It was a surprise to many when Purdue battled back against eighth-ranked Michigan State to pull within seven points during the fourth quarter Saturday, but not to head coach Darrell Hazell.
The Boilermakers even regained possession with three minutes to go with the chance to tie things up. Things didn’t work out for coach Hazell’s squad as Michigan State won 45-31, but battling back from a 38-17 deficit against one of the nation’s top teams showed how far Hazell’s team has come in just his second season at the helm.
Last season was rough. One win (a 20-14 decision over FCS Indiana State), 11 losses and a 10-game losing streak to end the year. This season has been different. It’s nothing miraculous – a 3-4 record through seven games – but it’s progress, and Hazell can see changes across the board.
“I don't think there's any one thing (that’s different),” Hazell said. “I think there's a combination of things. I think you got a better leading class, with the seniors, and even the juniors. I think that they've all made a commitment to each other.
“I think that's part of it, and I think because we are having a little bit – it's not nearly the amount of success we're going to have or we'd like to have at this point in time, I think that they feed off of that, and they realize that they can have a lot more success even in the weeks to come here.”
Buying into what Hazell and his coaching staff are preaching is one thing – it’s a part of the transition process when there's a coaching change at any program – but camaraderie and chemistry among the players is just as much of a factor in the ongoing turnaround for the program in Hazell’s eyes.
“I think it matters in those tough ball games,” Hazell said. “Those guys that hang out with each other usually fight for each other just a little bit harder in those tough situations. I think chemistry is maybe underrated and you can't have enough of it.”
Of course, once a team starts to get a few wins under its belt – that always brightens things up too.
“Winning solves a lot of things. It really does. It brings teams together. It makes you work a little bit harder,” Hazell said. “There’s a correlation between wins and a lot of other things, just as losing and so many other things. We have the right mindset in our locker room right now. The guys really believe. They’re starting to trust each other more and more each week, and their work ethic has been phenomenal.”
That work ethic Hazell speaks of is what shows up in the fourth quarter against a team like Michigan State. It’s what helps a team go on the road and beat Illinois for Hazell’s first Big Ten win, and it’s what helps keep things close against Notre Dame for three quarters.
The next step could be pulling out a big win that no one expects. Could it come Saturday on the road against the current leader in the Big Ten West, 5-1 Minnesota?
“I think this is a big game for us, as all of them are, but this is a huge game. We gotta come up there and play our best football game of the season,” Hazell said. “I like our chances. We'll match up well with them.”
For more Purdue news, visit GoldandBlack.com.
- - - - - - -
Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Purdue showing progress in year two under Darrell Hazell
No comments:
Post a Comment