Penn State Coach James Franklin Talks Purdue Football Ahead of Thursday's Season Opener
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue coach Jeff Brohm has turned the Boilermakers' offense into a heavy pass-first system that consistently ranks among the best in the Big Ten, if not the entire country.
As coach James Franklin and the Penn State football team prepare for a Thursday night season opener inside Ross-Ade Stadium, the Nittany Lions are well aware of Purdue's ability to gain yards through the air in a hurry.
In each of the last four seasons under Brohm, the Boilermakers have ranked inside the top two passing teams in the conference, which includes back-to-back years leading the league in passing yards per game in 2019 and 2020.
"I think the biggest thing is being able to push the ball down the field. They do a really good job of taking shots," Franklin said in a press conference on Monday. "Vertical passing game is going to be a big part of what they do and how they do it. But also obviously having the ability to throw for a high percentage, as well."
During the 2021 season, Purdue starting quarterback Aidan O'Connell completed 315 of his 439 passing attempts on the season, good for 3,712 yards and 28 touchdowns. His 71.8% completion percentage broke the single-season program record.
Despite making just nine starts on the year, O'Connell had the eighth-most passing attempts in a single season by a Boilermaker. He was an incredibly effective passer after taking over the offense and finished the 2021 campaign with a passing efficiency rating of 158.8 — another program record.
O'Connell hit these marks in an offense that's reliant on getting plays called quickly from the sideline, as opposed to a traditional huddle with other personnel. The Boilermakers topped the Big Ten with an average of 76.2 offensive snaps per game.
For Franklin and the Nittany Lions, identifying snap counts and attempting to control the pace of the game from the defensive side of the ball involves extra layers of preparation in the film room.
"I think one of the things you have to do is be able to watch TV copies, as well," Franklin said. "Because when you just watch the coaches' copies, those things are all cut up so it doesn't really give you a good understanding of the flow and the speed."
Last season, Purdue also boasted a much-improved defense that will be led by co-defensive coordinators Ron English and Mark Hagen heading into 2022. The Boilermakers ranked eighth in the Big Ten in total defense but were particularly stout against the pass, allowing just 208.7 yards per game through the air.
The team has experienced leaders at every level of its defense, with linebacker Jalen Graham, safety Cam Allen, and defensive tackle Branson Deen among the players that received praise from Franklin ahead of Thursday's matchup.
When the fans file into Ross-Ade Stadium for the 8 p.m. kickoff on national television, the crowd will be a sea of black shirts. The Purdue football program deemed the team's season opener a "Blackout" game, and it would seem as though Penn State is ready to combat the hostile atmosphere with all-white uniforms.
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— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 30, 2022
On the Road, We Wear White.#WeAre pic.twitter.com/2jAckjtO3r
The Nittany Lions have faced two "Blackout" games from opposing teams, splitting the contests with an even 1-1 record.
This will be the third straight season that Penn State opens on the road with a Big Ten opponent, having faced Wisconsin in 2020 and Indiana in 2019. The Nittany Lions lost 36-35 in overtime to the Hoosiers before starting last season with a 16-10 win over the Badgers.
With those experiences under their belt, Franklin is confident in Penn State competing at a high level away from State College.
"A tremendous opportunity — also a tremendous challenge being on the road — to open the season," Franklin said. "Big Ten, Thursday night, blackout, all those types of things. But I've been pleased with our preparation so far."
For the full transcript from James Franklin's press conference ahead of Thursday's season opener, CLICK HERE.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.