Do Over? Purdue's Coordinators Talk Late-Game Miscues vs. Wake Forest

A handful of plays could be called into question from Purdue's 38-36 loss to Wake Forest on Saturday, especially late in the game. Offensively, the Boilermakers had a 1st-and-goal from the 8-yard line with less than a minute to play in regulation and settled for a field goal. The defense surrendered a 4th-and-15 in double overtime.

Those are the two possessions that stick out most from that stinging loss in West Lafayette from the weekend.

On that final offensive possession in regulation, Henson decided to roll with the hot hand, getting the ball to running back Fame Ijeboi on the first two plays before calling a pass play on third down. Ryan Browne scrambled, but was only able to pick up two yards, setting up a game-tying field goal from Jacobo Echeverria Lozano.

If he had a chance to change anything on that possession, Henson said he might have been a little more aggressive on second down.

"Going back and looking at it again, that is the one thing I told Coach Odom, if I did it over, I would have done those couple of plays over," Henson said. "The philosophy with how we finished the game, I wouldn't change that at all. We put ourselves in position to win the game. If I had to go back and do it one more time, I would've taken one more shot at the end zone."

"Although, we did hand the ball to No. 2 and he had been pretty good down there," Henson said. "So, I don't know. I say that, that was me questioning myself, me evaluating myself after the game. Maybe at that time I felt like No. 2 will bust this thing in there from the 5-yard line."

To his point, Ijeboi scored touchdowns from 14 yards and seven yards earlier in the game. He finished the contest with 114 yards and three scores on 27 carries. Keeping the ball in his hands was understandable at that stage in the game.

Kane talks overtime miscues

Purdue Boilermakers defensive coordinator Kevin Kane runs a drill. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Purdue's defense struggled against Wake Forest in the first half, then finally generated some pressure in the second half. That evaporated in the extra sessions, as the Boilers allowed Gio Lopez to connect with Bryce Kania on a 24-yard pass on the second play of the first overtime.

Then, the Boilermakers surrendered a 4th-and-15 on what could have been the final play of the game. Two plays later, Wake Forest punched it across the goal line, Lopez scored on a two-point conversion and the Deacons left West Lafayette with a victory.

Kane took responsibility for Purdue's failure to get a stop in the first overtime.

"One, it's all on me in terms of schematically and some of the things we were doing in formations," Kane said. "We've got to keep our eyes in the right place ... it was 100% on me on that one."

As for the 4th-and-long in double overtime? Kane essentially said there were miscommunications on that play, which allowed Wake Forest to convert and keep the drive alive.

"That one is still crawling at me," Kane said. "You've got to live and learn from this thing, and understanding of down and distance and where the sticks are. We can't be backing up in certain situations and allow free access."

Purdue doesn't have much margin for error, and Saturday was another indication of that. The Boilers only have a few days to learn from those mistakes before heading to Los Angeles for a Big Ten showdown with UCLA this weekend.

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