Purduehaslostitslastfourhomegames,datingbacktolateSeptember,byacombined193-45.

ButinthefinalhomegameoftheseasononSaturday,theBoilermakerswillwelcomeIllinois.NeitherprogramhaswonaBigTengameinitsprevioussixtriesthisseason.

SowillPurdue(1-9,0-6)changeitsnon-competitivewaysagainsttheIllini?

"Absolutely,"first-yearcoachDarrellHazellsaidduringhisTuesdaypressconference.

PurduehopestogetasparkfromitsseniorsonSeniorDay,thoughofthe21whoareexpectedtoparticipateinthefestivitiesat11:46a.m.,onlyabouthalfplayregularsnapsonSaturdays.

Stilltheylikelyhopetoseeasurgeinfansforthefinale.AsoflastFriday,onlyabout35,000ticketshadbeensoldforthegame.

Partofthatisaproductoftheteam'sstrugglesinHazell'sfirstseason-anoffensethatisaveragingaleague-worst8.7pointspergameinBigTenplayandadefensethat'sallowingmorepointsthanallbuttwoteamsintheleague(Illinois,Indianaareworse).

Hazellspentmuchoftheoffseasontryingtogenerateinterestintheprogram,speakingatabevyofevents,evengotouttofrathousestomeetstudents.Butwhateverexcitementthatdevelopedhaswanedwiththeeight-gamelosingstreak.

WhatdoesHazellandPurduehavetodotoregainthatlevelofexcitement?

"WehavetocomeoutandplayextremelywellonSaturdayandshowthefutureoftheprogram,"hesaid."Ithinkthat'sveryimportantatthispointintime.There'sagreatcropofyoungguysouttheretobeabletotrackandfollowtheircareerinthenextthree,four,fiveyears.They'refun.Someofthoseguysarefuntowatch.It'sgoingtofun."

The"future"Hazellspeaksof,hesays,isdevelopingtheprogramtobeamongthetopsintheconference.Thoughtheresultshaven'tcomethisseason,hesaidhe'sstayingthecourseandthat'sthemessagehe'spassingontohisstaff.

"You'vegottohavesomeforesightalittlebittoseeallthethingsyouwanttohavehappen,"hesaid."Iknowit'sgoingtohappen.It'sjustwhenit'sgoingtohappen.Gettingeverybodytodoexactlywhatyouneedthemtodo,runningtotheball,hittingpeopleondefense,offensivelyexecutingtothehighestlevelandthenplaygreatspecialteams,whichwe'replayingrightnow.Ithinkwe'replayingoutstandingspecialteams.It'sgoingtobeagreatprogram.Itellmystaffthatallthetime,justkeepworkingtheprocess,don'tpanic,don'tflinchandsometimesit'sfrustratingforyou,butyou'vegottokeepworkingtheprocess."

SohowwouldHazelldescribethisfirstseason?

"Workinprogress,"hesaidsuccinctly.

"Fighters"HazellhasbeenaroundPurdue'sseniorsforlessthanayear,butheclassifiedthegroupas"fighters."

Theclassearnedtwobowlbidsduringitsrun,winningtheLittleCaesarsPizzaBowlin2011andlosingintheHeartofDallasBowllastseason.Overall,though,theplayerswillleavewithlosingrecordsduringtheircareers.Thefour-yearseniorshadacombined17-21recordenteringtheseason.

"Youputthoseguysinthatsituationandtohavethemgothroughtheseasonlikewe'vegonethroughhasgottobehardforthem,"Hazellsaid."They'retryingextremelyhard,we'rejustnotgettingtheresultsthataredesired.Totheircredit,theycometoworkeverysingledayandputitinfortheBoilermakers.

"They'vegonethroughalotofhardsituationsandthey'vemanagedtostaytogetherasagroup,these21guys,believingineachotherandtheyfoughthardforthenewstaffcomingin."

EvaluatingEtlingHazellconsideredSaturday'soffensiveeffortagainstPennStatethebestexecutiontheteamhashadthisseason.

Theoffensescored14points,had264yardsandlostthreeturnovers.FreshmanquarterbackDannyEtling,though,saidhefeltmorecomfortable,andhiscompletionpercentagewasaidedbymorescreenspassesorquickthrowstotheflats.

ThatsoundslikeitwillbetheplanagainsttheIllini,too,Hazellmentioningtheimportanceofgettingeasycompletionsforthefreshman,whocompleted21-of-33passesfor223yardsandatouchdown.

"Hekeepsgettingbetter,"HazellsaidofEtling."That'sthethingthatyouseeabouthim.You'redisappointedabouttheonethrowhehadearly,thepick.Itwas14-7,he'sgottoseetheunderneathflatdefender.Wetalkaboutthatallthetime,makingsureyoucanfindaguywhocantaketherouteaway.Hemissedit.Butotherthanthat,Ithoughtheplayedexceptionallywellgettingtheballoutofhishands,histimingwasprettygood,hisaccuracywasprettygood.He'sgottodoabetterjoboftakingcareoftheballinthepocketwhenhefeelspressure,butyoucanseetheprogressionofthatguygettingbetterfromweektoweektoweek.

"HewasmuchbetterontheheadsetonSaturday,aswell,withthecommunicationbackandforth,sayingthisiswhatIsaw.Beforehewasveryquiet,buthewasverytalkativeonSaturday."

AchallengeAweekafterfacingamiddle-of-the-packBigTenoffenseinPennStateandallowing45points,theBoilermakersfaceapotentiallymorepotentoffensethisweekintheIllini.

IllinoisranksNo.2inleaguegamesinpassingoffense,averaging276.3yardspergamebehindquarterbackNathanScheelhaase.ButHazellalsolikesrunningbackJoshFerguson,theteam'sleadingrusher.Purduehasalloweda100-yardrusherineveryBigTengamethisseason-Fergusonhasdonethatonlyonce,againstNebraska.

"Offensively,theydosomanydifferentthings,"Hazellsaid."They'llspreadyououtoneset,thenextthey'llcomebackwithtwotightends.Ithinktheirbackisextremelyexplosive.Theirquarterbackdoesanicejobfindingthatguyoncheckdowns.(Ferguson)makesalotofguysmiss.Thequarterbackisdoinganicejoboffindingthoseguys.

"It'llbeaverygoodtestforourdefenseagain."

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