WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — When Joe Tiller began his first season as Purdue's head football coach in 1997, Drew Brees was a freshman.
The Texas native was a member of Tiller's first recruiting class.
As a team, the Boilermakers were coming off a 3-8 season — the team's 11th losing season in 12 years. Despite the program's struggles, it didn't take long for Tiller, with Brees' help, to put Purdue football back on the map.
The Boilermakers posted a 9-3 record in Tiller's first season, including a 33-20 victory over Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl.
Life was good for 15th-ranked Purdue. Maybe a little too good.
While Brees played sparingly during his freshman campaign, the current New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl quarterback vividly recalls a stunning message delivered from his former college coach during the offseason after the team's bowl game win.
See the video above.
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