Data Driven: Purdue's loss to Washington

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Purdue’s 49-13 loss to Washington.

(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:

RT Bakyne Coly all 67
C Bradyn Joiner all 67
G Hank Purvis all 67
LT Joey Tanona all 67
WR Nitro Tuggle 66
WR EJ Horton Jr. 62
WR Michael Jackson III 59
QB Malachi Singleton 53
RG Ethan Trent 37
RB Antonio Harris 36
TE Christian Moore 32
RB Malachi Thomas 30
LG Jalen St. John 30
TE Rico Walker 27
QB Ryan Browne 14
TE Christan Earls 11
WR Jesse Watson 8
WR Corey Smith 3
LT Jude McCoskey 1

Grades and notes:

• Mediocre-to-poor grades litter the report card for the Boilermakers, as one would expect from a 36-point loss
• The top-rated player? EJ Horton Jr., followed closely by Malachi Singleton
• Nothing particularly outstanding on the offensive line, reflective of Purdue struggling to generate anything at the point of attack
  • Ethan Trent played for the first time in several weeks, coming in for Jalen St. John
  • Purdue hadn’t rotated at all on the offensive line in the last three games, sticking with a left-to-right grouping of Tanona, St. John, Joiner, Purvis, Coly
• Purdue’s run-blocking grades were not good
• Pass protection came back respectably, but Tanona and St. John had rough days in that department
• Ryan Browne played limited snaps, but he graded terribly
  • He finished as Purdue’s lowest-graded player by a wide margin
  • Purdue might have more questions about the quarterback position now than it did at the start of the season
• Positive day for Bakyne Coly, who’s graded fairly well in consecutive weeks after a really rough start to the season
• Virtually no rotation at wide receiver stands out
  • Again, a lack of difference-makers at that position
• Nothing doing from the tight end position

Malachi Singleton’s passing chart:

• Clean: 10-18, 105 yards, TD
• Under pressure: 6-10, 45 yards
• Not blitzed: 7-15, 100 yards, TD
• Blitzed: 9-13, 50 yards
• Play action: 5-7, 17 yards
• No play action: 11-21, 133 yards, TD
• Screen: 4-5, 4 yards
• No screen: 12-23, 146 yards, TD

• Singleton’s average depth of target: 13.9 yards
  • I believe this is the highest number of the season, and it’s certainly the first time Purdue has asked Singleton to “chuck it deep”
• His grades were all solid, albeit unspectacular, across the board
• Singleton attempted nine passes of 20+ yards, but he completed just two of them
  • He was perfect on passes fewer than 10 yards downfield
• One “big-time throws” and zero “turnover-worthy passes” for Singleton
• Two drops by Purdue wide receivers: Tuggle and Watson
• Tuggle led the team with eight targets. Seven for Jackson, five for Horton.
• Purdue allowed ten pressures but just one sack. Nice job of avoiding negative plays by Singleton

Running game:

• Adjusting for sacks, Purdue ran for 3.9 yards per carry against a nice run defense
  • Explosives didn’t play much of a factor, as just four of Purdue’s 28 rush attempts went for 10+ yards
  • EJ Horton’s 31-yard carry on a reverse was the only run longer than 14 yards
• Purdue’s ball carriers did not force a single missed tackle by the Washington defense
  • That’s two weeks in a row with no missed tackles forced
• 41 of Purdue’s 108 yards came after contact
• Only one scramble form Singleton, none from Browne

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

S Tahj Ra-El all 63
LB Charles Correa 60
CB Tony Grimes 60
LB Mani Powell 58
EDGE CJ Nunnally 49
DT Ian Jeffries 44
CB Smiley Bradford 41
EDGE Breeon Ishmail 41
DT Chops Harkless 41
DT Demeco Kennedy 39
S Hershey McLaurin 37
CB Hudauri Hines 35
S Myles Slusher 26
LB Alex Sanford 23
EDGE CJ Madden 22
CB Ryan Turner 21
EDGE Trey Smith 14
CB Chalil Cummings 9
LB Sanders Ellis 5
S Vi’Naz Cobb 3
LB Winston Berglund 2

Grades and notes:

• Among regular contributors, CJ Nunnally turned in the best grade
  • He’s been a bright spot in a dark season
• Nice days from Smiley Bradford, Demeco Kennedy and Chops Harkless
  • If you’re looking for reasons for optimism, those three all look like positive pieces moving forward
• Purdue’s tackling numbers were atrocious
  • The Boilermakers missed a season-high 19 tackles
  • Multiples: Powell (4), Bradford (2), Smith (2), Slusher (2)
• In pass coverage, Purdue’s defensive backs really struggled aside from Bradford
  • Washington excelled when targeting Purdue’s linebackers in coverage, completing all nine pass attemps for over 125 yards
• Purdue generated nine hurries of the quarterback, but it just got one hit on Powell’s sack
• More rotation on Purdue’s defense, though that’s to be expected when Purdue was down 42-3 in the third quarter
• The defensive line graded fairly well

Demond Williams’ passing chart

• Clean: 14-15, 250 yards, 2 TD (elite grade)
• Under pressure: 2-4, 7 yards
• Not blitzed: 12-13, 234 yards, TD (elite grade)
• Blitzed: 4-6, 23 yards, TD
• Play action: 7-9, 105 yards, TD
• No play action: 19-10, 152 yards, TD
• Screen: 7-7, 49 yards
• No screen: 9-12, 208 yards, 2 TD