Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: PURDUE "My understanding is it hasn't hap- pened yet but it is about to occur very soon," the head coach said on Sept. 4. Kelly has never had a timeline for their potential return and has relied on athletics director Jack Swarbrick to provide updated information. "I've put it behind me … whether it was two weeks or three weeks or a month," he said. "I have not had expectations really of one way or an- other. I haven't woken up in the morn- ing going, 'Is this the day?'" Kelly hasn't had any personal con- tact with the players, but did commu- nicate with them via text messages to ensure they are still receiving access to whatever they may need. They still at- tend class and work with Irish director of football strength and conditioning Paul Longo. Should they be cleared on a Friday before a game, Kelly said he would still use them on Saturday. "I could get them ready right away," Kelly said. "They're physically condi- tioned." Interestingly, Kelly said it was his decision, not the school's, that they not attend team meetings or film sessions during their time in limbo. "I don't want them to feel like they're on 24-hour watch as well," Kelly said. "I don't want them to be torn. Just take care of your academ- ics. When this process finishes itself, there's plenty of time to get you into the film room." Will Purdue finally be the week? 'A' GAME VS. NOTRE DAME The two worst seasons ever for Pur- due (minimum nine games played) were last year 's 1-11 record and the 1-10 mark in 1993. Yet both times, the Boilermakers took Notre Dame down to the wire. The stellar Irish team in 1993 that finished No. 2 in the nation had a school-record-low 10 turnovers that year — but four of them came at Pur- due. Notre Dame led only 7-0 with four minutes left in the contest, scor- ing on a fumble return after a scoreless first half. Last year, Notre Dame trailed 10-3 at halftime and 17-10 entering the fourth quarter before an 82-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Rees to DaVaris Daniels put it ahead for good. The Irish still had to make a stop in their territory to secure the 31-24 win. A year earlier at Notre Dame, head coach Brian Kelly's team that would advance to the BCS National Champi- onship Game found itself deadlocked at 17 with Purdue before Rees came off the bench to lead a drive that resulted in Kyle Brindza's 27-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the 20-17 victory. Similar to Pitt, Boston College or Michigan State, Purdue's won-lost record becomes moot against Notre Dame. Most of the time it finds a way to play at its highest level when it sees the gold helmets. GROUND CONTROL Purdue has forced Notre Dame to rely almost exclusively on the pass the past two seasons to eke out vic- tories.