No doubt, the coaching staff will have a lot of teaching points this week as Purdue preps to play host to Vanderbilt in the home-opener. Before moving on, let's examine Purdue's performance in the gut-punch loss at Nevada through the lens of Pro Football Focus.

One observation: The play of the cornerbacks was a positive sign for a defense that permitted 305 second-half yards after Nevada had just 99 in the first half.

Hat's off to sophomore corner Kenneth Major, who was targeted seven times and allowed only a 14.3 percent completion percentage and 12 yards with six yards after the catch. Fellow sophomore cornerback Dedrick Mackey was targeted a team-high 11 times and allowed a 54.5 completion percentage with 69 yards permitted and six yards after catch.

Each also tackled well. Major (81.7 PFF grade) and Mackey (81.1) ranked 2-3 on the team in PFF metrics. Only senior S Navon Mosley was graded higher as a tackler by PFF, ranking No. 1 among DBs and the team (83.7).

Speaking of corners, redshirt freshman Cory Trice played six snaps after telling the media last week he had made the move from safety early in camp. He also said he hadn’t played the spot since middle school. Shows you how much the staff trusts the 6-3, 215-pound Trice, who was on the field as Nevada was driving for the tying TD.

More DB good stuff: True freshman SS Jalen Graham was the No. 1 rated overall player on Purdue's defense, according to PFF (73.6). Graham played all 82 snaps, too.

George Karlaftis lived up to his hype in his Boilermaker coming out party.

He graded out well, ranking fifth overall among Purdue defenders in PFF metrics (66.3). His pass-rush grade was the highest on the team. Time and again, he got pressure.

The only bad: His first-quarter roughing the passer call. Still, that is his nature--to attack. Karlaftis showed the relentlessness that makes him special. The true freshman from West Lafayette High School also had a team-high five hits and five hurries. Nice start for No. 5.

Here is a look at Purdue's leaders from the Nevada game in various categories chronicled by Pro Football Focus.

QB Elijah Sindelar came out hot in the first quarter en route to helping Purdue notch 519 yards of offense.

He was 7-of-7 on the opening drive of the game which finished with a TD pass to Brycen Hopkins. He could have had another TD, but he overthrew an open Rondale Moore in the end zone. Sindelar finished the first half with 268 yards passing and three TDs. For the game, he hit 34-of-52 passes (65 percent) for 423 yards with four TDs and two picks. Sindelar has made completing 70 percent of his passes a goal for 2019.

How much did the offense struggle in the second half? Sindelar hit just 13-of-24 passes (54 percent) for 155 yards with a TD and two picks. The only TD scored by Purdue came on a gadget play, when Sindelar handed off to running back King Doerue, who pitched it back to Sindelar, who chucked it to an open David Bell for an easy 49-yard TD strike.

A look at Sindelar’s passing tree shows he preferred to work between the numbers vs. the Nevada zone. He hit 24-of-33 passes for 242 yards and three TDs in that area.

Rondale Moore looked to be in midseason form. He had 11 catches for 124 yards and a TD. But eight of those grabs for 114 yards and a TD came in the first half. His second-half stats: three catches for 10 yards with a long of seven yards ... all in the fourth quarter.

He showed his value on the above play when he wasn’t even thrown the ball. Look at the three Nevada defenders sucked up in coverage on Moore, which allowed Jackson Anthrop to get behind the Wolf Pack defense for an easy 38-yard TD grab in the second quarter.

Always interesting and revealing to look at snap counts from a game.

Before the tilt at Nevada, Jeff Brohm said he wanted to rotate offensive linemen. Well, all five starters played all 82 snaps: LT Grant Hermanns; LG Alex Criddle; C Viktor Beach; RG Matt McCann; RT Will Bramel.

Hermanns was the highest-rated lineman, according to PFF, grading out on top overall, in pass blocking and in run blocking. He was followed in overall PFF ranking by Bramel, Criddle, Beach and McCann.

Game TV analyst Corey Chavous said Jeff Brohm thinks McCann is Purdue’s “most accurate puller.” No doubt, Purdue likes its linemen to be on the move. Better be big and nimble to play on this line.

Overall, Purdue liberally used true freshmen. Strong safety Jalen Graham played all 82 snaps, along with DE Derrick Barnes and CB Dedrick Mackey.

Ranking the freshmen by snap count:

1. SS Jalen Graham: 82

2. DE George Karlaftis: 77

3. WR David Bell: 37

4. WR Milton Wright: 20

5. SS Marvin Grant: 12

6. RB King Doerue: 11

7. WR TJ Sheffield: 2

Speaking of the freshmen, there has been much hype around the four new wideouts. Wright was targeted four times (two catches for 17 yards) and Bell twice (one catch for 49 yards and a TD). Sheffield wasn't thrown to. Mershawn Rice didn't make the trip.

Will leave you with this: Turnovers continue to be an issue. Purdue was minus-five in turnover margin last year. Against Nevada, the Boilermakers were ... minus-five. This is just the fourth time Purdue has lost a turnover battle, 5-0, since 2000. Others were Cincinnati (2016) and Oklahoma State (New Year's Day, 2013). An inauspicious start.

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