WEST LAFAYETTE – Before the questions started, Aidan O’Connell received one more round of congratulations.
Three children – one of whom was Jeff Brohm’s daughter, Brooke – gave Purdue’s quarterback high-fives as O’Connell was about to explain what just transpired inside a chilly Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Clearly, O’Connell is a popular guy right now. And he’ll be thrust into the limelight even more after the chain of events that unfolded during Saturday’s thrilling 31-27 victory over Nebraska, a game that featured four lead changes in the fourth quarter.
O’Connell woke up Saturday morning as the No. 2 quarterback and went to sleep later as the team’s starter after Jack Plummer suffered a leg/ankle injury. Plummer is "probably out the rest of the year," Brohm said, adding he'lllearn more about the extent of the injury later.
This has become the theme of Purdue’s year.
One-by-one, injuries continue to mount and eat away at whatever is remaining of this team’s depth. But on this day, O’Connell and the Boilermakers overcame a potentially crushing blow and injected this team – and program – with a much-needed victory to start November and keep those slim bowl hopes alive.
O’Connell was summoned after Plummer suffered an injury following a 14-yard scramble midway through the fourth quarter. He had to be helped off the field and did walk into the medical tent on his own but rode in a cart back to the locker room.
Enter O’Connell. For the second straight week. Playing in the rain last week helped O’Connell be ready for this moment. Different circ*mstances. Different emotions. More at stake this week.
HOW THEY SCORED:Purdue 31, Nebraska 27
ANOTHER INJURY:Plummer hurt, No. 2 QB O'Connell guides Purdue past Nebraska
GRADING THE BOILERS:Purdue 31, Nebraska 27
“There’s no time to be nervous, there’s no time to hide in the shell,” O’Connell said. “Take it like a man and I feel super sorry for Jack because he’s worked so hard and he’s one of my best friends. It’s my job to do what I’ve got to do.”
He finished off the drive, capped by King Doerue’s 7-yard touchdown run to put the Boilermakers ahead 24-20. After Nebraska reclaimed the lead nine plays later, O’Connell was now presented with a prime opportunity to create a moment that will live forever in program history.
With former Boilermaker quarterback Drew Brees in attendance during the New Orleans Saints open week, O’Connell played with the poise Brees demonstrated at Purdue and now weekly in the NFL.
Brees was on the sideline, putting his full support behind O’Connell and the offense on every play. Talk about being invested emotionally. This was Brees.
“One of the best quarterbacks to ever do it but you’ve got to tune that stuff out and it’s about the people between the white lines and the people on the field,” O’Connell said. “My teammates give me the utmost confidence and coaches encourage me. I knew I had their support. I knew I had to step up to the plate and do my job.”
His job was to move the Boilermakers into field goal range for a potential game-tying kickor find the end zone. After hitting six straight passes, including three to tight end Brycen Hopkins for 42 yards - including a spectacular grab for 26 yards -Purduemoved to the Nebraska 14-yard line.
Running play. Timeout Nebraska. Another running play. Timeout Nebraska followed by a timeout by Purdue. Out of the Boilermakers’ timeout, receiver Milton Wright went in motion, O’Connell took the snap, faked a handoff to Doerue and flipped the ball to receiver David Bell, who ran around the left side and cruised into the end zone.
The Huskers were fooled by the misdirection.There was so much space that Bell could have crawled across the goal line.
Brohm thought “it was a fairly safe play, even though it’s a reverse and we’re tossing it in the air. I felt good going into it.”
This was the play Brohm had called after the Huskers stopped the clock. He didn’t change his mind. The blocking by the left side of the offensive line, which sealed off Nebraska’s defense, was perfect.
But here’s the kicker. The play was installed this week after the coaching staff saw an NFL team run it. Here’s the second kicker – O’Connell never ran the play in practice. Plummer did but not O’Connell.
It’s called a mental rep.
“Sometimes, that’s all you get,” O’Connell said. “We have a lot of plays. There’s a lot of plays you’ll never rep. In the game, you have to go out there and perform.”
O’Connell will receive a bulk of the snaps as Purdue prepares for its next game at Northwestern and the final two regular-season matchups against Wisconsin and Indiana. Purdue’s quarterback room is shrinking. Elijah Sindelar remains out with a broken clavicle and Nick Sipe retired due to a back issue.
Who remains? Freshman Paul Piferi and junior Danny Carollo, whose more known for his pooch punting.
For now, it’s O’Connell’s offense to run. The Boilermakers can only hope he finishes out the season and then Brohm can hit the reset button and figure out what comes next.
Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter @carmin_jc
SATURDAY'S GAME
Purdue (3-6, 2-4) at Northwestern (1-6, 0-5)
Time: Noon
TV: BTN
Radio: WAZY (96.5)
