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WEST LAFAYETTE – Danny Hope doesn’t intend to mention Purdue’s struggles at Michigan Stadium to his players this week.
He doesn’t have to.
“They can read,” the first-year coach said with a smile. “They’re fully aware of it.”
The Boilermakers (3-6, 2-3 Big Ten) haven’t won in Ann Arbor since 1966, losing 17 consecutive games at the Big House. But Hope said that only gives the noon Saturday game some flair.
“It makes it a greater challenge, a bigger coup,” Hope said. “Those are exciting. When you’re growing up playing football and you fall in love with the game and you watch it on Saturdays and you watch other young guys that are a little bit older than you playing big-time college football in a big-time college atmosphere like that and something inside of you says, ‘I want to be like that and do that.’ And you get an opportunity to do that, that’s living the dream.
“So I would think that’d make it more exciting about going up to Ann Arbor. It does me.”
Purdue hasn’t won a road game since Sept. 22, 2007, a string of 11 consecutive losses away from Ross-Ade Stadium. In three road games this season, the Boilers have given up 110 points and managed to score only 56, including getting shut out last week at Wisconsin.
But each road game is another opportunity, quarterback Joey Elliott said.
“Playing at the Big House is one of those checklists you have as a starting quarterback – it’s a dream,” Elliott said. “Huge stadium, big crowd, good tradition; a lot of good football players have been there. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”
Hope said he won’t make any changes to the starting lineup Saturday. But young players could see increased playing time, especially freshmen Al-Terek McBurse, Dwayne Beckford, Josh Johnson and Chris Quinn.
Last week, cornerbacks Johnson and Quinn played about 10 plays apiece, Hope said. McBurse lost six yards on three carries and returned kicks. Linebacker Beckford has been worked into the rotation much of the season but has gotten more time at middle linebacker in recent weeks.
Receiver Royce Adams has been cleared to practice and ran some routes and caught some passes Sunday, Hope said. Adams injured his knee in Week 5 and hasn’t played since. Hope said he is optimistic but not counting on Adams against Michigan.
