Data Driven: Minnesota

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Purdue’s 27-20 loss to Minnesota.

(Editor’s note: PFF data is just one organization’s interpretation of the happenings from Saturday’s game. It is not to be taken as gospel).

OFFENSE

Offensive snap counts:

Bakyne Coly all 88
Bradyn Joiner all 88
Hank Purvis all 88
Joey Tanona 88
Ethan Trent 88
Ryan Browne 82
Corey Smith 76
Michael Jackson III 69
Nitro Tuggle 67
Devin Mockobee 54
Christian Moore 41
Christian Earls 32
Malachi Thomas 22
Arhmad Branch 21
Rico Walker 15
Chauncey Magwood 14
Antonio Harris 12
EJ Horton Jr. 12
Malachi Singleton 6
Jesse Watson 5

Grades and notes:

• Among those with a significant number of snaps, Ryan Browne came away with top honors. Malachi Singleton did grade better, but he saw just six snaps
• Aside from the quarterback position, pedestrian grades littered Purdue’s offensive report card
• On the offensive line, Hank Purvis led the way, as the other four graded mediocre
• Purdue’s offensive line graded better in pass blocking than it did in run blocking. Not sure I expected that based on the eye test.
• This was Browne’s best grade of the season
• Not much stands out at wide receiver. EJ Horton graded poorly on just 12 snaps. Nitro Tuggle finished with the best grade of any Boilermaker wideout.
• Another good day for Purdue’s running backs in pass protection. This was a big problem early on in the season
• Six penalties on the Purdue offense. Ouch.

Ryan Browne’s passing chart:

• Clean: 18-30, 149 yards, 2 INT
• Under pressure: 3-11, 54 yards
• Not blitzed: 11-24, 89 yards, INT
• Blitzed: 10-17, 114 yards, INT
• Play action: 7-15, 54 yards, 2 INT
• No play action: 14-26, 149 yards (excellent grade)
• Screen: 5-7, 20 yards
• No screen: 16-34, 183 yards, 2 INT

• Browne’s average depth of target: 10.4 yards. This is his highest ADOT against power conference competition this season.
• Similar to last week, roughly 70% of Browne’s dropbacks came without pressure. Purdue blocked well for him
• One “big-time throw” and two “turnover-worthy passes” for Browne
• Browne’s best grade came in the deep passing game, though he only attempted four passes in said category
• 21 of his 41 passes went 10-19 yards downfield
• Deep breath: six drops for Purdue wide receivers
  • Three to Corey Smith, one each to Rico Walker, EJ Horton, Devin Mockobee

Running game:

• Adjusting for sack yardage, Purdue ran for 6.3 yards per carry per PFF, a very nice number
• Nine of Purdue’s 40 carries went for 10+ yards
• Purdue forced 11 missed tackles, the most I can recall in quite some time. Five for Mockobee, four for Browne.
• 192 of Purdue’s 253 yards came after contact
• 24 of the 35 designed runs went to the left side
• 60% of Purdue’s runs came with a gap scheme rather than zone
• Five scrambles by Purdue’s quarterbacks

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

Charles Correa all 66
Myles Slusher all 66
Mani Powell all 66
Tahj Ra-El all 66
Tony Grimes all 66
CJ Nunnally IV 59
Demeco Kennedy 50
Hudauri Hines 49
CJ Madden 47
Ian Jeffries 41
Alex Sanford Jr. 40
Jamarrion Harkless 34
Smiley Bradford 26
Chalil Cummings 15
Breeon Ishmail 13
An’Darius Coffey 9
Trey Smith 7
Breylon Charles 6

Grades and notes:

• Top honors went to Smiley Bradford in limited action
• Right behind him? Chalil Cummings, who played well in his first extended action as a Boilermaker
• The run defense graded fairly well once again, as Purdue avoided black eyes on the scorecard. Chops Harkless turned in an excellent grade there.
• Just six missed tackles for Purdue, the best tally of the year. Two went to Charles Correa, who did not grade particularly well.
• A week after a disastrous performance in pass coverage, Purdue bounced back nicely
• Tony Grimes was targeted 10 times per PFF, and he allowed just three catches for 35 yards
• On the flip side, Correa got identified, as Minnesota completed seven of eight tries in his direction for an even 100 yards
• Despite good tackling numbers overall, some poor individual tackling grades from Correa, CJ Madden and Hudauri Hines
• Purdue recorded four hits of Drake Lindsey, including two sacks
• With Grimes back, the defensive backfield rotation shrank quite a bit. No snaps for Ryan Turner or Traveon Wright.

Drake Lindsey’s passing chart

• Clean: 15-31, 159 yards, 2 TD, INT
• Under pressure: 6-14, 73 yards
• Not blitzed: 13-32 152 yards, INT
• Blitzed: 8-13, 60 yards, 2 TD
• Play action: 5-11, 59 yards, 2 TD
• No play action: 16-34, 173 yards, INT
• Screen: 5-6, 72 yards, TD
• No screen: 16-39, 160 yards, TD, INT
• Overall: mediocre grades across the board