The Twelve Pack Conference Draft Profile: Purdue Boilermakers
by Brian Favat on Aug 3, 2011 8:30 PM EDT
in Conference Re-Draft Project
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PrintProfiling each of our picks in the SB Nation Conference Re-Draft ...
School: Purdue University
Nickname: Boilermakers
Colors: Old Gold and Black
Mascot: Boilermaker Special and Purdue Pete
Location: West Lafayette, In.
Enrollment: 39,697
Varsity Sports: 18
Football Stadium: Ross-Ade Stadium (cap. 62,500)
Basketball Arena: Mackey Arena (cap. 14,123)
SBN Blog: Hammer & Rails
On to the vitals:
TV Revenue Potential. Purdue gives the Twelve Pack a presence in a new state -- Indiana -- and strengthens our foothold in the Chicago area. In addition to the 20,000 Wisconsin alumni living in Chicagoland, Purdue adds another 21,000 alumni living in the greater Chicago area. Nearby Indianapolis is the 26th largest TV market in the country.
With an enrollment of 39,697, Purdue is one of the largest universities in the country and recently ranked in the top 10 in undergrad enrollment just a few years ago. Captive audience.
Academics. According to U.S. News and World Report, Purdue is ranked 18th among U.S. public universities, and 56th among all U.S. universities (tied with fellow Twelve Pack conference member The University of Georgia).
Co-eds. Not too shabby.
Weather/Desirability of Destination. Eagles fans are fairly well versed in all there is to do in Northwest Indiana ... ... so we'll move the Twelve Pack game day parties to nearby Chicago or Indianapolis.
Historic Success. Purdue's 579 wins rank them just 42nd on the all-time Division I wins list. The football has been just OK, but it's on the hardwood that the Boilermakers have excelled. Purdue's men and women's basketball teams have won more Big Ten Championships than any other program in the Big Ten and despite those five dusty banners down the road in Bloomington, the Boilers have been the best hoops program in the state for quite some time (with apologies to Butler).
Finally, to get readers a bit more familiar with the pick, we asked BoilerTMill of Hammer & Rails six questions on the Purdue Boilermakers:
Commissioner: Tell us more about your football and basketball program, in 300 words or less (grad school essay style).
Hammer & Rails: Our football program is in a downturn right now. After going to 10 bowls in 12 years under Joe Tiller we haven't made a postseason game in the last three years. The biggest thing you need to know about our program is that only Alabama and us have three Super Bowl winning quarterbacks (Len Dawson, Bob Griese, and Drew Brees for us) and we're the only school with four quarterbacks that have at least 100 NFL starts (Dawson, Griese, Brees, and Jim Everett).
In basketball we have a massive in-state inferiority complex with IU. We own the all-time series with them, but all we hear about is their five titles when they haven't won in 25 years. It does not help that our last Final Four was in 1980 and we have had probably four national title teams derailed due to injuries. The most recent is, of course, Robbie Hummel, who went down with a torn ACL at the moment we looked poised to take the 2010 title.
We despise Indiana in basketball and despise Notre Dame in football. It is that hatred of notre Dame in football that will cause us to get along well.
Commish: What is your school's best non-revenue sport? What is that program's defining moment / crowning achievement?
Hammer & Rails: Women's golf. We won the 2010 National Championship in ladies golf and have to national runners-up finishes in the last six years in the sport. Maria Hernandez was also an individual NCAA title winner in that time. We're the only "cold weather" school to win an NCAA women's golf title. Much of this is due to the Pete Dye designed golf course on campus.
Commish: What excites you most about joining this conference?
Hammer & Rails: The fact we got picked. A lot of people forget about Purdue. Our football program hasn't done a lot to make us memorable since Drew Brees was on campus. For the record, Brees is a saint that can get away with anything in West Lafayette. I am just glad we're not the last team picked.
Commish: If you are in West Lafayette for a football game, what's the #1 local spot -- bar, restaurant, attraction -- you have to visit before you leave?
Hammer & Rails: Harry's Chocolate Shop. Without a doubt it is the best college bar (at least to me) in the country. Every time I walk in I feel like I am home. They make any Purdue alum from 22 to 92 feels that way.
Commish: Which conference road trip are you most looking forward to and why?
Hammer & Rails: Well, I have been to Wisconsin and Minnesota, so those are out. I'd have to visit Texas just because they have a huge case of little man's syndrome. Their expectations are to win the title every year, and except for 2006 they have fallen woefully short. I want to see their hope in person.
