Dropped passes plague Boilermaker offense

Publication Date: 11/02/2009

The Purdue football team recorded just six first downs in three quarters Saturday, with just three coming on passes.

This shortcoming was a key component in Purdue’s 37-0 loss to Wisconsin, the Boilers’ first time being shut out since Oct. 28, 2006. Purdue quarterback Joey Elliott went 5-of-23 for 59 yards on the day before coming out with less than three minutes left in the third quarter and the Boilers down 34-0.

Part of the problem, coach Danny Hope said Sunday, was that Elliott’s receivers couldn’t hold onto passes. No Purdue receiver had more than two catches Saturday.

“They were drops. They were like missed free throws. It wasn’t a lack of effort ... they just dropped the football. Some of them were the result of bad throws too. They were definitely drops. You can’t call them anything else.”

Hope said all the drops weren’t necessarily the receivers’ fault, but the effect hurt the whole team.

“There were nine (drops), which is a lot,” Hope said. “I believe there were eight or nine drops on Joey’s 23 throws, so 35 or 40 percent of the balls he threw. That’s tough to establish an offense that way.”

BLOCKED PUNT

Hope said when Wisconsin’s David Gilbert blocked Purdue senior Chris Summers’ punt midway through the second quarter there wasn’t a special teams breakdown. Gilbert simply made an amazing play by lunging over Purdue’s wall of blockers.

The Badgers’ Aaron Henry returned the block for a touchdown.

“It was a great play,” Hope said. “He timed it just right. It was kind of like a long jump; you have to hit the board just right to get your best jump off and he did.”

INJURY UPDATE

Purdue linebacker Joe Holland left the game in the second half and didn’t return, but Hope said he is expected to play Saturday at Michigan. Holland was limping before the team’s practice Sunday.

“He’s sore, but he’s going to be OK,” Hope said. “I don’t think we lost anybody to an injury that won’t be ready for next Saturday, but you don’t know until it’s all said and done. We’ve got some guys that are banged up.”