It's been too long...Whattya been up to?

So family vacations and work travel have combined to create one of the longest dead periods in the seven year history of BS.

We've missed you guys though...and you look good.  Have you been working out? Running? Whatever it is, the summer suits you.

Turns out that the summer also suits Coach Haze.  If you follow us on Twitter, you know that we touched on the importance of the verbal commitment of Gelen Robinson to the, currently-under-remodeling, program.  Hazell wanted Big Dog's son to be a piece that he would build his defense around...and he got his guy.

badass.

Robinson knew a few days before he verballed that he wanted to be a Boiler...but made it official six days ago.  By official, we mean unofficial, because verbal commitments aren't always in stone.  That said, Robinson sounds a bit like some of the other key cogs to Hazell's first full class- they really want to be Boilers.

If you subscribe to GBI, you know how steadfast the commitment from Texas QB prospect, David Plough has been.  He tore up the Elite 11 camp and finished as one of the top quarterbacks in the invite-only televised event/camp.  During the camp, he wore a Purdue visor to show where he stood...afterward, he broadcasted to the college football world that he was going to be a Boilermaker regardless of who came at him.

Good for him...Good for Coach Haze...good for us as Purdue fans.  If his commitment sticks, Purdue will be in an enviable position in the coming seasons as they'll have options...talented, smart options at the QB position.  As for the immediate future, I've been asked a question a lot the last few months- "Who do you want the starter to be?"

Well, I still like Appleby, because I've met him and like him personally...plus he slings the ball and looks the part.  But, between the three real candidates for the job...two really...I wouldn't mind seeing either starting versus Cincy.  Both have parts of their game that are advantageous for the team.  So I'll defer to the coaches to make the right decision.  But regardless of whom they choose, I want to see Purdue in the position to win this year...not next. And really, I don't see a reason that either Etling nor Henry can't do it this fall. Let me clarify- it'll be equally challenging for both with the many underclassmen that will be playing significant roles...BUT, if the coaching staff thinks one gives the team a better chance to win right away, I'm good with that decision.

The honeymoon period is still on, afterall, around the Purdue football program...and the actions and behavior by the staff this summer have done nothing to shorten this semi-blissful time.

Who's Next?
A few sources reassured Purdue fans last week that Micah Shrewsberry wouldn't be a candidate to join Stevens in Boston.  But here at BS, we were concerned.  We like Shrewsberry.  I like him as a coach, like him as a man and like and know his family.

So when whispers started rising up about him heading to the league, I didn't like it...and of course, when the rumours went from hazy smoke to a blazing inferno, I was less-than-happy.  To some of you, it's no big deal, but others might know what I know- Shrewsberry helped the Boilers get out of their funk last season because Painter trusted him enough to pick his brain and heed his advice.

Stevens trusted Shrews before his pal Matt asked if he could steal him from Butler- that's two pretty solid basketball minds that agree that Shrewsberry was important to their staff.

And now, he's gone and a spot is open on Painter's staff...so what's the next move for Painter?

I liked Cardinal as a coach more than a year ago when he expressed interest in being on the staff.  But from what I have read and heard from John Purdue-ers, he's a natural at fund-raising and glad-handing...and he seems to really enjoy it.

So if you were in my age group (mid-to-late 30s), had made a great living for the last 15 years, had a position in which you didn't have to be part of the hectic schedule of your old job, and you were appreciated everywhere you went, would you leave it? I wouldn't.

That said, I think Cardinal was a candidate to take Shrewsberry's position on the staff...Before he removed himself from Matty's short list a few days ago, as Boiler Sports Report's (scout) Chris Emma reported a few days ago.

Kenneth Lowe, who also expressed interest in eventually coaching at his alma mater, and has played professionally in Europe, and currently coaches across the pond, has to be in the mix as well.  Purdue fans also have talked about Brandon Brantley, who currently coaches AAU (I believe) as a candidate.

In my opinion, if it's not Lowe, it's someone we don't see coming.  Painter is very respected in the coaching ranks and is known very well for teaching the motion offense to high school and small college coaches at camps and clinics.  His memory with names and faces, ability to handle adversity with poise and his success makes him someone that many other coaches want to be near.  Plus, the B1G, Mackey and Purdue's heritage still carry weight as a lure for a potential coach from the outside.

Regardless of whom is chosen, recruiting connections will matter.  If Painter's close to a decision, he's done an excellent job keeping it quiet...we'll watch as it develops.

Here are a couple of names that I'd like to see get a look- Darnell Archey- former Butler assistant who followed Graves to South Alabama.  Upside? Great Xs and Os training under Stevens...could help Boilers with FT shooting (I kid...or do I?). Jeremy Ballard of VCU- Shaka Smart assistant coach, young...driven.  Downside? No connection to Purdue...but might inject additional life into program. Dane Fisher- from Bucknell is another outsider with a good resume.  Fundamentals and playing within a system are a focus at Bucknell and Fisher has been mentioned as an HC candidate a few times in the last few years.  Finally, Ryne Smith...Sure, this is a long shot, but it won't stop us from rooting for our pal to get a look from his old boss and coach.

More to come, assuredly...if it happens while I'm on the West Coast, stay tuned to our Twitter feed...

South End of Ross-Ade: Morgan, It's All Figured Out

On Friday morning, as Morgan Burke reads BS with his coffee in hand ("World's Best A.D." mug, I'm assuming), we wanted to give him the solution for the South end zone at Ross-Ade that he most likely is hoping to find here on one of his favorite websites.

For those who don't remember, we posted a rendering of what the South end of the stadium could look like back in April of 2012:

As we said then, it's pretty awesome, thus it is ensured not to happen.

Well, the guy responsible for the concept is Purdue Alum Matthew Wille. Matt got in touch with us and has an updated version of his rendering, which we also wanted to share here.

Click to embiggen

Matt has added some obvious touches, such as the P at midfield and the RR crossing sign on the Purdue tunnel side (which actually says "Boiler Crossing," in reality, I think), but he also added All American names and numbers to the south brick wall, which I have to say, is yet another fantastic touch. Much like is done in Mackey, let's remind the guys who are there of the greats that came before them. Let's remind everyone who mocks Purdue football that, yes, there actually have been quite a few legendary guys who have come through....The Furnace. (Just trying it out.)

