Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Plenty of bright spots in loss to Purdue
09/21/2014 | 12:00:00 | Football
By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Last week, I wrote that Southern Illinois would need to play a near-perfect game to win at Purdue. Unfortunately for the Salukis, they played a very imperfect first half, falling behind 25-0 at one point, ultimately losing 35-13.
1. On the very first play from scrimmage, Southern had WR Tay Willis wide open on a fly route on a play they execute for touchdowns on a regular basis. QB Mark Iannotti overshot him. Later in the first quarter, another Iannotti pass sailed past the out-stretched arms of WR LaSteven McKinney on what could have been a touchdown. Yes, it was really windy on Saturday, but those were plays that SIU had to make in order to stay in the game.
2. The reason the Salukis needed big plays in the passing game was because they could not block Purdue toe-to-toe in the running game. In fact, Southern's offensive line was often pushed backward during the first half whenever they tried the power running game. Coordinator Bill O'Boyle adjusted with misdirection plays, but SIU's inability to establish stud RB Malcolm Agnew made play-calling more difficult.
3. Iannotti had a rough first quarter, mishandling a handoff to Agnew that led to an easy Purdue TD, and throwing a tipped ball that was intercepted, leading to another Purdue score. Still, he bounced back in the second half and led the team on a couple of impressive scoring drives. He has toughness and moxie, and made some nice throws under duress. This was also the first time where he showcased his running ability, and he made some nice plays with his feet, picking up 37 yards and a TD on the ground. He didn't play a perfect game, but I still like what I see from him.
4. One of the reasons I'm optimistic about Iannotti was his clutch play on third downs. The Salukis were 10-of-18 on third down conversions, and eight of those came on pass plays. Four times, Iannotti converted on third-and-long. Because they had trouble establishing the run, the Salukis were rarely in good down-and-distance situations.
5. The best player on the field was Saluki TE MyCole Pruitt. He was dominant, catching 10 passes for 136 yards. No one could guard him, as he out-muscled defensive backs and was too quick for linebackers. Pruitt looks more and more like an NFL draft pick every Saturday. Four of his catches allowed SIU to convert on third down.
6. Southern played much better in the second half and was close to making a game of it. In fact, momentum seemed to have swung in SIU's favor after cutting the deficit to 28-13, and forcing Purdue to go 3-and-out. The Salukis had the ball and the wind, starting at their own 40 with 12:40 to go. There was some tension and frustration building on the Boilermakers sideline. However, the Salukis went 3-and-out.
7. Purdue's next possession sealed the victory for the Boilers. Backed up to their own 11, they ran the ball 13-straight times, marching all the way to SIU's 2 and chewing up about eight minutes of game clock. They didn't score, though. On 4th-and-goal at the 2, they inexplicably went for it instead of kicking the field goal to go up by three scores. Quarterback Danny Etling lost his footing, fell down and was injured on the play.
8. With 36 seconds remaining and SIU out of timeouts, all Purdue needed to do was take a knee and the game was over. Instead, they ran a QB bootleg for an 11-yard TD. Up to that point, the Boilermakers had been shut out in the second half.
9. There's no shame in losing at Purdue, but there's a sense of disappointment that Southern didn't play its "A" game on Saturday. A little better execution in the first half and it could have been a much different game.
10. The Salukis finished the non-conference season 3-1 -- exactly where they need to be to position themselves for a playoff berth if they are unable to win the Missouri Valley Conference title. The league is as good as it has ever been, and the road begins at home on Saturday night against Western Illinois. It's Family Weekend. Don't miss it.