Commish: Last one. If you could pick one rap song that captures what this conference is all about, what is it?
Hammer & Rails: California Love by Tupac. Every Big Ten teams dreams of California Love by playing in Pasadena on New Year's Day.
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vis a vis IU
My brother – a Rose grad – always says “friends don’t let friends go to Purdue.” That said, Purdue is a great fit for the conference and someone I’d like to see BC play on a regular basis. IU does not have the cache in football, but Purdue seems to be the forgotten big state school in the Big Ten. I do hope they become the ‘team to beat’ in the Big 10 now that Michigan and Ohio State appear to be down for a bit.
Mississippi State to Conference TMZ.
Air Force to House of a Thousand Sanctions.
Editor, BC Interruption
Thanks again
The pickings are getting slim. Purdue was a solid pick in the 11th, they shouldn’t have made it out of the 10th. I love the AF pick, but wouldn’t have touched Hawaii or Miss State. Northwestern and Navy are the best picks left.
by ev on Aug 4, 2011 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
We obviously wouldn’t have gone after Mississippi State or Hawaii either.
Not a huge fan of the Air Force pick. Thought there were better programs left on the board in that spot, particularly if HoS prides itself on hoops — K-State, Wake, San Diego State, UNLV.
Coming from the East coast, I’m a bit biased, but think Navy is the best of the three service academies in this draft.
Editor, BC Interruption
I could have gone with either AF or Navy
While I give the nod to Navy overall, I think AF fits the HoS better. Honestly I think of SDSU and UNLV as not much better than Hawaii. Programs that bleed red ink all over the place, have one good program, no fan support and are nothing more than a destination. I liked Wake Forest too but wouldn’t touch K-St.
by ev on Aug 4, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Forward outlook
They bleed red ink now, but could be better off in one of these new conferences.
Editor, BC Interruption
You make me think about this article about Utah
joining the Pac12. How they will get a windfall of money but still end up the lowest in revenue. Their problem is more structural, their alumni don’t give enough (by a wide margin). That if they don’t solve that problem, they will not catch up even with all the new TV money. The problem with SDSU, Hawaii and UNLV is their alumni don’t care about the school, they don’t give. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/51933011-89/athletic-fans-football-pac.html.csp
by ev on Aug 4, 2011 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Right
But part of the reason alumni don’t care about the school is that they play in second rate conferences against schools that aren’t as respected nationally. Moving to a conference with programs that are will help raise the profile of the school, making students and fans care more, leading to more donors, etc. etc.
Editor, BC Interruption
True
But has Utah pointed out in the article, that only works if the program can consistently win. Uphill battle from programs like UNLV and SDSU. That is one of the reasons I liked AF better than those two or three programs, you are not starting with one foot in a bucket.
by ev on Aug 4, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
You clearly have never been to
Manhattan Kansas. Otherwise I agree with you.
by ev on Aug 4, 2011 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions
As a city Raleigh isn’t all that great, either. But like I said, in terms of schools and overall athletics …
Editor, BC Interruption
On athletics
It’s important to look at the 25 year history of their revenue sports:
Prior to 1989, K-State had the worst historical record in FBS football. Bill Snyder led a turn around largely based on an untapped JUCO market. 1996-2003 were their best years, but they dropped off sharply there after, which lead to Snyder retiring. Prince then destroyed all that Snyder had built up, which led to a huge snafu in the AD when they canned him. Snyder has since brought them back to ‘6-8 wins and a bowl game’ respectability, but he only has a few years in him at best and who knows who would take the job at this point. The fact that they can no longer fly in recruits hurts them a lot.
K-State has some good b-ball history going back to the Tex Winters days. They had some good teams in the ‘80s, as well. The ’90s were rough on the cats, but after a brief catastrophic up and down with Huggy, Frank Martin has them on track. They should be a top 20 program as long as they can keep him around. That’s the key phrase, because I’m fairly sure if a decent job in the Southeast openned, he would take it (he was a high school coach in Florida originally and recruits heavily there).
When you get K-State, you really don’t get a market. You get a fair football program that is best described as ‘painted rust’ and a basketball program that’s greatness is entirely dependent upon their coach staying put. I will say this, though— their athletic department is willing to spend money to keep their coaches happy.
University of British Columbia.
Princeton.
Navy would be my third choice.
Not like the Utah Jazz... it's about REAL jazz. Go Dawgs!
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