackson Anthrop may have found a real home in this sort of multiple role. He did a good job as a ball-carrier. But the offensive line did a good job and King Doerue played well.
GETTING DAVID BELL GOING
A week after Wisconsin stymied David Bell by rolling a safety in front of him to take away slants and such, Purdue didn't let Nebraska focus on a stationary target.
On the third snap of the game, Bell lined up in the slot and that matched him up against linebacker Luke Reimer. Easy completion.
Bell only lined up in the slot a half dozen or so times, but it feels like Purdue drew some impact from it.
DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS
So, it's always been my belief that sportswriters shouldn't write about "adjustments" unless they can tell readers exactly what those adjustments were. I'm not sure I can regarding Purdue's defensive improvement from one half to the next, but it seems like maybe Purdue put more people in the box at times in the second half to try to take away the run, and maybe didn't line up as wide on the line after halftime, not as worried about Martinez getting outside the pocket.
Jeff Brohm said after the game that they changed their approach on Martinez at halftime, and it seems to me as if that changed from them trying to prevent the QB from beating them to trying to make him beat them. The running game largely dried up on Nebraska after halftime and Martinez turned the ball over three times.
A COUPLE PLAYS TO HIGHLIGHT
• I just want to mention this play because I think it illustrates what Jeff Brohm is good at it as a play designer.
This is a third-and-four in the first half.
David Bell is again lined up in the slot, with a linebacker over him, and Nebraska looking like they're going to be in zone.
Purdue brings TJ Sheffield in motion from the opposite side of the field toward Bell and that compels the linebacker over Bell to shift to his outside shoulder, while the safety who was over Sheffield slides over slightly. But the pre-snap jostling gives Bell an inside angle and a robust gap between the two defenders right at the first down marker. Bell is able to sit down between the two for an easy first down.
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
Everything Jackson Anthrop touched in this game turned to gold, and Purdue's use of him in the backfield didn't just help the running game, but was a boon to the passing game, too, as he gave them an extra legitimate route-runner from the running back position.
That set up what we'd consider the biggest play of the game.
With Purdue up 21-17 and facing third-and-goal at the 8, Nebraska brought a blitz off the edge that Anthrop was slipping out into the open from, and where Payne Durham was operating. Meanwhile David Bell was breaking from that side of the field into the middle, drawing considerable attention.
This traps Nebraska safety Myles Farmer between Durham and Anthrop. Whether he did this on purpose or not, I'm not sure, but it sure looks like Durham flat out gives himself up once Farmer chooses him. The tight end just drifts to the sideline on what seems like a sacrificial maneuver, and that helps open the space Anthrop needs to score between Durham and Bell.
Outstanding execution by Purdue.
MISC
• Nebraska did a good job, especially after Graham's pick-six, crossing up Purdue's rush defense with loaded backfields and conflicting motion. Kind of froze the Boilermaker front seven ever so slightly and allowed Nebraska to be the aggressor.
• Highlight of the broadcast: Kelly Stouffer shutting down the PBP guy Roy Philpott for suggesting that the creeping shadow in Memorial Stadium contributed to Nebraska blowing that touchdown right before the half.
Reminded me of this legend ...
• As good as Purdue's defense was after halftime, it sure helped that Adrian Martinez still plays like a redshirt freshman. Again, he looks like he's never been coached. Him not picking up that first down on the first series of the second half. because he stepped out a yard short with the ball in his outside hand was just one example.
• One little defensive wrinkle that it feels like has been pretty effective for Purdue this season has been to bring Jalen Graham on a blitz off George Karlaftis' outside shoulder on weak-side snaps. It can really help Karlaftis at times by giving the offensive tackle blocking him something to think about, and at best, you've got a 2-on-1 in favor of two really high-end athletes.
On this third-quarter snap, Purdue caught Nebraska motioning its H-back away from Karlaftis, the tackle went with Graham and Karlaftis planted the running back like a sapling.
On the very next play, Karlaftis blew up the play and Martinez threw a ridiculous interception to Graham, who made a hell of an athletic play. The athleticism of that 2019 recruiting class has really started to show up on defense for Purdue this season.
• A week after Wisconsin's emphasis on David Bell opened up Payne Durham for a 100-plus-yard game, Purdue's biggest pass play against Nebraska came on a second-and-nine in which Purdue ran a post for Bell over the deep middle, and hit on it because the safety in the middle of the field was drawn to Durham running up the seam. Purdue got 21 yards on that play with Bell one on one.
Two plays later on a huge third-and-four, Jackson Anthrop gets a conversion operating right between Durham (who motioned to Anthrop's and Bell's side pre-snap) breaking into the flat and Bell showing a deep route. The safety is beyond stuck.
Purdue moved the pocket toward the action, making for an easy rhythm throw for O'Connell, with no real threat of the rush blowing the play up.
Later, Anthrop picks up another huge third-down conversion on third-and-eight, beating Nebraska on a slant. Why Nebraska's deep safety is playing the end zone instead of the marker, I have no idea, but it allowed Anthrop a straight one-on-one and he won that matchup;
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