The 3-2-1: Purdue's win over Maryland
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PDF: Purdue-Maryland statistics
Purdue needed this one bad.
After a three-game slide and a run of injuries probably unprecedented In program history, the Boilermakers rebounded on Homecoming, handling Maryland 40-14.
Below is some instant analysis from the win, a game in which redshirt freshman QB Jack Plummer was excellent, 33-of-41 passing for 420 yards and three scores, and his weapons very much the same.
Tight end Brycen Hopkins caught 10 passes for 140 yards and David Bell nine for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Milton Wright also caught a 59-yard TD and redshirt freshman corner Cory Trice recorded two Interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
• Ideally, Purdue wouldn't be relying so much on youth, but Saturday It was more than happy to.
This Is not something the program has ever seen, probably: Purdue's first three offensive touchdowns came from true freshmen: First David Bell, then King Doerue, then Milton Wright. The two touchdown passes were thrown by redshirt freshman Jack Plummer, and the first half capped by a pick-six by redshirt freshman DB Cory Trice.
This season has been a battle for reasons outside Purdue's control, mostly, but the strength of its foundation for years to come couldn't have been more evident than it was Saturday.
• Purdue circumstances were loud and clear Saturday, making this win all the more impressive. All sorts of players who'd not yet played, or barely played, played Saturday, some of them in meaningful roles.
It can't be easy to manage such situations, not just during a game, but during the week, so It's a credit to all involved that Purdue played well under the circumstances, decimated by injury and pulling players out of redshirt and from the bottom of its prior depth chart midseason.
Among them: Defensive tackle Jeff Marks and freshmen Da'Joun Hewitt at running back and Khali Saunders at linebackers. None of those players had seen the field previously this season. Semisi Fakaseeiki has played only on special teams, but saw snaps at D-end today.
• It helped not playing a defense as formidable as Penn State or TCU, but there was some coming-of-age In Jack Plummer's play today. He was not perfect, but he made big plays and led his team to a win.
One telling gauge of a quarterback's play is his success on third down, and Plummer was outstanding on those money downs, and the offense strung together first downs consistently, for the first time, really, under Plummer.
• This was well-crafted offense from Purdue all day, and well-executed, obviously. The Boilermakers' game plan really helped a previously toothless running game and took pressure off an offensive line starting three new faces over last week.
Purdue's pre-snap motion seemed to get Maryland off balance against the run and probably took a bit of aggressiveness from Maryland's front against the pass, because it gave it different bases to cover.
Just well-done all-around for Purdue offensively.
Purdue was 11-17 on third down.
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