Purdue has already faced its toughest opponent.
Lamar Jackson, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Louisville, went 30 of 46 with 378 yards passing and two touchdowns last weekend against Purdue. Jackson also rushed 21 times for 107 yards.
It's safe to say, at this point, that neither of Ohio's quarterbacks, Quinton Maxwell and Nathan Rourke, are on Jackson's level.
The Boilermakers had Jackson "dead to rights" on multiple plays, according to offensive coordinator Tim Albin. Jackson just escaped.
Purdue's defense is perhaps the best defense Ohio will face this season. Simply put, the Bobcats will need to be ready.
Breakdown
Albin said that Purdue likes to bring pressure as much as anyone. But the interesting thing with the Boilermakers is that they can get pressure by bringing just three or four. They show a lot of different looks and pair those looks with a lot of different schemes.
They can show blitz and drop eight, or show blitz and send the house.
The defense I saw Purdue run most in this YouTube video was tough to tell. It's fair to point out, however, that Jackson's speed and throwing ability can change a defense's scheme. The Boilermakers will likely stack the box more against the Bobcats to try and pressure Maxwell and Rourke to win the game through the air.
Rourke said that Purdue likes to play with one high safety, with multiple fronts on the defensive line.
At the outset of this play, it's important to note the game situation: Purdue leads 28-25 with 10:08 left in the game. It's also third-and-6, and to this point, probably the biggest play of the game.
Louisville lines up in the shotgun, with trips left and deuce right. Purdue counters with a three-man front, with two stand-up ends outside the tackles. Typically, the Boilermakers line up in a 3-4 with three down linemen and either three or four linebackers in the box, depending on the formation.
At the snap, all receivers start their routes toward the first down line. Purdue blitzes an inside linebacker, an eventual blitz of four defenders.
The Cardinals pick up the blitz as Jackson reaches the final step of his three-step drop.
Purdue sits back in the Cover 2, meaning there are two high safeties. The linebackers and corners drop back to just behind the first-down line.
The inside slot receiver heads down the seam as Jackson fires a pass overtop of the dropping linebackers, splitting the coverage of the safeties. Dez Fitzpatrick catches the pass in between the safeties and gains 39 yards on the route.
Two of the main weak spots of a Cover-2 defense are deep outs and deep middle. It's difficult to move the ball with quick, efficient passes against a Cover 2 because of the fact that five defenders drop no more than 10 yards downfield, watching their zones in front of them.
That's exactly where Jackson hurts the Boilermakers, with a pass right down the seam.
Judgement
For Ohio to have success on Friday night, the Bobcats will have to give Maxwell and Rourke time — something the veteran offensive line is certainly capable of.
A.J. Ouellette will have to have a strong game in West Lafayette to force the Purdue defense to walk up linebackers and safeties, thus opening the passing attack for Ohio.
It'll be a tough go for the Bobcats offense, but we'll certainly figure out how much Ohio's offense has improved from last season.
