Blue and Gold Illustrated

Sept. 16, 2013 Issue

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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Game Preview: Purdue he needed, the Michigan faithful had run out of patience with Rodriguez's 15-22 record. After three seasons of a failed experiment, Rodriguez was out. His successor, current head coach Brady Hoke, wouldn't make the same mistake. Hoke, a subscriber to the prostyle West Coast offense while rising in the coaching world at San Diego State, used elusive quarterback Denard Robinson and the spread option tools at his disposal to put together a 19-7 record in his first two season with the Wolverines. Now, as he enters his third year as the leader of the team, Hoke has the track record and the personnel he needs to implement a more traditional offense in Ann Arbor. "It's going to be more West Coast. It's going to be more San Diego State," said Chris Balas, who covers Michigan football for The Wolverine. "There's not going to be much spread." Hoke arrived at Michigan one year after Brian Kelly started at Notre Dame and adopted a similar approach. The coaches have gone about rebuilding the foundations of strong programs by bulking up on the defensive line and trying to win ugly games — the model used by Alabama's Nick Saban to capture three of the last four national championships. Both schools still have a long way to go (Alabama beat Michigan 41-14 to start the 2012 season and beat Notre Dame 42-14 to end it), but the progress is easy to see. "They're going to impose their will on people in the running game eventually," Balas said. "I don't think they're there yet. The line is too young, but how quickly the line jells is how good this offense will be." For now, Michigan hangs its offensive burden on the capable shoulders of junior quarterback Devin Gardner. A better passer than Robinson was, Gardner gives Michigan a more professional look. He provided a brief tease when he replaced Robinson as the starting quarterback for the last four games of the year. Gardner completed 59.5 percent of his passes in 2012 and accounted Game Info Notre Dame at purdue Date: Sept. 14, 2013 Site: Ross-Ade Stadium (62,500) Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET Television: ESPN/ESPN2 Radio: This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 129). Series Facts: This is the 85th meeting between Notre Dame and Purdue. The Irish hold a 56-26-2 advantage over the Boilermakers. Coaches: Notre Dame — Brian Kelly (29-12, fourth season) Purdue — Darrell Hazell (1-1, first season). Noting Purdue: Under Brian Kelly, Notre Dame is 4-2 against head coaches who are in their first year with the team, and the Irish have won their last two such meetings: versus Paul Chryst (Pittsburgh, 2012) and Matt Rhule (Temple, 2013) … Notre Dame has won its last five games against Purdue, its second-longest streak against the Boilermakers in the post-World War II era (ND won 11 straight from 1986-96) … These two teams have played 84 times since 1896, and Notre Dame has been ahead of Purdue in the win column for the series since 1918.

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