Morgan Burke did talk in 2007 about how the Mackey renovation would put Stage II of the Ross-Ade renovations on hold -- that being the second deck on the East side of the stadium -- and that Stage III (a second deck on the North end) might never happen. Well, I would again submit that this improvement to the South end of the stadium would be far more valuable to the look and feel of Ross-Ade than any extra half-filled mezzanine would be. Note that Matt has a train up on the brick facade -- if we assume this train is stationary, why not make each car a luxury box? You've now already upped the ticket value of the entire South end, while also giving the stadium a fantastic improved look.

Make it happen, Morgan.

Coach Tiller Thinks Maryland Doesn't Know How To Paint Their End Zones

No word on what Coach Tiller thinks of their helmets.

Mike Carmin of the Lafayette J&C has a piece up today about Joe Tiller's 20 minutes of "I can say anything I want because I'm an old man who won a lot of games here"-style comments at the National Football Foundation Dinner this week.

Tiller, when talking about the Big Ten's expansion, remarked than whenever he talked about it to Commissioner Delaney, the general rule was that any expansion had to make the conference better. Tiller clearly doesn't see how the Terps make the Big Ten better:

I’m thinking to myself, ‘Maryland?’ They don’t even know how to paint an end zone. How in the heck are they going to make the Big Ten a better conference?

I don't know if a 70-year-old former coach making such comments qualifies for the #shotsfired hashtag, but regardless of if it does, Maryland won't even have a chance to throw a punch in this one until at least 2016. (That is, unless the Boilers and Terps meet in the Big Ten Championship Game, which I think we'd all be fine with.)

Tiller also talked about his dislike of kickers, which is an interesting contrast to his successor, Danny Hope, who called one of his kickers "the most exciting kicker in America."

Tiller also discussed the future expansion of college football playoffs, disappointingly hopping on the "players should get a share of the pie" bandwagon. One assumes Coach Tiller means a bigger share of the pie than a full ride, lots of ancillary benefits, playing football on TV and being able to forever include "Division I college athlete at Purdue University" on their resumes.

Check out the rest of the always-solid Mike Carmin's article and learn more about Tiller's opinion on starting freshman quarterbacks, whether he would be part of the college football playoff selection committee, and more.

Coach Hazell's Outreach to Former Boilermaker Players

Coach Hazell continues to make the right moves, as Mike Carmin details in his post from Friday in which he shares the letter Hazell sent to former Boilermaker football players in April.

In the letter (which is here), Hazell asks former players to write a letter to the current players about what it means to play at Purdue and that he'll have the seniors read those letters to the team at camp this fall.

Hazell also makes it clear to former players that "This is your place. I want everyone who has ever played here to feel welcome. You are welcome to attend the offices, meetings, practices and any other thing you can think of."

So Brandon Hance, we're looking at you.

The Dark Night (Game) Rises

It was announced earlier this week that the Purdue-ND game -- Coach Hazell's second home game and first against a FBS program -- will be an 8 PM start on September 14. I have to be honest -- I love this. Much like Danny Hope had some early night games to make a strong first impression (and despite how things ended for Danny, the close calls vs ND and Oregon early in the 2009 season had a lot of us juiced), this is a terrific opportunity to inject life into the Purdue football program quickly. Joe Tiller took advantage of Notre Dame in this way; so can Darrell Hazell. (And really, given their history, wouldn't like to take advantage of ND football players? Usually, it's the other way around.)

According to Purdue sports information, this is the 36th night game Purdue has played since 1935 and only the 8th home game under the lights. That feels like such a low number, but maybe that's because we all remember the night games so clearly so it feels like there have been more of them.

It's indeed been a dark time for Purdue with regard to night games. In fact, Purdue has only played four games under the lights at Ross-Ade since 1996, with three of those against Notre Dame. The Boilers are 0-4 in those games and 1-6 overall. Maybe this is the real reason Morgan Burke is against permanent lights: he's worried the Boilers may never win again. The only win in a home night game for the Boilermakers was a game I've sat back in my rocking chair and regaled you about before. It was a crisp, clear night on September 10, 1994 and a young and handsome J attending his first Purdue football game. This game was so long ago, Tim still liked sports! Boilerdowd still had hair! I'm talking a long time ago! (Try the veal!)

But seriously, 1-6 at home all time under the lights? That's a trend that needs to be changed. The Boilers are 16-18 all-time in games starting at 6 PM or later, including bowl games, which I think are a little bit of outliers in this. In bowl games at night, the Boilers are 5-1, leaving them (for you math majors) at 11-17 in all regular season night games.

We'll obviously talk more and more about the 2013 season and what it can mean and what will constitute "success," but this game if nothing else provides a tremendous opportunity for Coach Hazell and the new brand of Purdue football to make a splash on national television.

Choo choo!

Purdue-centric NFL Draft Notes

To close the loop on the NFL Draft and assorted Boilermakers (because we know some of you only come to BS for all your news), here's a quick recap on Boilermaker movement over the past few days.

Kawaan Short, to no one's surprise, was drafted. He went to the Carolina Panthers in the second round with the 44th overall pick. Short will have a chance to further shore up a Carolina defense that was actually in the top half of the league in total, pass and rush defense. Along with having Cam Newton there, not a bad place to be for KK.

Josh Johnson signed a free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers and will now begin the uphill climb to make the team as an undrafted rookie.

Akeem Shavers and BS favorite Robert "Marve-lous" Marve both signed on with the Tampa Bay Bucs. The Bucs QB situation featured Josh Freeman as the starter, the legendary Dan Orlovsky as his backup, as well as Mike Glennon (NC State) and Adam Weber (formerly of Minnesota) on the roster. Beating out entrenched guys is never easy, but Marve's drive and leadership abilities might make it possible for him to crack the practice squad or third string position.

Danny Hope could not be reached for comment. 

Good luck to all. Now let's not talk about the draft until next April.

Feeling Drafty? Re-light Your Boiler

Go home, NFL, you're drunk.

As you may know if you know us, we sort of loathe the NFL Draft.

Well, actually, that's not right. What we loathe is the nonsense surrounding it. Like weeks upon weeks of "mock drafts," endless hours devoted to it on TV and radio, and things like, you know... f-cking glass cases with the hats for each team in them. Just stop it, NFL. You're becoming as trite and forced and unwatchable as the Emmys.

But we'll put aside our dislike for the fanfare around the NFL draft to talk about a few prospects from Purdue, since we were asked by a couple people so... fine. We're here to serve.

