Things surrounding the football program in West Lafayette are getting ridiculous.
Yesterday, another member of the Purdue football squad was arrested, this time on a battery charge.
It seems like Purdue fans are more likely to see headlines surrounding law enforcement than on-the-field performance.
It’s sad.
The most recent arrest makes number five for the Boilermakers in 2012 (tied for the third highest arrest count in college football this year), and eight dating back to late 2011.
In several situations, blame can be placed on stupidity. Young people in a new environment, trying to make the most of their college years, and going too far is something that regularly occurs on a college campus.
But this hasn’t been just a few stupid decisions, and I am placing the blame on the shoulders of coach Danny Hope.
It seems that ever since the arrival of Hope on Purdue’s campus, the football team has struggled both on and off the field.
On-field performance has been subpar, with only one winning season in his first three years, making several Purdue supporters (including myself) wonder how he received a contract extension after a 7-6 mark last year.
Even more disappointing than Hope’s lack of success on the football field has been his lack of skills in dealing with player personalities and team issues.
In my opinion, the number of behavioral problems outside of the gridiron is enough to warrant Hope’s release as head football coach of the black and gold.
Not only has Purdue’s football program been in trouble with legal issues, but academically, as well.
It’s not worth bringing up player names or stating specific charges. The bottom line is that something needs to be done to control this problem.
Typically, when something of this nature presents itself in West Lafayette, Hope will show disappointment in his player but will also express that people make mistakes and second chances are warranted.
While it is always reassuring to know your ball coach has your back, this has got to end.
The only way to put a stop to the arrests, poor grades, and eligibility issues is if Hope puts his foot down and begins to severely punish players who aren’t willing to follow team rules, campus policies, and state laws.
At this point, it’s the only way these players will learn.
The poor performance on the field and the constant legal trouble that Purdue football players have gotten themselves into has negatively affected the fan base, as fewer and fewer Boilermaker enthusiasts are buying into Danny Hope, both as a head coach and as a disciplinarian.
It’s becoming embarrassing to the fans and the community that supports the Boilermaker football program.
With Purdue fans becoming more disgruntled with the football program, Hope better get his guys with the program and focus on their performance on the field rather than behind bars.
If not, Hope’s days as Purdue’s head coach are numbered.
Hey Dustin. You make some valid points. At the same time, just a question. Have you ever been responsible for a 100 guys that have testosterone levels that are needed to compete in a war like sport and are 17 to 22 years old? Actually, I really would like to know your answer. Are you a fan just spouting like most of us do… or are you speaking from real life experience?
I do believe that Danny has stated that one of the coaches major focuses this year is in the are of discipline both on the field as well as off. In all probability, neither of us know how they are handling discipline and what changes they are making.
Dustin- I’m guessing you haven’t done your home work and seen the overall team GPA for Danny Hope’s football team, because if you had, you wouldn’t have made the comment regarding ‘…Not only has Purdue’s football program been in trouble with legal issues, but academically, as well.’
Why don’t you do some research, just a smidgeon shall we say, and tell us what Danny Hope’s overall team GPA has been since his arrival? If you had, then you would know that the overall Team GPA has beaten the All-Men’s average GPA as well as averaging over a 3.0.
Read that again. Over a 3.0 overall team gpa. At an engineering school; at a school that has no ‘general studies’ or similar program like virtually every other major college BCS program.
Additionally, there is such as thing as ‘academic integrity’. I GUARANTEE you some of the players that were ruled academically ineligible at Purdue would not have even been forced to go to an extra study hall at places like Michigan and Michigan State, Ohio State or Wisconsin.
Dustin – Do you mind citing your sources for your claim that Purdue is tied for 3rd in the nation for arrests as well as your claim that Purdue is struggling accademically. For some strange reason I was under the impression that beating the campus all men’s average was a sign of high academic standing.
But thanks for the well-informed hit-piece. I wish you luck stirring up an angry mob to turn against Hope. If this is what you are grasping on to, Hope must be doing something right.
Dude who got arrested is a walk-on who never sees the field. Who cares? I would fire Hope for Purdue’s crappy defensive back on field play but I would NOT fire the guy because a walk-on was drunk and arrested outside the worst bar in West Lafayette.