10 Observations SIU-Purdue

This is what has us talking after Purdue’s 34-17 victory vs. Southern Illinois on Saturday night in Ross-Ade Stadium.

1 – Purdue entered the game 14-0 all-time vs. FCS opponents. It left 15-0, in a game that had a harrowing beginning but turned out to be a grind-it-out win.

“I said it last week, and I don’t know if people will listen and understand this, but winning is really hard, and you got to find a way,” said Barry Odom. “You got to find an edge on how it takes to get your team there. And I’m never, ever going to apologize for winning. So, we understand the challenges that are upcoming. We understand we’re not anywhere close to what we will be as a finished product.”

2 – Let’s call this the “Devin Mockobee” game. He’s “uncanny,” Can’t think of a better way to describe his confounding and slippery style. The fifth-year senior was a workhorse, carrying a career-high 32 times for 126 yards and two TDs with two catches. It was vintage Mockobee. Purdue wanted to ground and pound tonight. And, it was largely successful with 215 yards on the ground.

“He brings it every single day at practice,” said Odom. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a walk through, a run through in the weight room, in the meetings, whatever it is, I know exactly what we’re going to get out of Mock. You can win a lot of football games with guys like that, and he does it. He does it right every single day, and the entire organization has great trust in him.”

3 – So far, so good. Purdue is 2-0. And that’s exactly where more pundits had the Boilers being after two games. Is beating a rebuilding MAC team and a FCS school a big deal? Not really. But Barry Odom’s crew is figuring out what works, as the units are fine-tuned for the heavy-lifting that will ensue.

“Every single game is big,” said Odom. “Tonight was big. …. There’s all the support people, our players, and then, it’s two games, and we got two wins. So, it’s got to keep finding a way to stack the preparation habits and the opportunity at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon (vs. USC next Saturday). We understand getting in the conference play how important every single game is.”

4 – The offense was humming to the tune of 24 first-half points. The Boilermakers scored on all four of their first-half possessions: three TDs and a field goal. Purdue finished with 385 yards, chipping away at SIU in extended, clock-killing drives of 9, 9, 12, 10 and 13 plays that resulted in points.

“I think (running the ball) was one of our points of emphasis this week,” said Odom. “Our Tuesday and Wednesday practice were two of the most physical that we’ve had, and it was good on good a lot of the time.”

5 – The defense caused concern early, as SIU notched 153 yards and 14 points in the first quarter. After that? The Salukis had just 130 yards and three points. Big plays? Few outside of a 63-yard catch. Nice adjustments by DC Mike Scherer.

“I wish I had some, some great answer for which we had a really good plan going in,” said Odom. “We didn’t do a very good job executing and communicating it early on, and we stayed the course and stayed plan.

“I’ve never been a person that believes, hey, we’ll wait till halftime and make an adjustment. You don’t got time. You’re blown out of the stadium if you wait till halftime.”

6 – While Ryan Browne was wheeling and dealing in the opener, throwing for 311 yards in the opener, he wasn’t the center piece today but was still solid. He hit 14-of-23 passes for 170 yards with two TDs and a pick. Browne was effective running, gaining 50 yards on nine totes.

“I think you look at two drops, that’s hard because they were good balls and that happens,” said Odom. “But he knows he can’t have a bad day. He’s got to build those up around him. No matter what happens, on to the next play. He’s going to be stoic … I thought he did a nice job.”

7 – The tight ends have a pulse. Tonight, we saw George Burhenn heat up. He was targeted just once last week. Tonight, he had three grabs for 48 yards, both team-highs. Burhenn looks like he’s fully back from his spring ankle injury.

“When he broke his leg, it was a terrible, terrible injury,” said Odom. “You’ve got to have great determination to come back from something like that.

“It goes back to George on how determined he was to get back. And it was a long, long tough road for him to overcome the things that he did throughout that process. Got so much respect for him and the way he played tonight, he’s going to have a heck of a year … “

8 – Move over, Cleo McDonnell. Barry Odom has won his first two games as Purdue coach. McDonnell was the last to do so, way back in 2016. The last Purdue coach to start his career 3-0? It was Albert Hernstein in 1905, who started 4-0 with wins over Wendell Phillips High, Beloit, Wabash and Illinois.

9 – Discipline is key. Penalties played a big part in role in determining this game. Purdue had two, which both came on the same drive late in the game; SIU had five.

10 – Next Saturday is setting up to a juicy one, as USC will invade Ross-Ade Stadium. It will offer Purdue its first real test. How will the Boilers respond? It will be the Trojans’ first trip to West Lafayette since 1976 when USC was led by RB Ricky Bell, who would go on to be the No. 1 pick in the 1977 NFL draft.