Josh Johnson - CB

We've made no secret of the fact that we're big fans of Josh Johnson. He's someone we really enjoyed watching and felt very comfortable with knowing he was out there. In fact, I dare say we felt he was a little more "reliable" than the guy on the other side who gets all the accolades.

Johnson's write-up at NFL.com has him as a 67.2 grade, which puts him in the "Draftable Player" bucket, just below the threshold for "Eventual Starter."

I read this to mean he's a guy who should be drafted and regardless will find playing time in the NFL, with the potential of becoming a regular starter with some hard work. I don't think there's any doubt Josh will work hard and we look forward to seeing him playing on Sundays. He's an easy guy to root for (for us, anyway).

If you like the sometimes-arbitrary measures studied at the combine, Josh was a "top performer" in the 60-yard shuttle, finishing fourth among CBs. He was also sixth among CBs in the bench press. We'll choose to now selectively enjoy those measures and say that for these reasons, a team looking for a fundamentally-sound leader who can be quick and is strong should give Josh Johnson a good look.

Kawaan Short - DT

Short is another guy we've enjoyed watching and seeing develop over his time at Purdue. Is he an NFL prospect because of Danny Hope's staff.... or in spite of them?

Short showed freakish, next-level skills a number of times during his years in black and gold and was a two-time team captain. If you're wondering why there are no combine numbers listed for Short on his NFL draft page, I assume it's because he didn't attend. However, Short is graded as an 80.6, which is  a "quality player who will contribute to the team early on and is expected to develop into a starter. A reliable player who brings value to the position."

Skimming the analysis, you see what you would expect to see regarding his size, quickness and development. The concerns, though, seem to center on the worry that Short might let himself get fat and, if he does, he'll be out doing whatever it is JaMarcus Russell does these days. So work hard, Kawaan. Make us proud.

Akeem Shavers - RB

Prince Akeem has no NFL.com prospect page, which probably doesn't bode real well for him. However, he's hoping to play at the next level and did have a pro day that was generally reported to be a positive experience for him.

From GBI:

Shavers ran in the low 4.4s - perhaps as fast as 4.39 - in the 40-yard dash. It was his only opportunity in front of scouts from multiple teams, after not being invited to the Combine, making his performance all the more critical.

Right now, Shavers will be hoping for a call to be a post-draft free agent invite to a team's training camp. We loved seeing Akeem run and are pulling for him to get a chance to prove himself against the big boys.
The draft resumes today.

Change is a Good Thing: Purdue Football

Yes, that's a very similar headline to the one the Panda used the other day with regard to the Purdue basketball program. However, as has been the case for a while, Purdue football and Purdue basketball are in very different places.

While the basketball program is experiencing some changes that border on "upheaval" (seriously, I hope the Boilers have enough guys to field a team next year at this rate), the program in general remains respected. Matt Painter alone is someone who many pundits and analysts will openly praise as a giant bright spot for Purdue, even in down years such as '12-'13. The football program, however, was not in such a good state during their recent down year(s).

As has been noted on this here site, we feel that has changed and will continue to change in the months and years ahead. Darrell Hazell was the right man for the job and as months have passed since his hiring, I've continued to think about the decision Purdue made as well as the decisions they didn't make (other potential hires, etc.) and even the decisions other programs made (Tennessee, etc.). And the truth is, I don't know if Purdue could have done any better given the situation they were in.

Coach Hazell represented -- and represents -- change for the Purdue football program. The thing that is pleasing me lately is that the change is wholesale -- it's not just for show, for example. He has begun changing the mentality and the effort. He's a supporter of these guys but he's also busting their asses. Ricardo Allen commented on how hard even the dinged up guys work on the sidelines, as opposed to under the previous regime. And one thing to keep in mind with regard to that kind of stuff -- you can't rely on these players to think that's necessarily a "better" thing or not. Think back to yourself at 18-22 -- you probably wanted to exert yourself as little as possible. If you played a sport and had a coach that went easy on the condition/running stuff and always was your pal, you probably loved him. You also probably lost a lot.

You know what else? It's okay to say things needed changing. That doesn't make you a disloyal fan or a bad Boilermaker. It's great if you supported the recent teams through thick and thin. That's wonderful and in some ways, you're a better fan than many of us who became disgusted with the Hope regime. But it's not an indictment of your fanhood or your loyalty to your alma mater to say you think the program needed a good scrubbing. It did and it's not getting it.

Changing the thinking is obviously one of the biggest components of the overall change that is needed in West Lafayette, and that's already at work. Could it have been effected this quickly? No, probably not. But with leaders like Rob Henry and coaches like Coach Hazell, Coach Hudson, Coach Freeman and Coach Shoop, it appears thus far as though the pieces are being put into place. There is a clear focus on one team with unified goals and a preliminary understanding of the level of work required to become great. I love seeing that and I hope we get to continue to see it develop.

Seeing it is all key to this change as well. Another big difference that has been documented is the openness and willingness to let us all peer into the program. There have already been more open practices than I can remember under Danny Hope. Darrell Hazell is a confident man who believes in what he is doing and has nothing to hide -- the way any successful practitioner of their trade should be. He does not feel everyone is out to get them and even if he did think someone was, my feeling is that he wouldn't care. He's going to do things his way until he is told to stop. If winning follows, I don't suspect anyone will tell him to stop.

The visibility should also comfort anyone who worries about Coach Hazell's tutelage under the OSU football factory. Sure, there were some improprieties there but if you have a coach who wants the fans and media to see much or all of what they're doing, that's at least a good sign that you're not the kind of guy to hide things. Obviously, I'm not naive enough to think it's not still possible that cheating could occur -- but I like the visibility as a first step in ensuring we all feel well-informed on the football program we love to support.

Change has trickled to other facets of the program as well. Music is played at practice and it's a variety of themes, styles and volumes. They work hard, but they're also going to enjoy their time together. Ross-Ade Stadium has also been bestowed the moniker of "The Furnace," which whether you like it or not, makes sense the the Boilermaker mascot -- something on other school shares. And why not try to give the bland Ross-Ade some personality in any way possible? This is a place that hasn't been a home-field advantage for many years -- but it actually can be. Those of you who were there in the '98-'04 timeframe know that. It may be among the smaller Big Ten venues, but it doesn't have to be a quiet one.

Another change to R-A is one that was brought to my attention A fake change to R-A sent to me by Twitter follower @Boiler_Brandon, is as follows:



The paint was shipped in from Iowa City. What? We got a deal!

 If we want to keep the "Furnace" theme going, how about a flame burning at the bottom of the signage?

