Purdue has 'fun' being on right side of rout
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In the final seven minutes, with Purdue’s first biggest rout of an FBS opponent since 2012 already decided, David Blough walked up to new right tackle Dave Steinmetz.
Blough, the veteran QB, asked Steinmetz how it felt.
“Well, normally, I’m on the other side of this thing,” said Steinmetz, a transfer from Rhode Island whose program didn’t win much over his three seasons.
Blough smiled.
“Normally, I have been, too,” he said, “so enjoy it.”
The Boilermakers certainly seemed to do that in a 44-21 victory over Ohio in an electric Friday night atmosphere under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Only weeks removed from wondering if he’d even play this season after a shoulder injury and one week removed from a two-interception game in a loss to Louisville, Blough was nearly perfect, throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 11-of-13 passing.
One week removed from a dismal showing on the ground, Purdue (1-1) blasted the Bobcats, rushing for 274 yards on 44 carries, a whopping 6.0 average.
The defense followed up a solid Week 1 effort with another nearly dominant performance, limiting Ohio’s strength, its run game, to only 160 yards and, for the second consecutive week, created turnovers. Purdue forced and recovered two fumbles.
And the Boilermakers had such a performance with a bit of pressure.
For some, expectations were raised for this program in its first season under Jeff Brohm after its near-upset of No. 16 Louisville in Week 1. It’s been rare of late for Purdue to follow one good effort with another.
But it rose to occasion Friday with its most lopsided victory over an FBS team since beating Eastern Michigan 54-16 on Sept. 15, 2012.
“I think it does say something,” said linebacker Markus Bailey, who had seven tackles and forced a fumble. “Last year, we would play well either in the first half and not show up in the second half or one week we’d show up and the next week not show up. I think (this result) shows a little bit to our consistency. It’s only been two weeks, but that’s just the way we work at practice. That’s a testament to our coaches and how much they push us.
“I think it’s going to be something that’s going to make Boilermaker fans very excited for the rest of the year to come.”
Purdue hadn’t won since Oct. 8, 2016. It'd lost eight consecutive games.
So no wonder Blough had a wide smile afterward.
Especially how the Boilermakers won: The offense showed balance, which is important, but also some flair. The splashy play produced a touchdown and a 24-7 lead, giving Purdue some distance in a game it wasn’t going to let go.
On a first down at Purdue's 38, Blough lined up in a pistol formation with D.J. Knox as the back behind him. Cole Herdman was squatting just off the line, in an H-back-type look, and Jackson Anthrop was in the slot. On the snap, Blough handed to Knox, who took off to the right — where Anthrop was moving toward him. Knox flipped to Anthrop, who flipped back to Blough. Blough let a pass fly down the right sideline to a wide-open Herdman. Greg Phillips, who was double-covered down the seam initially, came over to make a touchdown-springing block as Herdman soared into the end zone.
“We had it in the bank,” Brohm said of the play. “Last week, some of (the trick plays) didn’t work as well as I’d like, and that happens and it concerns you, ‘Am I calling it to much?’ But I think it was a good point in the game where I thought this one was pretty safe. We gave a false cadence out there to make sure I got the look I wanted, and once we did, we went ahead and ran with it. It was tremendous execution. When you can hit a few plays like that, it can change the momentum of the game. So we’ve got to be aggressive and take our chances.”
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But it wasn’t only in “chances” where Purdue looked aggressive: Its offensive line had a bit more fight and physicality in Week 2 than in Week 1, and that showed up, largely, in generating a running game.
Tario Fuller had 142 yards, and Brian Lankford-Johnson added 62 as the Boilermakers showed important balance.
“Those offensive linemen, if we can get some push, like we did (Friday), phenomenal,” Blough said. “Tario carrying the ball, D.J. (Knox), Richie (Worship), when we can run the football, as you see, it opens up play action and those tight ends gets flowing down the seams and then those receivers get lost sometimes, and (Anthony) Mahoungou can get a touchdown. The run game opened it up for everybody.”
On the flip side, the defense’s ability to largely slow Ohio’s ground game was pivotal, too. It was strength vs. strength in the matchup — “Our M.O. on defense is stopping the run,” Bailey said — and Purdue linebackers quickly filled gaps, swarmed the football and had three tackles for loss. Plus, the unit forced two fumbles and recovered them both.
“We still have a lot of things to get better at, little missed assignments here and there, but the effort was outstanding,” Bailey said. “Guys were flying to the ball. That’s how we get turnovers. Guys ripping the ball out, everyone is running to the ball to scoop it up and give our offense another chance to score. I was pleased with that.”
In the end, there was much to be pleased about.
There was a glare of red lights in the fourth quarter still as fans were filing out of the Ross-Ade Stadium parking lot, but, this time, they weren’t leaving disgusted. They were, perhaps, hopeful.
Just like the players and coaches themselves.
“It was huge,” Blough said of the victory. “Coach Brohm is so big on just a one-game season that this one was the next one up and we had to win this one. Now we’re 1-1. Have a good football team come in in Ohio that’s supposed to win their conference and play hard in front of our crowd and hang some points and the defense get turnovers and protect the football, most importantly on offense, it felt great. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing football in about two years. ... I feel great right now. I could go play again. It was contagious. Everybody wanted in on the fun.
“(The fans) needed to see a product, and hopefully, it’s one they’ll want to come back and support in a couple weeks when we bring Michigan in.”
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