Purdue was coming off a fifth bowl in five seasons under Joe Tiller. But the program continued to bump its head on the glass ceiling of recruiting.
No matter how many games they won or bowls they made, the Boilermakers still couldn’t beat elite schools for elite prospects with any consistency—if at all. And the frustration may have reached a peak with this 2002 class. Tiller and his staff felt Purdue would benefit from an early signing period that’s in effect now.