The colors aren't completely right, but they haven't been right on most Purdue uniforms for over a decade-plus now. Would we like Nike to learn Purdue's colors? Of course. But they haven't yet and Purdue hasn't forced them to, so in the meantime, adding some menacing black to the stadium instead of the welcoming white would be fine by me. For comparison:

It seems only natural that this theme of change might also extend to uniforms. Joe Tiller stripped the names off the back of the unis immediately (among other changes that were already happening to the jerseys) upon his arrival. Danny Hope put them back on and allowed the team to choose combos (black/black, black/gold, etc.) regardless of whether they'd earned that sort of right. Darrell Hazell brought back retro Kent State uniforms for their bowl game this past January, which was something he had promised his players if they made a bowl -- something Kent hadn't done in 40 years. Might that mean a black alternate helmet or other uni tweaks? You know we'll keep beating that drum.

Change looks like it will continue to come to Purdue football. And as long as the program turns back in the direction of something we can all be proud of, I think the fans will come back and I also think the team will be supported regardless of record in 2013. Effort is something that is evident in football, as is preparedness. If this team and coaching staff shows effort and preparedness, then the future is indeed bright. 

Hazellball: Right Direction So Far

BS was on the scene at one of Coach Hazell's open practices last week and if you haven't read B-dowd's excellent write up on his observations, you should go do that. I'll wait.

Okay, you're back now.

The Spring Game is fast approaching (1 PM on April 13) and will be played rain or shine and will be four quarters. Well, no kidding, you might be thinking, but this sort of info is pertinent, as last year's Spring Game was on a day with lousy weather, so the Danny Hope Gestapo moved the proceedings indoors to Mollenkopf, and then Tom Schott's button men ejected interested parties from the premises. You know, the people who were so devoted to a mediocre program that they had made the trek to campus on a miserable day to get a little bit of a Purdue football fix. As was the norm at the time, solid PR work by the Purdue athletic department.

So Coach Hazell has decreed that the game will go on and will be a complete game. This is good. Click here for more information on the activities of the day surrounding the Spring Game. In addition, BTN has decided to grace the Boilermakers by streaming the game live via their BTN2Go app and the broadcasting it on real, actual television on April 15 at 9 PM. Unless Ohio State hires a new strength and conditioning coach or something, presumably.

You also see the photo above marketing the upcoming season. The marketing folks responsible got this one right, in our opinions. They also did well back when Danny Hope started at Purdue (the "ONE" campaign, which, at 1-5, scared us because, well, what if Purdue went 1-11?), so maybe all it takes to wake up marketing is a new coach. Let's hope winning soon follows and the program markets itself on the football field.

In addition to the Spring Game, this Saturday is another chance to see your Boilers on the field at Ross-Ade, as they'll put on a "Jersey Scrimmage" for all interested parties to attend. Purdue faculty and staff get to come onto the field beforehand with the team and then will be addressed by Morgan Burke and Coach Hazell -- this outreach is another nice touch. You can find the rules to the Jersey Scrimmage here -- it will be offense versus defense and while these rules may a seem a bit cumbersome, you can bet the players will know how to keep score and this will be competitive. Check it out if you have the chance.

One more item to note that you can find on the Purdue football page of Purduesports.com is Purdue Football 212, billed as a "behind the scenes look at Purdue football." I watched the first YouTube video they have up there and I already feel like I've seen more of Purdue football behind the scenes than I did in four years of General Hopeissimo.

Obviously, none of this means much once the games begin. However, it seems clear to us that Darrell Hazell is making the right moves in his early months on campus. There's a discipline and an intense work ethic already coming across, while at the same time welcoming us outsiders in to see what's going on.

The Hazell Era is off to a good start. 

Hopefully Our Final Post Re Selwyn Lymon

You may recall an unfortunate incident where then-Purdue football players Selwyn Lymon, Jonte Lindsey, Stanford Keglar and Dustin Keller got into a bar brawl with a couple of civilians in 2007. We really weren't sad to see Lymon go.

To close the loop on that story from more than five years ago, while Keglar and Keller settled out of court with the plaintiffs, Lymon and Lindsey did not and found liable for $100,000 and $50,000, respectively, pursuant to default judgements.

The moral of the story, of course, is don't push women while tying to enter a ladies restroom or beat up a guy in a parking lot while you're drunk and parked in a handicapped spot. You know, the basics. 

We're all entitled to our day(s) in court, but neither Lymon nor Lindsey showed up for theirs.

Which makes this story just like their on-field days at Purdue.

More On Danny Hope

Danny kept talking to WLFI and they broke it into a two-part miniseries, like Lonesome Dove. Part two is available on their site.

Among the wonderful nuggets included:

"My players were like my sons."

Coach Hope talked about the "football family" and how he went to the bowl game because he wanted to see his guys play... and that if it had been his son, he'd be there, so since the players were like his sons, he showed up. I know it's nice for football coaches to be the senior figure that perhaps some kids don't have in life, but this just comes across as a big too far to me. Perhaps one more indicator that he was too close to his players to be a disciplinarian or to hold them accountable.

Hope said he "allowed myself to become the scapegoat" for anything that happened with the program.

IMAGINE THAT! The head coach being responsible for any and all aspects of the program. Meager (by comparison) as his $1M salary might have been, he was the head man and thus all aspects of the program are ultimately his responsibility. It seems ludicrous that I even wrote that sentence.

Danny thinks he'd still be in the black and gold had the fans only shown up more. (Oh and another win would have sealed the deal.)

Hope said that he felt that if attendance had remained in the high 50,000s or more, or if he would have won one or two more games, he'd still be there. I guess that's possible, but is he honestly not making the connection between his stewardship and the plummeting attendance and dearth of wins?

Following up on Hope's somewhat petty, vague and completely Hope-like interview with WLFI, the talented Mike Carmin demonstrated how I think many of us gleaned he felt about Hope all along in a very good column you can read here.

Carmin pulls no punches, calling out the odd inconsistencies and lack of details in some of Hope's most overt claims (such as how poorly he claimed Burke handled his firing). Carmin also detailed a meeting Burke had with the coaching staff after the Penn State game back in early November:

During an interview in January with Burke, I asked when Hope was informed of the decision. He told Hope the Sunday following the victory over Indiana, but met with the entire coaching staff after the loss to Penn State in early November.

“I sat with them after Penn State – all of them,” Burke said. “I said, ‘Guys, we’re driving off a cliff. You’ve all been around these games long enough. We’ve got to do the best we can to finish this thing off on a positive note.’

