Advertisement

To Boilermakers, Delay of Planes Is No Big Deal

Share

After waiting 34 years to return to the Rose Bowl, the Purdue Boilermakers weren’t fazed when planes carrying players, coaches, staff and families made a refueling stop in Oklahoma City, delaying their arrival in Southern California until nearly 6 p.m. Saturday.

“The best thing about it is we didn’t see the same type of weather that we left,” Coach Joe Tiller said after receiving the traditional welcome from the Rose Queen and her court at the team’s hotel.

“We see snow this time of year, but not like we’ve seen lately. We’ve gotten an unusual amount of snow so far. I shoveled my walk [Friday] for the last time for a while.”

Advertisement

Said co-captain Akin Ayodele, a second-team all-Big Ten defensive end: “I’m ready to break out the shorts. This is my first time out here and I want to see everything.”

Snow and below-zero temperatures sent the 14th-ranked Boilermakers to their indoor facility to prepare for the fourth-ranked Washington Huskies. Tiller welcomes the chance to resume open-air practices today at the Coliseum.

“I’m an outdoor coach, so I don’t use it during the season,” he said. “But we had one practice where there was a drop in the intensity level and I joked we were going to brush-broom the field and make them practice outside.”

Overall, though, Tiller said he is pleased with the team’s work ethic since it reassembled. The Boilermakers ended their season Nov. 18 with a 41-13 rout of Indiana.

“In our opinion, the most difficult thing to do in a game like this where there’s a monthlong layoff is timing and getting the passing game in sync,” said Tiller, whose Purdue teams are 2-1 in bowl games, including a 28-25 overtime loss to Georgia in the Outback Bowl last January.

Quarterback Drew Brees, who ranks fourth on the NCAA career list in passing attempts (1,525), completions (942) and total offense (11,815 yards), also saw progress during the team’s workouts last week.

Advertisement

“I think we look good,” he said. “We spent extra time working on our timing and I spent a lot of time with the receivers. I think our timing should be good.”

*

Tiller said the absence of sophomore running back Steve Ennis, who was suspended indefinitely Friday for “conduct detrimental to the squad,” won’t affect his offensive schemes.

Tiller said Ennis’ infraction was related to behavior but wouldn’t elaborate. However, the Lafayette (Ind.) Journal and Courier reported West Lafayette police are investigating an incident outside a campus bar that allegedly involved Ennis and another Purdue student Oct. 22.

According to the newspaper, a police report said officers found the student, Matthew Alexander, lying on the ground outside the bar at 3:09 a.m. with severe injuries to his head and face. One of three witnesses interviewed by investigators identified Ennis as having been involved in the beating. Alexander was hospitalized for six days with a fractured skull and a fracture near his left eye, and he was forced to drop out of school.

Advertisement