Grading the Boilermakers: Purdue-Fresno State
As? Bs? Cs? What grades did we hand out after Purdue’s 39-35 loss vs. Fresno State?
Rushing offense
The numbers were OK: 30 carries for 109 yards and two TDs (3.6 ypc). RB Devin Mockobee led the way, running for 60 yards on 16 totes with a TD with most of that coming in the second half. Should he have been used more early on? Purdue rotated backs liberally. QB Hudson Card was the second-leading rusher with 29 yards on six carries with most coming on scrambles. No doubt, Card has wheels and is dangerous on the move.
GRADE: C+
Passing offense
We saw glimpses from Hudson Card, who threw for 254 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. But he hit just 57 percent of his attempts (17-of-30). Five of the passes were “big plays,” covering 15 or more yards. Still, Card was just 2-of-7 (29 percent) passing for 61 yards on “deep passes” (over 15 yards). WR Deion Burks showed flashes of being the big-play wideout this offense is looking for, scoring on an 84-yard TD pass and finishing with four catches for 152 yards and two scores on a team-high nine targets. Who is the No. 2 wideout? TE Garrett Miller was missed, as he was out injured.
GRADE: C+
Overall offense
A mixed bag. Purdue scored 35 points (the offense tallied 28), which typically should be enough to win a game. There was balance, with 30 rushes and 30 passes. But the offense went into a malaise in the second and third quarters, when it gained an aggregate 86 yards. Purdue finished with 363 yards. And struggles on third down proved to be ruinous, as Purdue converted just 3-of-12. That was a big reason why the Boilermakers ran just 60 plays to Fresno State’s 82. The attack never seemed to get in a groove, and what was the identity of Saturday?
GRADE: B-
Rushing defense
A solid effort by a revamped front. The Bulldogs had 116 yards rushing on 37 totes (3.1 ypc). Purdue used a healthy rotation of players to keep everyone fresh, and it worked for the most part for a defense that notched four TFLs. The longest Fresno State run was 22 yards.
GRADE: B-
Passing defense
Purdue got some good heat, notching two sacks and three hurries. And the Boilermakers tallied the lone takeaway in the game, with a S Dillon Thieneman interception late in the game that set up Purdue’s final TD. (Thieneman had a smashing debut, leading all players with 10 tackles.) But, too often, Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene was able to find open receivers en route to hitting 70 percent of his passes (31-of-44) for 366 yards and four TDs. He was 9-of-13 passing on third downs for 108 yards. Eight times, Keene passed for a first down on third down. On and on it went.
GRADE: D
Overall defense
The defense has a lot to button up moving forward, especially in the back end. The issues vs. the pass have been well-documented, as diminutive Bulldog wideout Erik Brooks had nine catches for 170 yards and two TDs. Too often, Fresno State targets were open in the middle of the field. The Bulldogs finished with 487 yards.
GRADE: C
Special teams
Yes, there was a missed 43-yard field goal. But overall, this area was solid. Tyrone Tracy ran back the opening kickoff of the second half for a TD. And T.J. Sheffield’s 29-yard punt return set up a TD. Caleb Krockover enjoyed a good debut kicking off. Jack Ansell averaged 41.5 yards on four punts, placing three inside the 20-yard line.
GRADE: B+
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