“You can read into that but I wasn’t threatening. I don’t like surprises and I don’t want people to be surprised. I looked around the room and said, ‘You all know where we are, don’t you? The fan base has given up on us and the best thing we can do is try and give these kids the last three games.’ ”

I hadn't heard that before and I find it very interesting, when you consider how Hope reacted at the very end. It sounds like even beyond the fact that it should have been unsurprising to Hope given his results on the field, that Burke essentially told them the end was near earlier in the month.

A few of you have said that @HopefulDanny on Twitter should be adding to this -- but frankly, how could he? This nonsense that the real Danny Hope is spewing forth is hard to top in terms of silliness.

And as an aside, why isn't Mike Cleff -- the Sports Director at WLFI -- not pushing Hope for clarity on his weird answers about Burke, responsibility, etc.? Why didn't he ask about the meeting that Burke had with the coaching staff in early November after the PSU game?

Danny Hope Speaks; Unclear if Anyone is Listening

Mike Cleff of WLFI in Lafayette got a one-on-one sit-down with the former don of Purdue football, Danny Hope. Part 1 aired last night and is available at WLFI's website. Part 2 airs tonight. I hope there isn't a cliffhanger ending... like Cleff asks him about what mustache comb he uses and then we fade to black, with Danny giving his crooked grin.

In the three-minute segment we're allowed to see (out of a purported hourlong interview -- I've asked WLFI if the complete hour will be available somewhere), Hope continues his rambling, sort of entertaining in the drunken uncle sort of way, about Purdue football and how unfairly he was treated.

Hope calls Morgan Burke out in the interview and says he should have "been a little more accountable." Not that I ever like to side with Morgan Burkce, but no, Danny, as head coach, you're actually the one accountable. The buck stops with you, as they say. For Morgan Burke, taking accountability means making the difficult decision to fire a man and to pay him his buyout. Let's not undervalue the fact that that is a big decision. (I did like the "behind the whistle" and "behind the necktie" analogies from the ever-quotable Hope. He kind of took the "behind the wheel" metaphor and applied his usual wire whisk.)

Hope also notes that the players wanted him to be there. That's all well and good, but they wanted him there because he let them run the asylum and get away with not even knowing their assignments on the field at times -- something that was apparent even to non-football experts like me. He and the coaching staff he champions were, quite simply, not at Big Ten level and were not getting the job done. This was made apparent  numerous times over the course of Coach Hope's time at the helm (or behind the whistle, if you will), as we have documented here at BS. Losing to lesser opponents, not rising to the occasion when it was absolutely critical, getting positively walloped by good teams.... all of these are signs of poor preparation and/or coaches who are just in over their heads.

Going back to Hope's comments, I love this one:

"We hoped we had done enough. But I knew it was close. We had a tough stretch there and didn't come through at a critical time of the season and, obviously, had lost the support of our administration, athletic administration, and fan base."

You knew you'd lost basically all support possible... and yet it was still "close"? Nope, it wasn't.

The amazing thing about this is that if Hope actually believes what he is saying here, then he still doesn't understand that it was basically a done deal after the Michigan and Wisconsin embarrassments. And even if you cling to some kind of delusion that it wasn't over then (like if you're, oh, I don't know...Kelly Kitchell), then the bed-wetting at Minnesota where a truly bad Gophers team relentlessly pummeled and listless and disinterested Boiler squad (one we wrote may have actually been the low point) was for sure the end for Hope.

This interview truly means nothing, which is probably why nobody else was scrambling to get this "scoop." Danny Hope is old news and he's really got no feathers in his cap (despite what he surely thinks) that will make many of us look back at his tenure with any sort of fond remembrance. His time in charge was a low-budget experiment by Morgan Burke -- Burke has essentially admitted as much -- that did not work out. He took a program that had clawed its way to respectability after many years of awfulness and in four years presided over them becoming a punchline again.

That's as succinct as I can put it.

Ever Grateful, Ever True

I feel bad for my son sometimes...especially on mornings like yesterday.  He's been a Purdue fan since before he can remember, and that's my fault, not his choice.  He's been going to Black/Gold games in the spring, football games in the fall and basketball games in the winter since he was in a Baby Bjorn (you younger people might not know or care what that is, but it's the baby carrier that acts like a kangaroo pouch and makes self-respecting fathers and mothers look like tools; yes, I wore one).

I was getting him ready to brave the cold Thursday morning and told him it was gonna be tough...he said, "I know."

I told him not to get defensive, just state the facts- Purdue played poorly...horribly, actually...and tell them that IU is very good this year, Purdue just isn't. It typically disarms people and diffuses the situation, but not always, as many of you know.

There are people out there who might be in my son's class...they're jerks because their Dads are jerks.  Heck, some would say my son's Dad is a jerk, and at times they're correct.  But, I don't taunt people, even after a big win. Wearing a Purdue hat the day after Purdue beats IU and not saying a thing is enough.  One of my son's best friends is from an IU family...I'm sure he had an IU hat on yesterday; I hope he didn't make an ass out of himself with his mouth...he was already dressed kinda stupid (I kid, I kid).

I made the decision to be a Boilermaker, officially anyway, back in 1992 when I decided to go to school in God's country.  I loved going to school at Purdue.  I was enrolled at Miami of Ohio to study architecture...but after I visited the place, this time as a perspective student, that I had visited 1,000 times as a fan, I knew where I should spend my next four years. It was a great decision.

J caused a dust-up Wednesday night on Twitter by saying Purdue fans and IU fans have one thing and common- neither went to IU. And while he was half-joking, the half of him that wasn't joking knew the people he was talking about.

There are great things about success between the lines- gameday atmosphere is appreciably better, it's always more fun to actually be covered by the national sports media, beating rivals allows you to walk around those people with your head held a bit higher...all good stuff.  But, the underbelly of success is it attracts people that view the team as mere entertainment, not part of a university.

Extreme cases of this include PSU fans turning a blind eye to Paterno's problems, or not caring about aOSU players getting paid cars or tattoos...Lesser cases include people saying IU only broke small rules and shouldn't have been punished after getting in bed with a known cheater.  Doesn't matter; all those people are maroons.

The idealist part of me hopes that people respect their alma mater enough to want it to look respectable...Sure, alums want to see winning teams, but I hope they want to see winning done the right way.

