First Big Ten Game Gives Scotty Humpich Confidence to Make Impact on Purdue Defense

Murray State transfer Scotty Humpich came away with Purdue's only sack in a 35-31 loss to Penn State. By taking down the quarterback in a Big Ten matchup, he feels as though he's solidified himself in the league and looks to continue making plays this season.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Scotty Humpich said that Ross-Ade Stadium was the loudest he's ever played in when Purdue faced off against Penn State. Coming from a Murray State transfer that's gone on the road against the likes of Cincinnati and Georgia, that's some high praise. 

The redshirt senior got his first taste of Big Ten action with the Boilermakers in their season opener. It was a game in which the booming roars of the crowd and the flickering lights overhead were for him and his teammates, rather than his opponents.

Humpich felt like he solidified himself as a player in this league when he dropped quarterback Sean Clifford in the fourth quarter, Purdue's only sack of the game. Even in a loss, it was a weight off his shoulders as the team continues to push forward. 

"It's gonna make me feel a lot more comfortable throughout the season," Humpich said. "Because I was a little bit nervous out there the first couple of plays, but after those few plays — after that first half — the nerves were gone. I was ready to go."

Against the Nittany Lions, Humpich registered five total tackles — three of them solo efforts — and 1.5 tackles for loss, which includes his quarterback takedown. He was part of a deep rotation along the defensive front that's looking to ease the loss of star defensive end George Karlaftis with several capable bodies. 

While Purdue did have success stopping the run, and at times put pressure on Penn State in the passing game, the team is still looking for players to emerge as consistent, impactful players this season. 

Humpich's sack was a glimmer of what the defensive line can produce when it's executing properly. He credited fellow linemen Kydran Jenkins, Branson Deen and Jack Sullivan for suffocating the pocket and allowing him to get to the quarterback. 

"I think they played hard. It's kind of what we thought — there's a lot of guys we feel like we can put in the game," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. "Is there anybody that stood out as just playing great? No, not yet. But we had a few glimpses here and there."

The Boilermakers were stout against the run all night, allowing just 98 yards on the ground on 32 carries. The Nittany Lions averaged 3.1 yards per attempt and had just one run of more than 10 yards. 

Freshman running back Kaytron Allen was the leading rusher for Penn State, accounting for just 31 yards on nine carries. As Clifford looked to pass late in the game, Humpich took advantage of fresh legs and a fast get-off thanks to the depth of Purdue's defensive line. 

With a clean beat around the edge, he collapsed onto Clifford for a loss of six yards on third-and-11, forcing a three-and-out and a punt. 

The defense continued to find ways to get the ball back to quarterback Aidan O'Connell and the offense in the fourth quarter but was finally worn down in the final minutes as Penn State drove 80 yards for a touchdown, making it 35-31. 

The score ended up sealing the game as Purdue failed to get into the endzone with less than a minute to play. 

In the end, it was missed tackles and critical penalties that plagued the Boilermakers on defense, and the team's offense wasn't able to take enough time off the clock to secure a victory to start the season. 

Purdue will look to clean things up in Week 2 when it hosts Indiana State in search of its first victory after falling to 0-1. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET inside Ross-Ade Stadium. 

"We kept a good rotation, and I felt like we impacted the game early," Humpich said. "I felt like we were pretty solid, but there are things that we need to improve on. Up our effort and getting to the ball, tackling — all those things. So that's what we're gonna do come Saturday."

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