Boilermakers Country

Purdue's Five Best Plays Through the First Month of the College Football Season

Purdue is only four games into the season, but it has had some memorable moments, including a couple of trick plays that have resulted in touchdowns.
Dustin Schutte|
Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Arhmad Branch (6) catches a long pass
Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Arhmad Branch (6) catches a long pass | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

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Purdue is in the middle of its first bye week of the season after finishing the first four games of the schedule. The Boilermakers are 2-2, but are hoping to add to their win total after the break.

Bye weeks can get boring for fans, so why not relive some of the best moments from the first four games of the season? Here's a quick rundown of the five best plays from the Boilers so far.

Arhmad Branch makes ridiculous one-handed catch

Arhmad Branch made quite the splash in Purdue's season opener against Ball State. He started the game by hauling in a 49-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Browne, giving the Boilermakers an early 7-0 lead. It's the first sign that things are different in West Lafayette.

On the next possession, Branch fought off a Ball State receiver to make a ridiculous one-handed catch near the sideline. The concentration and balance necessary to make the play were quite impressive.

"Mockcat" formation touchdown

Offensive coordinator Josh Henson has incorporated some unique formations and plays into Purdue's offense this season. One of those is the "Wildcat" formation, or as it's known in West Lafayette, the "Mockcat."

Senior running back Devin Mockobee scored out of the formation in Week 1 against Ball State, making it look easy. He had to fight off a few more defenders in the second week against Southern Illinois, but was still able to muscle his way into the end zone for a touchdown.

Disaster turns into a miracle

Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. That was the case for Purdue in its Big Ten opener against USC. The Boilermakers called a double-lateral trick play, hoping to catch the Trojans by surprise.

It didn't quite work out that way. After Browne got the ball to wide receiver Michael Jackson III, the ball was then thrown back in Browne's direction, but was batted to the ground. The quarterback had the presence of mind to pick up the football and race to the end zone, resulting in a touchdown for the Boilers.

Fake punt for the first down

Purdue's special teams unit got in on some of the fun in the Sept. 20 matchup against Notre Dame. Facing a 4th-and-5 late in the first quarter, the Boilermakers dialed up a fake punt and had punter Jack McCallister use his speed and elusiveness to carve up the Notre Dame return team.

That play call worked well, as McCallister picked up 10 yards and kept the drive alive in South Bend. Who said punters can't run?

Trick play run to perfection

Henson wanted to pull out all the stops against Notre Dame, and his use of a trick play in the red zone on Purdue's second possession of the game worked to perfection.

Browne handed the ball off to Mockobee, then slipped to the far side of the field. Mockobee came to a complete stop, threw the ball back to the quarterback, and Browne jogged across the goal line for an easy touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.

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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.

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