Back when I was in college, Glenn Robinson's popularity and success attracted a whole new type of fan.  Purdue was actually popular simply because Robinson was undeniably good.  His popularity led to Purdue gear being sold in national outlets. Eastbay started carrying Purdue gear...and this was before Purdue had Nike uniforms- the national market wanted a piece of Purdue basketball; really just loved Glenn Robinson.

That's all well and good; always nice to have more fans. But, one day, I was watching the news and saw a guy getting arrested for multiple homicides in Chicago...wearing a Big Dog jersey and Purdue hat (kids today would call it an old school snapback);  That display was probably not the best representation of the Purdue brand.

Indeed, not all publicity is good publicity- For instance, getting your ass handed to you and EsPN's heads snickering about it isn't ever good...and not all fans are good fans; especially those who love hopping on and off the bandwagon...IU has a glut of those.

Switching from UND football to IU basketball is a badge of honor for many people from Indiana...We all see it as a punchline.  It makes no sense to use how someone can remove the school portion of college sports and just see IU's basketball as mere entertainment and switch gears to UND football...but tens of thousands do without a second thought.

Typically Purdue fans are a step away from the university; Dad, brother, Mom or sister went to the greatest university in all the land  OR they went there themselves. It's not that the Purdue family doesn't want fans that didn't go to school there, but if you don't have a connection to God's country, it's not always easy to be a Purdue fan...and it's hardly ever popular. Heck, it's so unpopular that the biggest paper in Indiana doesn't even have Purdue dedicated coverage; they farm it out to their sister paper.

More recently, the national media (read this time as EsPN's Dana O'Neil) chose to simply ignore Purdue when speaking of the rich history of basketball in the state of Indiana.  One of our readers, Chris, took umbrage with this and wrote EsPN to point out their error:

Dana,

I grew up in California, and now live in Oregon, but for 20 years I lived in Indiana. Never have I seen a more hyped up fan-base for grade school, high school, AAU, and college basketball. My daughter played up through high school, and sometimes the overenthusiasm actually bothered me. I’ve been to a standing room only gym to watch Greg Oden take on Jajuan Johnson in 2007, and see Johnson take on Eric Gordon in Hinkle the same year. So, it was nice to see this recognized.

However, I have to say that I was very disappointed in your article by the time I reached the end. In a 4400 word article on the history of Indiana basketball, it had to have been intentional to leave out the following team:

· Most Big Ten victories all time

· Tied for most Big Ten Titles

· 2^nd and 3^rd most winningest coaches in Big Ten history

· Has a winning record vs all other Big Ten teams except one

· Has a 112-86 all time record vs IU

· Has a 37-17 all time record vs Butler

Yes, I am telling you that leaving Purdue out was a basketball crime. The same Purdue that was rated 7^th (I think) in ESPN’s all time rankings. I can already hear your come back: “But IU is #3 and Butler is #10, where is Purdue? Purdue isn’t relevant right now.”

To that I say, two years ago Purdue had a consensus 1^st team AA in Jajuan Johnson, and was ranked #3 just three years ago, but I never saw an article on ESPN even close to this. The bias at ESPN is amazing.

Your historical article would have had a nice pop to it if it was mentioned that 28% of Big Ten titles had come from the state. Instead, the word Purdue was mentioned 4 times, twice derisively, once in a quote by Dakich, and once more when you almost had to when talking about John Wooden’s career.

It’s ironic to write this after Purdue got destroyed last night, but for you to write an article on the history of Indiana basketball and not include Purdue was very short sighted on your part.

-Chris (name withheld here)

Purdue Grad 1995

Did you catch that? Chris is still fighting for our school's honor in the wake of the worst home defeat ever...because in spite of that awful game, he's still proud of Purdue; as he should be...he even gives facts to why he feels that way.

If you're a Purdue fan, you're probably a bit like Chris and the BS staff- you probably have a chip on your shoulder...maybe it's treatment like this that made you that way or maybe Purdue attract fighters and individuals who just like going against the grain.  Whatever it is, we are what we are.  Outsiders see Pete as an ugly mascot, I think Boilermakers see the idea of an ironworker as emblematic of the no-nonsense, kinda pissed off group that we are.

Times are tough right now...football has been mediocre for what seems like forever (but our squad still beats the crap out of IU regularly), and is now in transition and the basketball program is in the midst of a painful overhaul.  And that IU game was horribly painful...no doubt about it. But if you're anything like me, you haven't given up the ship...not even close.

Better things are coming soon- I love Darrell Hazell as Purdue's new football coach, and still think Painter is the right guy to be leading the basketball program.

But even if both were to fail miserably, I'd still be a Boilermaker. Nothing changes that I loved my time on campus and feel that Purdue has helped shape me in more ways than just preparing me for my professional life.  When Purdue loses, I still wear my gear.  Sure, I was embarrassed by what transpired at Mackey on Wednesday night...but I'm not embarrassed by my alma mater.

Ever grateful, ever true.

Let's Pump The Brakes on John Shoop

Last week, Darrell Hazell made news when he rounded out his coaching staff by hiring John Shoop as his offensive coordinator. Adam Rittenberg, of ESPN.com's Big Ten blog, wrote an unusually personal take on the hire wherein he made it sound like he was still scarred from Shoop's time as the Bears OC.

As a Chicago Bears fan, my fingers are trembling as I type this ...

According to reports, Purdue has hired John Shoop as its new offensive coordinator.

FootballScoop.com first reported Shoop's hiring, and the Big Ten Network also is reporting it. Purdue hasn't officially confirmed the addition of Shoop to Darrell Hazell's staff.

OK, John Shoop. That John Shoop? Yes, that John Shoop. (Chill goes down spine). Breathe, Adam, breathe ...

I'm going to give Shoop a chance to show he won't do to Purdue's offense what he did to the Bears' offense from 1999-2003. Every new Big Ten assistant deserves somewhat of a clean slate from the Big Ten blog.

Sorry, just had a flashback of a bubble screen for minus-3 yards. Focus, Adam.  

Look, I get being traumatized by coaches. I'm a Giants fan and we had Ray Handley as a head coach. And all of us would have that sort of skittish reaction if Gary Nord every angrily burst back onto campus in his back brace. But as for John Shoop, I'd just like us to pump the brakes a bit.

Some of you commented via Twitter that this was an awful hire and that you have similar feelings as Mr. Rittenberg, essentially blaming John Shoop for the mess that the Chicago Bears were before Lovie Smith came in and brought them back to prominence. Or whatever that was.

