Ohio State heads to West Lafayette, Ind. for their game against Purdue, the first time the Buckeyes will be in Ross-Ade Stadium since they were upset in 2018. They’re looking to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
With a 2-4 record, the Boilermakers are averaging almost 26 points per game 389.7 yards per game. Quarterback Hudson Card transferred from Texas after his spot was taken by Quinn Ewers, and Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day said he presents a challenge for the Buckeyes this weekend.
“He’s going to throw for a bunch of yards and has a big arm. He makes a lot of the throws… And I see him getting better. He has some good weapons around to keeps plays alive. He’s a good athlete. He was a very good athlete in high school as well. So, I think the more he plays the better he’s getting.”
Day said he saw Card play a lot in high school, and he recruited him at the time. Card went to Lake Travis High School where Day and the Buckeyes recruited former wide receiver Garrett Wilson from, so they saw then he had what it takes to be a successful college quarterback.
Wide receivers Deion Burks, Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, TJ Sheffield and tight end Max Klare all have over 20 catches for the Boilermakers, so Card does spread the ball around the field to each of them. Burks leads the team in yards with 396 through their six games, and he has four touchdowns to show for it.
Ohio State’s defense has had tougher challenges this season and succeeded in them, but they won’t be taking this game lightly because they know what can happen if they don’t come to Purdue ready.
Josh Proctor, who was on the roster for the 2018 loss, played his best game against Maryland last week. Day is looking for him and safety Lathan Ransom, who both had interceptions against the Terrapins to keep that type of play up Saturday.
“Both Lathan and Josh are going to be critical if we’re going to make the push that we want to here through the next couple of months,” he said. “Good to see both those guys get their hands on balls get interceptions, and like we’ve talked about, it gets it gets contagious back there.”
Sonny Styles said after the win over the Terrapins that Proctor gives the entire defense confidence when he’s on the field.
“You know when they run that ball, he’s flying downhill and going to smack somebody,” he said. “It makes me feel pretty good. I know he’s right there beside me.”
With the way the defensive backs as a whole have been playing, Card shouldn’t give the Buckeyes too much trouble, but he does have the ability to throw the ball all around the field if they let him.
