Inside the numbers: Purdue defense

This is the second of a three-part series examining Purdue’s strengths and weaknesses from a statistical standpoint.

We are taking a look at the Boilermakers’ 2022 statistics on offense, defense and special teams in an effort to examine what the team should do well and what it needs to improve on in 2022.

Next up: The defense.

MORE: Inside the Numbers, Offense

Passing

CategoryValueNational rankPassing yards per game allowed224.967thPassing touchdowns allowed28T119thYards per attempt7.6T94thPasses defended63T31stLong passing plays allowed (20+ yards)48T106thSacks28T58th

Stopping the pass was not a forte of the 2022 Purdue defense, which bled a lot of yards and big plays. Only two Big Ten schools yielded more pass plays of over 10 yards than Purdue, which allowed 121. (The fact Purdue played 14 games didn’t help.) The 21 passes of over 30 yards led the Big Ten. On and on it went for a secondary that had spotty tackling and often blew coverage. Who can forget the breakdown at the end of the Syracuse game?

How will this new defensive scheme perform? Ryan Walters enjoyed great success last season coordinating the Illinois defense, which ranked No. 3 overall (273.5 ypg), No. 8 vs. the pass (173.8 ypg) and No. 10 vs. the run (99.8 ypg). The scoring defense was the best of all, ranking No. 1 in the country (12.8 ppg).

And Walters’ unit was good at generating turnovers, ranking No. 2 in America in takeaways with 31 paced by a national leading 24 interceptions. The Illini secondary was outstanding, producing three of the top 66 picks in the 2023 NFL draft: Devon Witherspoon (5th), Jartavius Martin (47th) and Sydney Brown (66th).

The staff has overhauled the cornerback slot, bringing in five from the portal and one from the JC ranks. How will this unit come together?

Rushing

CategoryValueNational rankRushing yardage allowed per game142.153rdRushing touchdowns allowed19T65thYards per attempt4.276thLong rushing plays allowed (20+ yards)13T45thTackles for loss62.0T101st

Last year’s run defense was solid, at best. But the front has had to be rebuilt, with three key players transferring: Branson Deen, Lawrence Johnson and Jack Sullivan.

Walters’ staff bolstered the front by bringing in three SEC d-linemen: Malik Langham, Isaiah Nichols and Jeffrey M’Ba.

Purdue will employ a five-man front, with outside linebackers flanking each end: A Buck (boundary) and a Fox (field), who want to get up field. The end must anchor vs. the run, while a nose and defensive tackle work inside to get a push. There is plenty of depth and potential up front at all the spots for an area that could develop into a strength led by outside linebackers Nic Scourton, Kydran Jenkins and Khordae Sydnor.

Miscellaneous

CategoryValueNational rankTakeaways20T43rdInterceptions1514thFumbles forced881stFumbles recovered5106thThird down conversions rate35.139thFourth down conversion rate52.673rdRed zone scoring percentage82.6T58thRed zone touchdown percentage67.4T105thYards per play5.885thLong scrimmage plays (20+ yards)61T87th

Purdue enjoyed success generating takeaways, which helped mute some of the defense’s issues when it came to stopping the pass. The D also was largely effective in getting off the field on third downs. But that average yards-per-play must be trimmed. Walters’ 2022 Illini defense allowed only 4.39 yards per play, second best in the Big Ten.

And Illinois allowed 48 plays or 20 yards or longer last year, sixth in the league. Illinois was good at getting up field, notching 81 TFLs. Purdue had 62 TFLs in 2022 and played one more game than the Illini.

The Boilermakers had an underrated front that may not have generated a lot of sacks last season, but it often got pressure and forced harried decisions from quarterbacks. This year’s front is much bigger, which should help it anchor vs. the run, while also getting a push. This should be especially helpful with red zone defense, where the 2022 Boilermaker defense often struggled. Physicality is vital in the red zone.

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