Purdue OC Josh Henson Refused to Lose to Illinois Because of Conservative Play-Calling
Josh Henson didn't want to lose Saturday's game because of conservative play-calling. When the Purdue offense took the field with 8:05 remaining, it was going for the kill shot.
The Boilermakers needed just seven plays to drive 71 yards to score a touchdown and take a 24-10 lead with 4:29 to play. The marquee moment of that drive was a 31-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Browne to receiver Chauncey Magwood, setting up a first-and-goal from the Illinois 1-yard line.
Two plays later, veteran running back Antonio Harris crossed the goal line to give the Boilers a two-score advantage. It was the defining drive in Purdue's 24-17 victory over the Fighting Illini, ending a 19-game losing streak to Big Ten opponents.
"I wasn't going to lose the game not being aggressive. We were going to go after it," Henson said during his media availability on Monday. "That was my feeling. We had two three-and-outs, so when we got the ball back ... I was like, 'This is it. It's time to go. We need to go win this game and help our team by going and scoring a touchdown.'"
Purdue did exactly that. Browne completed 4-of-5 passes, accounting for 60 of the Boilers' 61 yards on that drive. There was still more than four minutes remaining in the game after the Harris touchdown, but that possession essentially secured the victory.
After the game, Odom heaped praise on Henson and the decision to play aggressively down the stretch, especially on that 31-yard pass play from Browne to Magwood.
"Coach Henson makes the calls. After he threw it, the ball was in the air and he caught it, it's a heck of a call. Let's go score," Odom said after the game. "All credit to the offensive staff. And then the players going and executing in a crucial moment."
What did Purdue see on that play?
In close games like Saturday's, players have to make plays. That's what happened in Champaign. The Boilermakers wanted to get their first Big Ten win of the season, so they decided to take it.
Purdue moved the ball effectively, thanks to a pair of key plays from Tra'Mar Harris and Magwood. After a pass was nearly intercepted on a 1st-and-10 from the Illini 44-yard line, Browne connected with Harris for a 12-yard gain to move the sticks.
The following play was Browne's pass to Magwood, setting up Purdue's next score. It may have been a risky decision based on the analytics, but Henson put faith in his quarterback and receiver.
"If you go back and look at that play, they checked the coverage, the coverage has a strong chance of covering that pass that we threw," Henson said. "The safety did not get far enough off the hash to cover it and Ryan put it in there. It was a great play. And he stood in there and took a hit."
Win or lose, Purdue was going to go down swinging. Henson's belief that his guys could make plays down the stretch helped the Boilermakers escape Champaign with a victory ... and the Cannon Trophy.
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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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