Boilermakers still failing to overcome mistakes

By Guy Cipriano

UNIVERSITY PARK — Purdue has developed into a respectable Big Ten program during the past decade. The Boilermakers have spent nine of the past 10 Decembers in places warmer than West Lafayette and they will make another bowl trip next month.

Still, a divide exists between qualifying for the postseason and winning road games before 108,318 fans. The Boilermakers (7-3) illustrated their current state during Saturday’s 26-19 loss to Penn State at Beaver Stadium.

They competed with the Nittany Lions (7-3). But they also returned home with multiple what-if scenarios to ponder. “We know we can hang in there,” junior running back Jaycen Taylor said, “but we can’t beat ourselves and we continue to beat ourselves.”

Saturday’s game represented a stark contrast to Purdue’s double-digit losses to Ohio State and Michigan last month. Many Boilermakers believed they came within one play of defeating Penn State for the first time since 2004.

“I think we gave a lot of effort,” senior tight end Dustin Keller said. “But, as far as doing our job, we didn’t get it done. I don’t want to say they have better players out there because I don’t believe they do. There are some things that were missing that didn’t let us finish the game.”

The ball that left Taylor’s right hand during the first quarter demonstrated Purdue’s plight. With his team holding a 10-3 lead, Taylor attempted to pad the lead by extending his arm on a third-and-goal from Penn State’s 1. Penn State linebacker Sean Lee stopped the surge by knocking the ball from Taylor. Lee recovered the fumble less than two feet from the goal line.

“I was holding the ball the wrong way and it just got hit,” Taylor said.

Purdue Joe Tiller said the play’s result didn’t match its intention.

“You can’t fault the effort,” Tiller said. “What he was trying to do was reach the ball out and break the plane. All you have to do is break the plane. You don’t have to get your whole body in there. I’m not going to fault a young player for making a play.

“I don’t think it was necessarily smart in that particular instance. We were covered up pretty good. But the effort was there and I think that was typical of the whole game. I don’t fault the effort. I fault the execution.”

Purdue never stepped closer to scoring a touchdown after the fumble. The Boilermakers ended the first half with 10 points and kicked three field goals during the second half. This marked the second straight year Purdue failed to score an offensive touchdown against Penn State.

“I don’t want to put all the blame on me,” Taylor said. “But it did feel like heads started going down once I fumbled. We tried to come back and come out like we did the first quarter. The end result remains the same.”

Purdue also suffered from multiple defensive gaffes. The Boilermakers committed four personal fouls during the first half, none more costly than Terrell Vinson’s roughing-the-kicker penalty after Kevin Kelly missed a 30-yard field goal. Kelly moved up 6 yards and ended the first half by kicking a 24-yarder to give the Nittany Lions a 13-10 lead.

Purdue’s other first-half personal fouls included Anthony Heygood’s late hit after a 5-yard run by Anthony Morelli, a late hit by Mike Neal after an 11-yard scamper by Morelli and Ryan Baker’s delayed bear hug after a 2-yard run by Evan Royster. The Boilermakers finished with nine penalties for 82 yards.

“That was frustrating,” senior defensive end Cliff Avril said. “We were getting personal fouls and it was uncalled for.” The result forced Avril and his teammates to encounter another grim reality. The Boilermakers are 0-5 against Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State during the past three years.

“They are the three biggest games on our schedule and we kind of folded in all three of them,” Keller said. “You’re really disappointed because those are games that you really want to win. We circle them on the schedule because a lot of guys play their whole entire career and don’t beat those teams.”