Purdue football 'not going to let one game define us' after Fresno State loss
WEST LAFAYETTE — Let's bluntly get this out of the way.
That was bad.
Mainly the defense. Partially the offense.
But mostly the outcome, because the truth is if not for Fresno State's game-winning drive, albeit somewhat predictable, Purdue football would've won its season opener and there'd be a far different feeling right now.
Instead, the Boilermakers botched a chance to celebrate and Fresno State took a long ride back to California with a 39-35 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium.
"Obviously this is disappointing," said Purdue's Ryan Walters after his first game as a head coach. "Nobody wants to start off with a loss, but we also talked about how adversity is guaranteed and it’s how we react."
The best thing is, in seven days the Boilermakers do it all again, this time on the road against Virginia Tech with maybe more tempered expectations.
Most forget that Joe Tiller lost in his Purdue coaching debut, by two touchdowns to Toledo. But many remember that Tiller's Boilermakers beat 12th-ranked Notre Dame in their next game.
Report Card: Grading Purdue football on its 39-35 loss to Fresno State
"Obviously we wish we had this one back," Purdue quarterback Hudson Card said. "Only thing you can do now is learn from it and make sure we continue to come together and just clean up the details that we did wrong.
"Everything that we want to accomplish this season is still available. Learn from it and try to get better for next week."
The season couldn't have started off any better.
Purdue's defense forced a three-and-out.
Three plays later, Card found Deion Burks on a slant route. Burks, almost in one fluid motion, caught the ball and escaped a tackle, ran through another shoestring tackle attempt, then spun through a third and fourth defender before outracing a fifth for an 84-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 Purdue lead.
The second half couldn't have began any better, either.
Doyel: 0-1 start for Ryan Walters not what anyone at Purdue wanted, but better days ahead
Tyrone Tracy's 98-yard kickoff return touchdown that seemed to be the injection of momentum Purdue had lost thanks to a mishandled final first-half offensive series that allowed Fresno State to kick a last-second field goal.
Those big plays kept Purdue ahead.
Until they didn't.
When those home run shots weren't there, Purdue looked subpar. And that's where the Boilermakers have to be better come next Saturday.
The big plays will be there.
Especially with guys like Card, Burks, Tracy, Devin Mockobee and the likes.
But the inability to extend drives — Purdue was just 3 of 12 on third down — will cost you games.
More: Ryan Walters is a secondary guru. It's clear Purdue defenders have a lot to learn.
And likewise, the inability to stop the other team from extending drives — Fresno State was 11 of 17 on third downs — will cost you games.
In Walters' first game, both of those things happened. Purdue was missing key players who'll soon return. At one point, the Boilermakers were digging four players deep for someone to snap the ball to Card.
And it took a last-minute touchdown by a team that won 10 games last season and is coached by Jeff Tedford to decide the outcome.
"We will get better from week one to week two. This team will continue to get better as the season goes," Walters said. "We’ll also find out what we’re really good at and what we need to work on.
"We’re not going to let one game define us. My confidence is not shaken in this group or this staff or this locker room."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football 'not going to let one game define us' after Fresno St.
