Sutton returns, but can't carry offense

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- He escaped injury free and delivered when called upon, but Tyrell Sutton's return didn't generate the desired outcome.

After appearing for three plays as a decoy last week against Eastern Michigan, Sutton on Saturday made his first start since injuring his right foot/ankle Sept. 8 against Nevada. The junior finished with 72 yards rushing on 12 carries.

But he couldn't lift a suddenly shaky offense in a 35-17 loss to Purdue.

"It's not really too much of a great comeback," he said.

Making his first public comments since the injury, Sutton was asked to explain his ailment.

"A foot injury," he said with a smile.

He didn't elaborate.

Sutton was much more candid about the offense's play, particularly in the fourth quarter.

"That's our job to score points and we obviously didn't score enough," he said, "so our offense will take the full blame for it."

Sutton "tweaked" his foot on a second-quarter carry but returned moments later. Readjusting to game speed came easily for the junior, who carried mostly between the tackles aside from a 21-yard scamper late in the third quarter.

He had no carries in the fourth quarter.

"It adds depth to the position," coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "It's just great to have him back."

Trick or treat: At the end of Tuesday's practice, NU players formed a line across the field, shielding media so they could work on what Pat Fitzgerald called "super secret" plays.

One of those plays likely was a hook and lateral that NU executed to perfection Saturday to tie the score.

Trailing 14-7, quarterback C.J. Bacher found Kim Thompson for a 9-yard gain. Thompson then pitched the ball to Eric Peterman, who sprinted 15 yards across the goal line with 37 seconds left in the first half.

"It's a great play against man (coverage)," Peterman said. "They were in man, and it worked out real well. … That was just a great momentum play. That's what the purpose is."

Extra duties: Place-kicker Amado Villarreal replaced Stefan Demos on kickoffs Saturday as NU tried to kick away from dangerous return man Dorien Bryant. Purdue finished with only 43 return yards but got decent field position after squib kicks and pooch kicks.

Demos had handled kickoffs in NU's previous eight games.

"It was a switch for today," Pat Fitzgerald said. "I thought it was a good switch. I really did not want Dorien to hurt us."