Purdue football earns bowl bid

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Purdue's football team enjoyed a big offensive day as they beat Indiana 56-35. With the win, Purdue claimed the Old Oaken Bucket and became bowl eligible.

The Boilers trailed 21-14 at halftime but they outscored the Hoosiers 42-14 in the second half on senior day.

Purdue senior quarterback Robert Marve played a big role in the second half turn around. Marve completed 20-29 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns in the game.

Another senior that stepped up for Purdue was running back Akeem Shavers. He rushed for 126 yards and one touchdown. Shavers also caught two passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Purdue's Crosby Wright hauled in three passes for 81 yards.

Purdue's defense forced four turnovers. The Boilers picked off three passes and recovered one fumble. Purdue's Antoine Lewis, Frankie Williams, and Max Charlot each had an interception.

With Purdue's win over Indiana, the Boilers have won three games in a row and improve to 6-6 on the season. Purdue will wait and see which bowl they will be playing in.

The story after the game was about the future of head coach Danny Hope. Speculation has be swirling for weeks and coach hope did not disappoint when asked about his future as the head coach at Purdue.

“Do I expect to be the coach next year? I don't have any idea but either way I am going to be ok. Like I've said, I have learned to live life on a hot seat here at Purdue. I have committed my life to Purdue football for the last four and a half years and sometimes it hasn't been reciprocated from many others on the outside,” said Danny Hope. “My loyalty will always be to Purdue football,” said Hope.

In his four years as Purdue’s head coach, he was known best by his players for being hardworking, results-oriented, enthusiastic and passionate.

“I have worked 85 to 100 hours a week, fifty weeks a year for the last four and a half years to try and return this program to national prominence,” said Hope. “We were a long ways away in many areas of our program and what it took was elbow grease and commitment to get us back to where we are right now where we are in postseason play in back to back years and made improvements in every phase of the program. It is just that plain and simple,” said Hope.

Running back Akeem Shavers who was the star of the game rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown talked about his head coach afterwords.

“Our season determines how everybody looks at us. He is a great coach and he is one of the guys who brought me in here and I have as much respect as someone can have for him. He is one of the best coaches I have ever had,” said senior running back Akeem Shavers.

When Robert Marve tore his ACL at Notre Dame earlier this year, Danny Hope was the first person to tell the senior that his season wasn't over unless he wanted it to be. Marve talked about his head coach after the game as well.

“I don't like to get into that stuff to much because I am a player and all I do is play. I know personally I wouldn't be in the position I am in without Coach Hope. He is the reason why I came to Purdue and we had a rough season but it wasn't all on him. And all we did was bounce back,” said senior quarterback Robert Marve.

Purdue is set to hold a press conference tomorrow night to address bowl preparations for the football team.