Upon Further Review: Minnesota

The day after most Purdue football games this season, GoldandBlack.com will rewatch the contest in an attempt to break down or highlight some of the finer points.

Understand, we do not have 11-on-11 video nor do we have either team’s playbook, so this will generally be a layman’s view on things.

Today: Purdue’s 27-20 loss to Minnesota

PDF: Purdue-Minnesota statistics

PURDUE OFFENSE

Purdue set a great tone in the running game to open play, opening with a split-back set with a tight end acting as a de facto fullback, though it looks like he missed his block here. Anyway …

Came right back to it on the second snap, but Minnesota brings a DB unblocked from Christian Moore‘s (44) side and closes the hole pretty quick.

Third play, Purdue uses Moore as an H-Back, running him on a shallow cross that creates some depth for an easy completion a level over him. He’s right there for a short completion if needed because the defenders on his side of the formation played him to block, not to run a route.

• Ryan Browne is fine making the systematic throws Purdue needs from him, but he is not a pure, step-in dart thrower.

But this is one of the best throws of the season, but also Rico Walker‘s second dropped TD of the year.

Gotta have these, George Burhenn or no George Burhenn.

Drops killed Purdue again. Killed ’em. But there are other issues that Purdue is schematically covering up pretty effectively.

In pass protection, can this offensive line just drop back and protect without holding?

This a three-man rush.

Browne’s athleticism, ideally, wouldn’t be needed as much as it is.

This super-hero play happens after Browne is nearly sandwiched between the backs of his two offensive tackles.

• It’s hard to blame the player in situations like this because this was an unnecessary risk Purdue’s coaches would surely like back, but Devin Mockobee shouldn’t have thrown this. Or he should have thrown it back to Browne, which is often how these plays are schemed and how Purdue has run it in past weeks. We don’t know what the cadence of decisions are here for the second passer. But these plays have to be wide open, because you can’t expect a running back to get zip on a pass like this.

Hank Purvis not being able to move his guy backward and keep him out of Mockobee’s face didn’t help, either.

• In Purdue’s first game without Jalen St. John at right guard, it looked like Purdue can be OK there at the point of attack with Purvis, but hindered in some of its dynamic blocking schemes. St. John moves OK for a massive lineman and could make cross blocks.

This play should have been a big one, but Purvis doesn’t get to his spot quick enough and when he does, it’s at an ineffective angle. Had he been able to get to his man’s outside shoulder and either turn him inside or at push him up the field, Mockobee is sprung here.

• Fun little wrinkle added to Purdue’s read option game here, as they flip RPO into more of a sprint option, isolating an empty-side by steering the blocking one way, then running it the other.

Purdue is running some pretty smart offense. Misdirection really helps offensive lines and slows down defenses.

• Malachi Singleton‘s TD was just so well executed, thanks in part to a supreme athlete at QB, but also scheme, manipulation and effort.

First off, Purdue lines up heavy to the high side, then brings receiver Corey Smith — a really solid blocker to that side pre-snap — setting up an imbalance at the snap and putting the onus here on guard Ethan Trent to make this perfect combination block that makes the play, opening this hole almost single-handedly against a defense tilted the other way.

PURDUE’S TURNOVERS

The two interceptions were similar, but different. Both came on read option plays with Minnesota sitting on sweet spots in Purdue’s passing game in those actions.

Minnesota knows that when Purdue runs RPO, if Browne pulls it, he’s looking for the middle post, so they’re sliding a player into that passing lane instead of chasing the play fake. Here it’s linebacker Devon Williams, clearly having had it drilled into him to get his hands up. The deflection leads to the pick.

This time it’s safety Koi Perich, just sitting back in zone, occupying that underneath space Purdue often throws into or over in RPO. Browne doesn’t see him.

Tough thing about RPO ball is the bang-bang binary nature of the decision-making process, especially for relatively green quarterbacks. You don’t hold the ball and survey the field; you just act.

PURDUE DEFENSE

Purdue was really aggressive up front and its defensive line beat Minnesota’s offensive line, but it also played its best game in the back end.

Wish we had 11-on-11 video here, but this is what it looks like when the second and third levels of a defense communicate and “do their job.”

Great job here disguising coverage. Purdue has played a lot of third-and-long zone this season, shows it pre-snap, then goes man.

The quarterback is completely confounded here.

Here, too.

And here, they’re looking for a zone route but Purdue isn’t in zone.

MISC

• You just gotta capitalize on mistakes when your opponents make them or you force them.

Myles Slusher had a shot here.