Purdue football grades vs. Nebraska: Killer penalties, invisible offense

WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue football showed life.

Well, at least on one side of the ball.

The Boilermakers lost 28-10 to Nebraska at Ross-Ade Stadium, spoiling their homecoming and potentially wasting a final chance for fans to have hope for the 2024 season.

Ross-Ade Stadium was filled with a lot of red, and with nine minutes left, many Purdue supporters began to walk away after a punt, trailing 14-3.

That’s where Purdue stands after a 1-3 start.

Offense: F

The defense offered every opportunity to take control of the game. And the offensive couldn’t get through. At halftime, the Boilermakers had just 89 yards. Even outside the locker room, Purdue couldn’t get a first down on a 3rd-and-1 and had to settle for a 45-yard field goal. You can only rely on the defense to hold out a certain amount before the offense has to stall its end. Purdue threw a pick-six for the third straight time. A Leland Smith touchdown with 1:29 left didn’t save that score.

Defense: C+

Purdue demanded a lot from its defense, as poor as its offense continues to be. This time the Boilermakers largely did their part. Sure, Nebraska had a ton of yards, but remained scoreless until the end of the third quarter. However, the penalties were a killer. The return of Nyland Green should be a boost. The Georgia transfer was cited three times for pass interference. Coaches want Purdue to be aggressive with the ball in the air. Not so aggressive. The Boilers must walk the line between being aggressive and giving up a free 15 yards on six opportunities for pass interference calls. Then Joseph Jefferson’s beautiful play was offset as he taunted the ball carrier and moved the chains. Purdue is not a team that can give up that many free yards and hope to win. After four games there are still no forced turnovers.

Special Teams: B

Finally, after four plays, we saw Purdue’s field goal unit. The 45-yarder was a nice rebound for true freshman Spencer Porath after he missed a 39-yard attempt wide in the first quarter. The punt coverage was exceptional. The Boilermakers felt like it, perhaps too much, to open the second half and tried to put it back on the kickoff return. Not only were there not many yards, but there was also a waiting pattern on the return. The two blocked field goals in the first half are a heavyweight for this class.

Coaching: D

Honestly, not many expected Purdue to be down four points in the fourth quarter. Coaches put Purdue in position to win its Big Ten opener. But the offense continues to show signs of life, and that’s where Purdue needed to make the biggest improvement. Purdue’s defense adjusted, switching from man coverage to zone coverage after a series of penalties in the first half. Dylan Raiola took the zone apart. You may question the decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it on 4th-and-1. But Purdue hasn’t led since August, and back then it was an important play to put points on the board. Purdue needs to get more creative because there are still four games left and this is the result you’re putting out.

Game play

Purdue’s defense put the Huskers within 1 on their first drive of the fourth quarter. But the Boilermakers couldn’t get it done at one point. Nebraska would either take a commanding lead or force Purdue to cover 99 yards. Dante Dowdell ran right and flipped into the end zone with 10:34 left to give Nebraska a 14-3 lead. The way Purdue’s offense played couldn’t make up for that deficit.

Player of the game

Purdue’s offense is not good. But at least give Nebraska some credit. It’s hard to keep a team out of the end zone, and Nebraska did it. But overall, this was the first road game for Raiola, a true freshman quarterback who wasn’t a superstar Saturday but was good enough in a game where no one stood out.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.