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BLOOMINGTON – They had to watch Purdue players hoist the Old Oaken Bucket again, not the way Indiana’s group of seniors would have liked to end their careers.
But it was a group that got the program moving in the right direction, and that’s something to be proud of, IU players said after Purdue’s 38-21 victory Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“The thing about this season is that we basically have been trying to put this team back on the right path after really being in shambles last year,” senior Rodger Saffold said. “We wanted to make sure everyone knew how relentless and tough we were and how we were willing to fight hard to the very end.”
Some IU seniors showed that.
Linebacker Matt Mayberry finished his career with a nine-tackle, two-sack game. He finished with a team-high 108 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
Senior defensive end Jammie Kirlew had six tackles and a sack.
“I had a great time here at IU, and I wouldn’t give it back for the world,” Kirlew said.
Concordia graduate Bryan Payton didn’t rack up big numbers in his final game – he had 5 yards on three carries – but he’s excited where the team is headed.
Especially at his position: underclassmen Darius Willis had 142 yards rushing against Purdue.
“The young talent on this team will definitely carry the team to great heights,” Payton said. “There’s no doubt in my mind they’re going to be a great team next year. I hope next year is just the opposite of this year where some of the things do go our way.”
Ralph Bolden’s sore hamstring kept Purdue from making program history with a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver.
Joey Elliott completed 21 of 29 passes for 205 yards, pushing him to 3,026 for the season. Keith Smith finished with 1,100 yards receiving. But Bolden had only one carry for 4 yards – on Purdue’s first play – and was 65 yards short of 1,000 on the season.
Not that Bolden was missed.
Senior Jaycen Taylor filled in with 110 yards rushing and caught seven passes for 59 yards and a TD.
“He came out and ran like he was on a mission,” Purdue’s David Pender said of Taylor.
North Side grad Damarlo Belcher had 64 yards and a TD receiving, but teammate Mitchell Evans led the Hoosiers with a career-high 10 catches for 112 yards and a TD. James Hardy was the last Indiana player to catch 10 passes in a game – and that was against Purdue in 2007. … Al-Terek McBurse’s 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was Purdue’s first since Dorien Bryant in 2007.
