The rallying cry for Purdue's defensive backs is to give their senior co-captain one more game in a Boilermaker jersey.
Jacob Thieneman will miss his third straight game Saturday, due to a shoulder injury and the subsequent staph infection that hospitalized him for six days nearly two weeks ago.
With a win in the Bucket Game Saturday, Purdue (5-6,. 4-4 in Big Ten) can salvage a bowl game and give Thieneman one more college game to participate in. With a loss, his college playing career would end and the Boilermakers will have lost each of the final three games without one of their senior leaders.
"For him to miss these last three games is heavy on him," senior cornerback Antonio Blackmon said. "He loves football and in the back end of this defense, we've been saying, 'Play for Jake' and make up for what we're missing, He's a big part of everything we do defensively and it would mean a lot to get a game back for him."
To some extent, Thieneman's situation replicates what Ja'Whaun Bentley went through. The former Boilermaker linebacker missed the Bucket Game last season, which Purdue won in West Lafayette to secure bowl eligibility. Bentley led the Boilermakers with 97 tackles and was second with 11.5 tackles for loss last season and was able to record a sack in the Foster Farms Bowl win after Purdue secured a postseason game for him to play in.
"I remember last year when we were saying we needed to win it for Ja'Whaun so he could play in a bowl game," Thieneman said. "Now, I'm hearing them say the same thing for me."
In his first media interview since being released from the hospital, Thieneman said he's "absolutely" confident he'll be able to return to active status for a bowl game should Purdue qualify. Thieneman said his shoulder injury was simply a buildup of punishment to the area, culminating in pain against Iowa on Nov. 3. He said Wednesday he remains on antibiotics indefinitely for the staph infection discovered during an emergency room trip, two days before the Minnesota game, when his temperature hit 103.
"It was pretty scary because my situation went from just unfortunate to really serious in a matter of a few hours," Thieneman said. "I was very adamant that I wanted to get out of the hospital for (the Senior Day ceremony at Ross-Ade Stadium last Saturday).
Thieneman said he used the time in the hospital to come to grips with the emotional side of not being able to play. He has had to endure the Purdue defense relinquishing 650 rushing yards in losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin. It's been difficult to watch.
"It's been really frustrating to not be out there and to see what has been happening in games," Thieneman said. "I'm doing what I can to help the guys out whatever way I can."
Purdue will face another confident and skilled rushing attack Saturday. IU freshman Stevie Scott has cracked the century mark in yards in three of the last four games, including against Penn State and Michigan.
"I think the guy at Indiana runs downhill very hard and they have some similar runs (as Wisconsin) in their one-back offense," Holt said Wednesday. "He's probably not as fast as (Jonathan Taylor) but he's plenty fast enough to hurt you."
Thieneman wishes he could help. He knows it won't be easy Saturday for his Boilermaker teammates.
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