Purdue Boilermakers Preview 2022: Offense
The offense worked just fine … at least through the air. This is how Purdue football is used to rolling with the nation’s fifth-best passing attack that can hit from anywhere on the field, but the ground attack that stalled too often needs to be a bit more efficient.
More than enough main parts are back from an attack that averaged 440 yards and 29 points per game – closing out with the 627-yard, 48-point explosion in the Music City Bowl win over Tennessee – however …
Do the Boilermakers have the No. 1 receiver to replace David Bell? He caught 93 passes and was the main man in key spots, and losing Jackson Anthrop and his 53 grabs hurts, too.
Making things worse, No. 2 target Milton Wright – a big threat who led the team with seven touchdown catches – is academically ineligible.
On the plus side, Payne Durham is among the Big Ten’s best pass catching tight ends, and Iowa transfer Tyrone Tracy is a good one. It also helps to have a veteran quarterback like Aidan O’Connell going into his sixth year with the program to make all the young parts of the receiving corps work.
The former walk-on didn’t do anything for two years, but he rose up, took over, and made the job his. Last year he threw for over 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns hitting 72% of his passes. He’s not going to run a lick, but he’s the perfect conductor for the attack. The job is all his with Jack Plummer transferring to Cal.
Yeah, the running game … it doesn’t work. It averaged under three yards per carry and only hit 100 yards three times, but King Doerue and the backs are there to rotate.
The offensive front was functional, not great. The veterans are in place around all-star center Gus Hartwig, and there’s enough versatility to move some of the parts around. Getting transfer Daniel Johnson from Kent State helps the tackle options.
Purdue Boilermakers Preview 2022: Defense
The defense was good enough. It wasn’t a brick wall, the pass rush could’ve been better, and there were times when things didn’t work, but finishing 48th in the nation overall is just fine.
It wasn’t bad at holding serve so the offense could win games, and it wasn’t awful at getting off the field. With eight starters expected back, it should be even better, starting with …
The defensive front should be a plus. Again, the pass rush wasn’t great, and the run defense can’t get gouged against the big bashing teams, but the starting four is strong, there’s good depth, and there’s help coming in from the transfer portal.
It’s a good-sized group that runs 275 pounds or more across the entire line. Brandon Deen is a good all-around tackle and Lawrence Johnson is a nice-sized veteran on the nose.
With no George Karlaftis, though, Kydran Jenkins has to be even more of a factor after tying for a team high with five sacks.
Leading tackler Jaylan Alexander is gone from the linebacking corps, but Kieren Douglas is back in the middle and Jalen Graham is an interesting hybrid on the outside.
Getting Cory Trice back from a knee injury is a big boost to an already good secondary situation. Second leading tackler Marvin Grant going to Kansas stinks, but Cam Allen is one of the Big Ten’s better safeties – he led the team with four picks – and 6-3, 205-pound corner Jamari Brown is coming off a decent year.
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