Charlie Jones a One-Man Show for Purdue Passing Offense in Disappointing Loss to Iowa
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue football got another big performance from star wide receiver Charlie Jones in a matchup against his former team. But it wasn't good enough for him or the offense in an abysmal 24-3 defeat at the hands of Iowa.
"I left stuff out there, had a drop early in the game," Jones said. "We didn't get the win, that's all that mattered. Playing against these guys, it was cool. I have a lot of friends on that team, but most importantly, you gotta come out and get the win. And we didn't get it, so I'm looking forward to watching the tape and moving on."
Jones was targeted 19 times and brought in 11 catches for 104 yards, all of which were team highs for the Boilermakers. It was his sixth game of the season with more than 100 yards in the passing game. Through nine games, the sixth-year senior has 83 receptions for 944 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.
However, he was the only wide receiver to register more than one catch in Saturday's game against the Hawkeyes, as redshirt senior tight end Payne Durham and junior running back Dylan Downing finished tied for the second-most receptions on the team with two apiece.
The chemistry between sixth-year senior quarterback Aidan O'Connell and his childhood buddy, Jones, has been apparent all season. At times it's been the reason Purdue is competitive, but when faced with the daunting Iowa defense, it was a detriment.
O'Connell completed just 20 of his 43 passing attempts for a season-worst 168 yards while throwing two interceptions in the second quarter, which let the Hawkeyes surge to a 17-point lead before halftime.
The offense's biggest play of the game went to Jones for a 41-yard gain down the field. Three plays later and sophomore punter Jack Ansell came onto the field to send the ball away.
"I gotta do a good job of knowing coverages and knowing what concept we're running. The ball is normally going to go to a place based on that," O'Connell said. "So I just have to do a good job of not locking in on one guy, spreading the ball and trusting the other playmakers in our offense."
As far as the Purdue offense is concerned, emerging pass-catchers have been seldom during the 2022 season. Behind Durham, redshirt junior TJ Sheffield is the next-leading receiver with 25 catches for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Redshirt senior Tyrone Tracy, redshirt junior Mershawn Rice and redshirt freshman Deion Burks are the only other wide receivers on the roster with more than 10 catches on the year.
For a unit that prides itself on succeeding with a pass-heavy scheme, the Boilermakers have been met with disappointment after the offseason losses of David Bell to the NFL and Milton Wright to academic ineligibility.
Senior wide receiver Broc Thompson looked to be a key piece in providing stability at the position entering the season after going for 217 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches during last year's 48-45 overtime win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. But after undergoing multiple procedures for knee injuries, the Indianapolis native has only been able to record three catches for 28 yards while appearing in two games.
If the Boilermakers wish to turn things around in its final three games of the season, the wide receivers as a group have to get more involved. The next opportunity for the team to take some weight off Jones' shoulders is next Saturday in a road matchup against Illinois.
But the receiving output left on the field against the Hawkeyes just isn't going to cut it if Purdue wants to give itself a fighting chance.
"We tried today, so if the ball isn't going to them either they're not getting open, or the quarterback isn't comfortable throwing to them," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. "It's a combination of a lot of things. I think we know where we stand with our personnel, and everyone has to improve and get better. But yes, we need more playmakers to emerge."
-----
You can keep up to date on everything at Boilermakers Country by liking and following our Facebook page: Purdue Boilermakers on Sports Illustrated/FanNation.
You can also follow D.J. Fezler at @DJFezler on Twitter.
