Could Joe Tiller be Purdue's coach, again?

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The announcement from Purdue Athletics Director Morgan Burke came around 6:30 Sunday evening:Purdue Head Football Coach Danny Hope would not coach another game with the Boilermakers.

"I start off tonight by saying, Danny Hope is a good man, he did a great job for Purdue, I never once questioned his work ethic or his character," said Burke. "I felt at this point in time, a change in the leadership was probably the right thing to do."

Monday morning, the announcement seemed to be the buzz around campus. News 18 spoke to students between classes and they all agreed, it was time for the Hope era to end.

"I think it's the right move for Purdue moving ahead," said Purdue student Kevin Schmitt.

"I think most of our losses were due to coaching errors," said Purdue student Katie O'Connor. "So, hopefully with the new coach we can take care of those and hopefully have more wins next season."

"When you're only going 500, it's really not worth keeping a coach," said Purdue student Brendon Clawson. "We need to pay someone probably better, just like Ohio State got Urban Meyer."

"He didn't do his job," said Purdue student Austin Konzer. "So, I think he should have been fired."

The stands at Ross-Ade Stadium will be empty until the 2013 season, but they were also fairly empty at several home football games this season. That's just one of several reasons Burke said Hope had to go.

"We've lost a third of the fan base," said Burke. "We've gone from about 54,000 paid attendance in 2007-2008, to about 37,000 this past year in paid attendance."

So the question remains, who will be qualified to lead the Boilermakers to the top of the Big Ten Conference once again?

Former Purdue Coach Joe Tiller said while he can't make any specific recommendations for Burke, he can make one suggestion.

"I would hire a guy that's a head coach," said Tiller. "I wouldn't hire an assistant coach, because a Big Ten job demands somebody that's experienced in making decisions and putting a staff together. You know, that's maybe the most critical issue that a coach deals with."

What's the chance Tiller could be that man?

"Slim to none," laughed Tiller.

The bowl assignment for Purdue is scheduled to be announced sometime this weekend. In the interim period, Wide Receivers Coach Patrick Higgins will lead the Boilermakers in post season play.