No. 8 Boilermakers

Leading into the Sept. 5 season opener against Syracuse, GoldAndBlack.com will count down the days 'til the 2004 lidlifter by highlighting the former Boilermakers who wore the jersey corresponding to the days remaining until kickoff.

Romond Batten 1991-94, LB

Tony Brown 1988, CB

Gabe Cox 1997-98, WR

Larry Gates 1979, 1981, QB

Ted Gelov 1986, WR

Jacques Reeves (also 28) 2003, CB

Scott Sovereen 1976-78, K

Ralph Turner 1999-2002, DB

Steve Wambold 1989-90, K

*Source: Purdue Football Information Guide

When the all-time Purdue football team was voted on by Boilermaker fans in 1987, Scott Sovereen was the choice at kicker. The Midland, Mich., native overcame leg injuries as a sophomore in 1976 to nail 9 of 11 field goals and 26 of 27 PATs as a junior for first-year coach Jim Young in 1977. The following year, he hit a school single-season record 15 of 23 field goals and converted 28 of 29 PATs on a team that finished 8-2-1. He left Purdue as the Purdue's all-time leader with 27 career field goals.

Recently, the jersey has been worn by starting defensive backs. Ralph Turner was a four-year starter at safety from 1999-2002, who had a personal-best 71 tackles and three interceptions as a senior. Turner came up huge in the first 16 seconds of the second half in a Homecoming win over Minnesota. His interception return for a touchdown helped the Boilermakers to a 21-point third quarter and a 28-15 win. Later he forced a fumble that led to another score. Jacques Reeves switched from jersey 28 to 8 in his senior year in 2003 and posted a career-high 64 tackles despite losing his eligibility before the Capital One Bowl against Georgia.

Junior college transfer Gabe Cox was in Coach Joe Tiller’s first recruiting class in 1997 and caught 65 passes in two years, including 55 for a team-high eight touchdowns in quarterback Drew Brees’ remarkable sophomore season in '98. One of his best performances was in Brees’ "perfect" game against Minnesota in ’98 when he grabbed six passes for 133 yards and a pair of scores.

Ramond Batten was a feisty linebacker who drew 23 starting assignments over a four-year span from 1991-94. His best season was in 1993 when he had 67 tackles. His most memorable game, however, was the year before in Purdue’s upset of No. 17 California. In that contest, the Detroit, Mich., native picked off a pair of passes and returned one 53 yards as the Boilermakers built a shocking 38-3 first half lead.

Another kicker, Steve Wambold, got his chance to boot field goals after Larry Sullivan’s stroke went south during the forgettable 1990 season. He hit a team high four of six field goals and served as Purdue’s kickoff specialist in 1989 and ’90.

Freshman quarterback Larry Gates came off the bench to replace temporarily injured quarterback Mark Herrmann in the 1979 game at UCLA. He tossed a touchdown pass to Dave Young in the smog of the Los Angeles Coliseum in a loss to the Bruiins. In the regular season finale at Indiana, with Purdue clinging to a 30-21 lead at IU, Gates led Purdue on a 49-yard scoring march to seal the win after Herrmann had been shaken up once again. Unfortunately, Gates battled off-field problems and attempted just one more pass in his Boilermaker career (in 1981).

1. Ralph Turner

2. Scott Sovereen

3. Gabe Cox

4. Ramond Batten

5. Steve Wambold

Share your favorite memories of any of the No. 8s on the Knucklehead Central.

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