Cavalier Corner Digital

purdue preview sept. 11, 2013 Lukewarm Start ✦ Game Facts Hazell spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State before guiding Kent State to a two-year record of 16-10 and its first bowl game in 40 years. Date: Sept. 14, 2013 Site: Ross-Ade Stadium (62,500) Kickoff: 8:12 p.m. ET Television: ABC 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 secondlongest 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. "Rob certainly didn't need to go on Twitter and apologize to anybody." Against Indiana State, Henry fared better, albeit only moderately, connecting on 15 of 24 throws for 150 yards with no scores or interceptions. Henry started seven games in 2010 and led the team in both rushing and passing. He missed all of the 2011 season with a knee injury and didn't return to his starting post before beating out a couple of freshmen for the job this August. He's been pegged as more of a running quarterback to this point in his career, but he's eager to prove that he can do more. "That's kind of the key question. It's a West Coast type of offense," Carmin said. "What are his strengths in a West Coast offense? He's had trouble throwing the ball during his career. He's a career 53-percent The Boilermakers' offense has questions to answer in its first season under Darrell Hazell By Dan Murphy D arrell Hazell took the head coaching job at Purdue knowing he would need help in many ways from his new university to turn the program around. After nine months in West Lafayette, the most important thing it can provide is patience. The second first-year head coach on Notre Dame's schedule this season had as inauspicious a start as the first. Matt Rhule's team scored six points in his Temple debut against the Irish on opening weekend. Hazell's team didn't fare much better offensively. They played Cincinnati and lost 42-7. Hazell's team followed up with only one offensive touchdown in a 20‑14 win over Football Championship Subdivision opponent Indiana State the next week. In the team's opener, Cincinnati strung together five straight touchdowns starting in the closing minutes of the first half. Hazell did his best to provide a positive spin afterwards. "The film was very encouraging," Hazell told reporters 48 hours after the Cincinnati game. "I told our team that. There's a good football team sitting in this locker room right now. I believe that." For now, the Purdue faithful are willing to take his word for it according to Mike Carmin, who covers the Boilermakers for the Lafayette Journal and Courier. Carmin said the season-opening loss may have taken a little bit of the wind from the program's sails, but the honeymoon for Hazell is not yet over. The consensus in West Lafayette is still that their new coach can do the job in time. It would be far too soon to abandon ship after two games. "I think people have the long-term focus in mind," Carmin said. "Joe Tiller lost his first game in bad fashion to Toledo. Danny Hope won his first game. Which coach would you want on the sideline?" Tiller won 87 games, four bowls and a conference title in his 12 seasons with Purdue. Hope lasted four years with a 22‑27 record and a win in the Little Caesars Bowl. Hazell has to climb many of the same hills that Hope failed to get over. He flipped Kent State from a losing program to an 11-3 team in his two seasons as a head coach there before coming to Purdue. To make that quick of a turnaround at this job, the new coach will have to find answers on offense. That begins with fifthyear senior quarterback Rob Henry. He completed 18 of 35 passes for 161 yards against Cincinnati and ran for the team's only touchdown. He also threw two interceptions and later publicly apologized to fans and his teammates via Twitter before shutting down his account for the season. "Rob didn't need to do that," Hazell said. "We're all a part of wins and losses, and Rob's a part of our football team. Obviously, he needs to do things better, but we all need to do things better. photo courtesy purdue media relations

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