But let's remember a few things. First John Shoop was named Offensive Coordinator of the Bears in 2000, for the final few games of the season. He was 31 years old at the time. Thirty-one!

His first real season as the OC was 2001. Dick Jauron was the coach (which should also make you Bears fans shudder) and Shoop was the ripe old age of 32. During that 2001 season, the Bears went 13-3 and won their division. Shoop had been a QB coach prior to that stint and with those 2001 Bears, his QB corps was Shane Matthews, Jim Miller and the legendary Danny Wuerffel. Those were his guys and that team -- with Jauron as HC -- went 13-3. So if you want to cherry pick seasons and act as though Shoop was the root of their problems when they were bad, you also need to give the guy some credit when they won and beat out the Packers for the division.

After bouncing to the Bucs and Raiders, Shoop wound up at North Carolina from 2007-2011 as OC. After a 4-8 year to begin his time there, Shoop's UNC teams went 8-5 each year from 2008-2010 and 7-6 in 2011. The thing that might concern you in there was that that was during the time when Butch Davis may have been bending some rules and the Tar Heels had to vacate two of those seasons' worth of wins. As you know if you read us, we really want nothing even resembling a dirty coach to come near the programs at Purdue. I don't think Shoop was really implicated but there is always the guilt by association factor. Which leads me to why you shouldn't worry too much about that...for now...

Let's give Coach Hazell the benefit of the doubt here. I think many of us gave Danny Hope the benefit of the doubt, probably longer than he deserved it. Coach Hazell has made multiple hires, decisions, statements, etc., that almost all of you have really liked. Given all of that, isn't it safe to assume he's done his due diligence on Coach Shoop? I think -- for now -- it's fair to continue to be optimistic.

To those who claim the offense will be boring under Hazell and Shoop, I am not necessarily convinced you're correct. However, I also remember OSU fans being irritated with the vest for never really opening it up....as they boringly marched their way to 10-11 win seasons and Big Ten title after Big Ten title and BCS bowl after BCS bowl. Yawn. How borrrring.

Another way to look at this is that Shoop not only has college experience running a pro-style offense, he also has NFL experience as an offensive coordinator. Compare that to Gary Nord, Tim Tibesar, Danny Hope, etc. There was no real success at any significant level within Danny Hope's coaching staffs. That's noteworthy. 

No, I don't know if Hazell and Shoop will lead our boys to the promised land. In fact, I can tell you that it's going to have a lot more to do with the players buying into the system, accountability, focus, commitment and so forth. If Coach Shoop doesn't work out, I also have confidence that Darrell Hazell is capable of making the difficult decisions that Danny Hope never could.

Hats off to the Athletic Department...Seriously

We've been upset with our alma mater's sports-related administration of late.  Issues that stem from licensing disagreements brought up some old anger toward the SID a few days ago...but it's not all bad in the halls of Mackey, Mollenkopf and the IAF...never has been actually.

But good for Purdue, and more-importantly, good for the people that were the football team's guests today at Mollenkopf!

GBI detailed the activities around the Dream Bowl on their site today...for more click here.

It looks like the players are enjoying themselves, but again, the people who the day is for are having an amazing time.  Great job to those who gave up their Saturday to give back to the community- Members of the band, football team and administration all made this possible.

Good on you, Purdue Athletic Department.

Greg Hudson Named Defensive Coordinator; Hazell's Staff Taking Shape

"There's the door, Tim."

Gold and Black and H&R are reporting that Greg Hudson, recently of Florida State's coaching staff, has been tapped by Coach Hazell to be Purdue's new defensive coordinator:

Hudson, the Seminoles' linebackers coach and assistant head coach the past three seasons, was part of a Florida State defensive staff that oversaw a unit that ranked second nationally this season in total defense, allowing just 253.8 yards per game and an national-low 3.89 yards per play, according to NCAA statistics.

Obviously, it's early to be making excited statements, but regardless of how this works out, you can only judge things on what you know at the moment you're assessing them. And put in a nutshell, hiring a coach who was a key cog in a unit that was one of the best in the nation on a team that won 12 games is a ginormous step up from taking a guy from the CFL. (Happy trails, Tim Tibesar. I hope that the month you spent polishing your resume instead of preparing your defense bears fruit for you.)

Heacock

Hudson is now the fifth coaching defection from Jimbo Fisher's staff, which is just amazing. I guess if you want to advance your coaching career, go work for Jimbo.

The older readers among you might remember that Hudson, who is 45 years old, played linebacker for Notre Dame in the '80s. We'll try not to hold that against you, Greg. Hudson then coached at UConn, Cinci, Minnesota, East Carolina and finally Florida State for three seasons. At Minny, Hudson coached under legendary Glen Mason and while we like to joke about Mason, in the three seasons Hudson was there the Gophers went 25-13 and 3-0 in bowls, including Minnesota's first 10-win season since 1905.

Most of Hudson's positions have been as a LB coach, but he did serve as Eastern Carolina's DC from 2005 to 2009 under Skip Holtz. Those ECU teams went to four bowls, won nine games twice and went 38-27 over that span.

Shermanator

So Coach Hazell has a guy who is still relatively young, has been a successful position coach and coordinator on the D-1 level (as well as "assistant head coach," which can mean something and nothing depending on where that title is bestowed upon you) and is coming off a stint with one of the best defenses (statistically) in college football.

Given the facts we know right now, this feels like a very good hire. Having a guy who might be eager to continue to prove himself as he climbs towards a head coaching job is usually a good thing.

This Jafar isn't evil.

Additional coaching news from G&B includes the fact that Hazell's DC at Kent State, Jon Heacock (who followed Tressel as HC of Youngstown State in 2001) will likely be joining him as a position coach for the Boilermakers. Which is good, since as you can tell from the photo earlier in this post, Heacock will fill Gary Nord's role as "stern older white guy."

Also, G&B reports that Virginia Tech receivers coach Kevin Sherman and Kent State RB coach Jafar Williams are likely to come on board in West Lafayette.

None of this is officially confirmed, but if state-run media is talking about it, it's about as unofficially official as it gets.

No word yet on hat brim requirements. 

