Purdue Football Offense Plagued by Red Zone Struggles in 20-13 Loss to Minnesota

Purdue managed to reach the red zone four times against Minnesota but only put up 13 points to show for it. In his first start of the year, fifth-year senior Aidan O’Connell passed for 357 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Author:
D.J. Fezler
Publish date:
Oct 2, 2021 4:42 PM EDT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — When a football team gains more than 100 yards offensively than its opponent and controls the time of possession, it’s usually a sign that it will come out on the winning side of the scoreboard.

That wasn’t the case for the Boilermakers on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue recorded 434 yards of total offense but squandered its opportunities to score. The team had a chance to improve to 4-1 with a win. Instead, it heads into a bye week after a 20-13 loss to Minnesota.

“We weren’t very optimistic in the red zone one again, which cost us,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said after the game. “When you have almost three times as many first downs as the other team, you’ve got to figure out a way to win.

“Something that we’ve got to f get better at is producing points when we get in there tight, and that has not happened. There were some things we got better at, but it wasn’t good enough. When you play good football teams — good, physical, Big Ten teams — you’ve got to be good in all elements.”

Fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell earned his first start of the year after replacing junior Jack Plummer in each of the team’s previous two games. He was impressive throughout the game, completing 33 of his 51 throws for 357 yards and one touchdown.

Junior David Bell and King Doerue were both healthy and ready to play Saturday after missing last week due to injuries. With their return to the field, the Purdue offense found balance against Minnesota.

Doerue rushed 21 times for a career-high 95 yards. The team’s total yards of offense were mountainous, leading to four trips to the red zone during the game. However, two stalled drives and a missed field goal late in the fourth quarter resulted in just 13 points on the scoreboard.

The Boilermakers have scored exactly 13 points in each of the last three weeks, dating back to a road loss to Notre Dame.

“The windows get tighter, they play harder and more aggressive in the run, and then they're going to challenge us in the pass,” O’Connell said of Purdue’s opponents in the red zone. “I think it's just coming up with creative ways to making plays.

“I think the ultimate thing is our players have to make plays. That starts with myself, I’ve got to make plays. I can't turn the ball over, I can't take sacks. It's a team effort, and it's going to take the entire team working on it in practice and watching film about it trying to grow.”

Purdue’s only touchdown came at the end of a 14-play, 91-yard drive that started late in the first quarter. O’Connell helped march the team to the Minnesota 11-yard line before being faced with a fourth-and-one opportunity to start the second.

Rather than kicking a field goal, Brohm elected to run the ball, and Doerue leaped over a pile of lineman to pick up two yards and a first down. Two plays later, junior wide receiver Milton Wright caught a seven-yard touchdown to give the Boilermakers a 10-7 lead.

Kicker Mitchell Fineran was successful on two field-goal attempts in the first half, helping Purdue to a 13-7 lead heading into the locker room. The defense allowed just 128 yards of total offense to Minnesota in the opening two quarters.

The second half was a disaster for the Boilermakers. The Golden Gophers opened the third quarter with a 54-yard shot from quarterback Tanner Morgan to wide receiver Mike Brown-Stephens. Two runs later and Minnesota found itself leading 17-13 after a touchdown by Trey Potts.

With a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter, Fineran missed a 34-yard kick while the rain was pouring down onto the turf. However, Minnesota would kick a field goal on its penultimate possession, giving Purdue the ball with 1:46 left on the clock and no timeouts.

Bell came up with two huge catches on the final possession, pushing his stat total to a team-high 120 yards on six catches. But O’Connell misfired on a pass intended for junior wide receiver Broc Thompson a third down from the 27-yard line. The throw was intercepted, signaling the end of the game.

Purdue will play Iowa on the road on Oct. 16 with a 3-2 record. Finding ways to put the football across the goal line will be paramount during the team’s week off.

“We're expected to go out there and succeed, and do your job, and complete passes and don't turn the ball over,” O’Connell said. “When we don't do that, you put your defense and your team in jeopardy of not winning the game. Scoring 13 points is just not enough for our defense.”

PURDUE, MINNESOTA LIVE BLOG: The Purdue Boilermakers were back at home Saturday to continue Big Ten play against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ross-Ade Stadium. CLICK HERE