Freshmen Jones, Blough give Purdue hope for future
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - If the near-upset at Michigan State showed anything to Purdue, it was this: Coach Darrell Hazell has two pretty talented freshmen in his backfield.
Running back Markell Jones performed well and quarterback David Blough was efficient, giving Boilermakers fans something to look forward to.
Hazell is hoping for the same kind of production this week when Minnesota plays at Purdue, which will be trying to win its first Big Ten home game for the third-year coach, who is 0-8 against the conference in Ross-Ade Stadium.
Jones, who has rushed 60 times for 405 yards and five touchdowns in his first five college games, carried 22 times for a school true-freshman record 157 yards against the unbeaten Spartans, who hung on for a 24-21 victory.
Hazell was impressed with Jones' high school production, winning Indiana's Mr. Football award for 2014 at Columbus East High School. His effort at Michigan State included a 68-yard touchdown run.
"I think we knew we were capable of breaking out for a long touchdown," Jones said. "We kept chipping away. I told the guys, "One is going to break eventually.' All of our guys were working really, really hard, and David was making the right decisions."
The fact that Jones is averaging 81 rushing yards a game surprises Hazell.
"It was brought to my attention that he has 60 carries and no negative plays," Hazell said Tuesday. "That is phenomenal for anybody, let alone a freshman. That just shows the maturity that young man has, and he continues to get better, not only running the football, but in pass protection. He has great balance and is able to read defenses."
Blough took over at quarterback for turnover-prone junior Austin Appleby the week of the Sept. 26 loss to Bowling Green and has completed 47 of 78 passes for 487 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Blough was 15 of 31 for 136 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans and had the Boilermakers in Michigan State territory with a chance to win late in the fourth quarter before the Spartans held on to beat Purdue (1-4, 0-1 Big Ten). Blough expects more of himself moving forward, beginning with this week's home game against Minnesota (3-2, 0-1).
"(Jones) was phenomenal," Blough said. "But that is two weeks in a row I have had a chance to lead the troops down and win a game, and we haven't been able to do it. We battled all the way back from 21-0 to get it to 24-21. We had a chance. That is everything you can ask for against those guys. It is a shame I couldn't pull that one out for us."
Hazell certainly is not disappointed with the life Blough has injected into a Purdue offense hurt by Appleby's six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, during the season's first three weeks.
"David has done some really nice things," Hazell said. "I love where he is right now with his competitive spirit and his attention to detail. His whole desire is to make this football team better, and that is what you want."