Former Purdue football greats optimistic about upcoming season

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Our partner, the Purdue Exponent reports, prior to the National Football Foundation’s Honors Dinner Thursday night, former head coach Joe Tiller made it clear Purdue football is still a big part of his autumn Saturdays.

Even though Tiller and his wife, Arnette, live in the small town of Buffalo, Wyoming, they make sure to travel back to West Lafayette whenever possible.

“I have looked (at the schedule) because we’re planning our fall,” Tiller said. “Our intentions are to get to as many college games as we can. We prefer to come back to Purdue when they play back-to-back at home so we can stay in the area and visit friends and family.”

Tiller spent time as a color commentator for Big Ten Network last fall and was also a voter in the Harris Poll, which figures into the BCS standings.

The former coach sees the recent changes in the Big Ten’s Leaders division as a big opportunity for the Boilermakers.

“Prior to teeing it up, it looks like the leaders division could be down this year,” Tiller said. “You’ve got a new staff at Ohio State and I don’t care what happens at Wisconsin; Bret Bielema is an outstanding coach, but they don’t have (Russell) Wilson. That was a difference maker for them a year ago. I also see a new regime at Penn State. They could be better, but on the surface it looks like it’s not quite as strong of a division.”

The possibility of the division rebuilding isn’t the only thing getting Tiller excited. Purdue returns 18 starters from last year’s 7-6 team that won the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl while playing another navigable non-conference slate.

“The non-league schedule is very user-friendly,” he said. “So I’m an optimistic Boilermaker fan. I think they could really ring the bell this year. I like them for all of those reasons and also because of all the players coming back.”

Former Purdue running back from 1970 to 1972 and 2012 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Otis Armstrong, was back on campus for the first time in ten years for the event and said he was looking forward to this upcoming season.

“I’m always pulling for them,” Armstrong said. “I’ll be pulling for them this year too. Go Boilers!”

Besides reaffirming his support for the team, Armstrong was grinning and could not contain his excitement talking about his induction.

“I’m in my sixties now and I didn’t think it would happen,” he said. “I’m ecstatic about it. I’m deeply honored to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. That doesn’t even sound right.”