A Welcomed Change of Season

Tonight Matty's Pups will begin the B1G basketball season at Mackey and our gaze will shift indoors for a few months.  Sadly, this change might not be the most enjoyable as Purdue looks very flawed thus far as they go through growing pains, struggle to find offensive continuity and search for defensive toughness.  This is not a typical Painter team at this point...and everyone involved, from our pal, former player and current GA, Ryne Smith, to veteran DJ Byrd, to the Freshman players to the HC himself, have their work cut out for them.  If nothing else, I want to see this team fight to try to get better.  If they do, good things will happen. If they continue to need to be reminded to move in motion offense, and switch on defense, it's going to be painful repetition for the next few months.

But, the change of season that officially happens following Kent State's bowl game will usher a season of real hope for Purdue's football program.  I'd argue this is the first time we've really had something to look forward to in about eight years.  Sure, as fans, our hearts wanted to see big things in the September of Joe Tiller's career and when an under experienced successor was hired, we pulled for him as well...but our logic nudged us another direction.  One not of cautious optimism, but extremely-managed expectations at best...and a negative outlook at worst.

So with the change, Hazell says he'll open up practices and invite fans to come watch...he wants to see guys earn their positions...and he wants to change the culture of the program.  As we saw yesterday, he has his work cut out for him.  But a guy who truly knows what it's like to be around a winner and has the combination of Xs & Os knowledge with a bit of rah-rah sprinkled on top, might be exactly what Purdue needs to not only become a competitor again, but to do it in a season or two.

We've been beating the drum of Purdue wearing a matte black helmet as an alternate for a few years...and we still like the idea.  The matte black looks tough...and unlike most programs in America who roll out the dull finish for special games, Purdue actually has black in its colors.  Plus, players love to see alternate uniforms and changes in unis.  So while you might be an old guy who doesn't think it matters, it kinda does to a 19 year old...and it'd be pretty fun to see some change.

So, to go along with a new coaching staff, let's pull for a change to the uniforms...

If you follow us on Twitter, you've already seen these...so this is a bit redundant. But, our reach on the site is a bit larger than that on Twitter, so here goes:

Matte black helmet, gloss P, gloss single stripe, black chin strap and trim on the back.

This along with a slight tweak to the uniforms would be a pretty solid improvement- same general design, but no italicized numerals...traditional block.

A tweak, not a radical change should do the trick below the neck.

If you agree or disagree, weigh in. If you really like what you see, forward the link to Burke, Hazell or whomever else you think might appreciate the concept.

Purdue helmets circa 1949

One more thing- black helmets for Purdue aren't something that Fred Akers invented.  Purdue has had black helmets four times in the program's history...But gloss black with a gold P and twin white stripes surrounding a gold stripe were Coach Akers' brain child.  That look still makes me wanna throw up a bit in my mouth...but I like the black/black look much more.

Hazell-Themed Gumbo

Welcome back, everyone, and we sincerely hope you had a great holiday. We're clearly on a reduced schedule here at BS for the moment, but have no fear -- we'll be on the stick for Purdue and Kent State's bowl games, as well as whatever lies ahead for Purdue basketball during the Big Ten meat-grinder season.


Etling Just Wants a Good Man as His Coach

Today, I just wanted to comment on a few things, including the clip Bdowd posted in his gumbo post from earlier this month where Danny Etling talks to WLFI in Lafayette about maintaining his commitment to Purdue and to Coach Darrell Hazell. 

I liked hearing Etling and what he had to say about things. I also like that he wants to compete for the starting job immediately, and that Purdue told him that he'll be able to do so. And if he wins the job, that's great, too. No knock on Rob Henry, but having a guy start as a freshman means that by years 2-4, he'll be a seasoned veteran. I think it's safe to say all Boiler fans are craving some consistency at the QB position. I can't imagine it's that different in the locker room.

I also found it interesting to hear his thought process on committing to Purdue and then maintaining that commitment. His first comment about Coach Hazell was that he's a great guy. I think it's also fairly well-documented that despite being a bad football coach, Danny Hope was a great guy also. His players loved him and as a man, many of us liked him, too. So it sounds to me like Danny Etling wants a coach who is a good man, first and foremost.

While this may sound like common sense to many of us, the world of big time high school and college athletics is a minefield of sharks and leeches who will talk out of both sides of their mouth and basically act like a whore to slime their way to better results. Maybe Mr. Etling is wise beyond his years. Maybe he just wants to play at a place where it'll be an enjoyable expeirence and he won't have to worry about shady happenings that paralyze his football program. Or maybe I'm just interpreting things in my own way. Regardless, I've liked what he's had to say so far.


Hazell Remains a "Rock Star" at KSU

The always-good Mike Carmin has a nice article from a few days ago in the J&C regarding Darrell Hazell still being a rock star at Kent State and the locals lining up to say goodbye. As he frequently does, Carmin tossed in a couple of well-placed jabs to let the reader know how he feels on certain subjects:

This wasn’t Tommy Tuberville accepting the Cincinnati job in the middle of a recruiting dinner at Texas Tech. This wasn’t Bobby Petrino placing a four-sentence farewell in each Atlanta Falcons player’s locker when he bolted for Arkansas in 2007. They appreciate Hazell’s character and demeanor in how he’s conducted himself and run the program. They genuinely wish him nothing but success with the Boilermakers.

Carmin also mentions that Hazell plans to have most practices at Purdue -- as he has at Kent State -- open to the media, something that Carmin points out was not the norm under Danny Hope. Which reminds us all... if Hope had let everyone see what he and Gary Nord were seeing at practices, maybe everyone would have understood the decisions being made. Yeah. Maybe.


Another Positive Review of the Hire

On the subject of Coach Hazell, if you're looking for additional reading, the gent who runs Madtown Badgers did a take for Bloguin on the hire of Hazell and had some nice things to say. Again, seems to be a consistent take that this was anywhere from a very good hire to a home run. Hopefully, everyone turns out to be right.


Remembrance of Kent State Interactions Past

It seems to have gone largely unmentioned, but Kent State football seriously irritated Morgan Burke and some of the Purdue faithful just a couple of years ago. For the 2011 season, Purdue was scheduled to host the Golden Flashes in Coach Hazell's first game as KSU coach. However, a mere ten months before that game, Kent backed out of the agreement because they got the opportunity to get waxed by Alabama.

We never felt like you could blame them for wanting more visibility, but you could blame them for the last-minute (by scheduling standards) way they booted Purdue from their schedule.

I remember at the time, bdowd's brother Bill saying that if he were Morgan Burke, he'd call Kent State's athletic director and tell him that any and all future athletic contests scheduled with Purdue were now null and void and would not be honored by Purdue.

This means nothing in the overall scheme of things but I found it to be an interesting footnote.