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f o o t b a l l f e a t u r e : p a t r i c k h i g g i n s Taking Advantage in for. It���s been a very enjoyable ex- quent with jokes and teasing, the great job with the offense. We got perience, the kids have been great, same way he is with his players. the ball rolling a bit.��� the coaches have been great. It���s Oftentimes coming off the It has been important to Hignot as traumatic as everybody tries field after practice during bowl gins for the players to feel closer to prep, Higgins had back-and-forth each other. chatter with players, especially So he introduced some team starting quarterback Robert Marve. bonding work a couple days into That relationship has blos- bowl practice. somed since Higgins took over the Though Higgins wasn���t spefirst of his ���interim��� tags ��� play- cific, he said the team watched a caller/coordinator for injured Gary video clip, answered some quesNord in Week 10. Both Marve and tions about what they saw and Higgins insist they���ve worked well then have shared those thoughts together because they���re frank. If daily throughout bowl prep. Marve doesn���t like a certain play they���re using, he���ll tell Higgins. If Higgins doesn���t like a certain read Marve made, he���ll tell him. Those conversations have continued Tom Campbell Patrick Higgins has had quite the whirlwind month, moving into a play-caller role for coordinator walking off the field, with Higgins joking that Gary Nord and then becoming interim head coach when Danny Hope was fired. Trent B Johnson, Agent And I am ready to prove it. 249 E State Street Marve is too important West Lafayette, IN 47906 Call me for your insurance Bus: 765-743-9595 ���People always say, ���You must be so needs and see how it feels to to the offense to try trentismyagent.com be on a #1 team. busy and so stressed.��� Heck, I con- to make it out to be. some of his crazy ideas. Like a good neighbor, trol my stress. If there���s anybody ���I���m all-in. This is a good time.��� ���Coach Higgins has State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. to blame ��� that���s on me. They Higgins certainly seems to be done a great job with always say to be prepared for the having fun. us,��� Marve said. ���Whoopportunity in case it arises. I feel He���s been relaxed but firmly in ever picks up that guy I���m prepared to take on the offen- charge. is getting a great coach, sive coordinator challenge. We���ve He���s been smooth with report- one of the best I���ve been had success there. I���ve been a head ers, saying all the right things, but around. He got put in a coach, not at this level, but you also shown a straight-forward, weird situation, but he State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL kind of get an idea of what you���re light-hearted personality. He���s fre- did a great job with me, P097275.2 Higgins thrives in interim head role BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com atrick Higgins has wasted few PSince he was named Purdue���s opportunities. interim head coach on Nov. 25, Higgins has implemented teambuilding exercises, made it known he���s a stickler for accountability and discipline and shortened bowl practices but kept them interesting by changing up routines each day to keep them intense. Most of those ideas came from a notebook Higgins has constantly been scribbling in, keeping track of things he hasn���t liked, things he���d like to try and things he���d do differently if he got the opportunity to influence such decisions. So when Danny Hope was fired and athletic director Morgan Burke asked Higgins, the receivers coach, to move into the interim role for the Boilermakers��� game against Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, he was prepared. And that has allowed him to fully enjoy the opportunity. ���It���s been a blast,��� Higgins said. I���ve got service, yes I do ... �� GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 15��� ������ 15