Purdue Football's Ryan Walters Compliments Nebraska Football's 'Creative' Offense

Purdue football coach Ryan Walters addressed the media following his team's 28-10 home loss to Nebraska sharing his frustration with the Boilermakers' penalties and execution, while complimenting the Big Red's offensive philosophy.
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters stands on the field during warm ups before a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters stands on the field during warm ups before a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Purdue football did not have the day they were hoping for during Saturday's 28-10 loss to Nebraska.

"Extremely disappointing and frustrating," coach Ryan Walters said in his postgame press conference. "We'll do the only thing I know how to do - go to work and continue to make adjustments.

The Boilermakers were unable to control the game, securing only 12 first downs while committing 13 penalties for 165 total yards. The Purdue coach was most upset by the lack of discipline in his defensive secondary.

Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) cannot catch a pass against Purdue Boilermakers defensive back
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) cannot catch a pass against Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Markevious Brown (1) during the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

"The pass interferences - I thought there were a couple that were blatant. There were also a couple that were judgement calls. I'll go back and watch the tape and see where we can teach to improve on that one. The ones that drive you crazy are the pre and post snap penalties."

Walters added that he was "angry and frustrated" that the Boilermakers were unable to keep their composure in specific scenarios, such as getting a key third-down stop in the second half only to extend Nebraska's drive allowing the Huskers to score after a Purdue player stepped over Nebraska player.

The Purdue coach was complimentary of Nebraska's offense, however, sharing that the multiple formations and unique packages impacted the Boilermakers' defense.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) hands off the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) hands off the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

"Nebraska is very creative offensively. There's a lot of moving parts, pre and post snap," Walters said. "For the most part, I thought those guys (Purdue's defense) communicated well. and made some plays."

Walters added that his special teams' unit "knew they had opportunities" against Nebraska's field goal unit, creating two blocked kicks in the contest that squashed any three-point tries by the Huskers. The Huskers would miss all of their field goal attempts on Saturday, but continued their success offensively tuning up the Boilermakers to 419 total yards with no turnovers.

The Blackshirts, for the most part, handled their job well shutting down a struggling Purdue offense. Nebraska allowed only 224 total yards including 50 on the ground, adding in a late pick-six from John Bullock to secure their first road win in 2024. Purdue responded on Sunday by firing offensive coordinator Graham Harrell to reboot their attack.

Nebraska (4-1, 1-1 B1G) returns home to battle Rutgers on Saturday. Purdue (1-3, 0-1 B1G) travels to Wisconsin on Saturday for their second 11 a.m. CDT kickoff. Hear Walters' full press comments following Purdue's loss to the Huskers below.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.