Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/383512
GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 4 • 1 BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com D arrell Hazell has no doubt. Sean Robinson doesn't either. Add Raheem Mostert to that list, too. One by one this week, three of Purdue's pivotal pieces, its second-year head coach, senior captain and starting running back said the same thing: This will not be a repeat. Last season, Purdue played its best game against Notre Dame in Week 3, despite it being a narrow loss, and then never really com- peted again the rest of the year. Last week, Purdue played its best game of the season against the Irish in Week 3, in a closer-than-the -score loss. Now what? Will the Boilermak- ers respond dramatically, executing crisply on of- fense and playing with a swarming aggression on defense to get their second victory? Or will the Boilermakers fold again, being unable to sum- mon the same intensity against a ranked FCS opponent this week and stumble into Big Ten play, similar to what happened in 2013? It won't be the latter, Robin- son vowed. "We're not going to let it (hap- pen)," Robinson said. "Like I've been saying all summer, people have bought into this program. After the (Notre Dame) game, you could just tell in the locker room, sure, we had a decent game, but people weren't even close to be- ing satis ed. That's how it has to be. It was a sick feeling to be so close to those guys and have some key plays happen in another direction that wasn't in our favor. "People were genuinely upset and genuinely not pleased with it." That disappointment trans- ferred to practice this week, Rob- inson said, as he saw more defen- sive players who typically aren't vocal speaking up more. He saw guys not holding back on what he called the hard stu , running to the ball with relentless pursuit regardless of how far that run was, trying to be more physical and fo- cusing on the monotonous drills Tom Campbell Despite two consecutive losses, Raheem Mostert still has confidence Purdue can be a consistent winner. Increased production by the senior running back certainly will help the Boilermakers get rolling. 9-0 Purdue's record against FCS opponents, dating back to 1990. 32.1 Average victory margin in those games. Purdue has also outgained FCS opponents by an average of 198 yards dur- ing the span. 2-49 The all-time record of teams from the Missouri Valley against Big Ten teams. SIU owns one of the wins, beating IU in 2006. 6 Purdue's smallest victory margin against an FCS team, set last year in a 20-14 win over Indiana State. THE NUMBERS VOLUME 25, EX 4 • SEPT. 18, 2014 Inside | Southern Illinois preview 9-13 O-line feature 17-18 | Football notes 28-33 Recruiting 34-35 | Basketball news 36 Immediate Response Necessary