Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/266614
38 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 4 f as Purdue's engineering pro- gram and the chord Boilermaker coaches struck with him won him over convincingly. But on the other, it came with difficulties. Kentucky offered Sindelar ear- ly and wanted him very much up until the day about a week prior to his public announcement that he'd decided on Purdue. Boilermaker assistant coach Gerad Parker built a strong re- lationship with the quarterback during recruiting; but so had Wildcat offensive coordinator Neal Brown, who Sindelar said had made numerous visits to Princeton to check on him, mak- ing for a difficult phone call. And that says nothing of the fact that Sindelar was commit- ting to a school that isn't the one so many of those around him ev- ery day are aligned with. "A lot of people here wanted me to go to UK — a lot of them are big UK fans — but they've always sup- ported me, which I really respect about them," Sindelar said. "It was very hard." Considering the chaotic nature of football recruiting these days — highlighted in Purdue's '14 class by an unprecedented six decommitments — there might be some question about the level of the quarterback's com- mitment. Sindelar had offers from Kentucky and Ole Miss, and others. Those who were interested in some form or an- other nearly a year before Signing Day 2015 included Tennessee, Ohio State, Illinois and more. He maintains his mind is made up. "Some people say 'Well, is he truly committed?' I think he's truly committed to Purdue," Caldwell County coach David Barnes said. "I think he's really thought this thing through and was ready to make that commitment to get it over with, so that No. 1, the schools that were recruiting him could move on to others and 2, so he could concen- trate on the rest of the basketball season and the upcoming base- ball season and when fall rolls around he'll focus on our football team." Sindelar does indeed have a lot on his mind, a three-sport star who'll soon transition out of bas- ketball season and into baseball, where his fastball cracks 90 miles per hour, making him a potential Major League Baseball prospect. "It's not going to change my mind (on football)," Sindelar said. "I'm going to come and play four years of football and then maybe after football if the NFL doesn't work out, maybe I'll go for baseball. "Hopefully, I'll have (options in) both, but I know that's a small percentage. I think I'm going to try to play baseball during my col- lege career, but probably not my freshman year. Hopefully, I can do some pitching." In the short term, Sindelar's arm will be put to use best on the gridiron, where he threw for 3,374 yards last season on 65-percent passing, with 44 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also ran for seven touchdowns and for more than 400 yards. Caldwell County's pass-oriented spread offense puts Sindelar in the shotgun "99.9 percent of the time," Barnes said. Purdue won't. "They like my arm strength and footwork and how I'm, hopefully, able to make all the throws they're going to want me to make," Sindelar said. "I like (Purdue) be- cause it's a pro-style offense. Here at my high school we're always in the spread so I'm always in shotgun and I want to learn how to be under center. I like that. I think I'm a fast learner and they think I'm a fast learner. I took notes when I was up there. I just feel like it's a really good fit for both of us." j Todd Griffin, Princeton, KY Times Leader Purdue landed one of its biggest early 2015 targets when Elijah Sindelar committed.