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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 6 • 32 I've told myself to watch a lot more film and make sure I'm paying attention out here then watch the (practice) film because I'm not actually getting the physical reps." STAYING MUM Hazell wouldn't publicly say who Pur- due's starting quarterback would be as of mid-week, but if practice reps are any indi- cation, sophomore Austin Appleby could be making his first career start Saturday. During practice on Tuesday and Wednesday — the two days media are al- lowed to attend — Appleby worked exclu- sively with the first-team offense in 7-on-7 and team periods. He also was the first QB to get snaps against the scout team de- fense, though Danny Etling did get some first-team snaps in those periods, too. Etling has started 12 consecutive games after moving into the role in the middle of last season as a true freshman. But in his first five games of 2014, Etling has struggled, completing only 55 percent of his passes and averaging only 160 passing yards per game. Appleby has played in two games this season, both in relief with the game out of reach. He's completed only 9-of-23 passes in comeback mode. But, perhaps, Appleby will get a chance to play in regular game scenarios on Saturday. Not that Hazell would say that. When asked if it was accurate to as - sume Appleby will start based on the first- team reps, Hazell said, "They both have a chance (to start)." Leading into the Notre Dame week when Hazell wouldn't announce a starter before the game, Appleby and Etling both got reps with the No. 1 offense, and Etling ultimately started and played well. It was much different this week, even though Hazell said it was supposed to be "60/40" or "70/30." Perhaps if factoring in the reps against the scout team, it could have been close to a 70-30 split on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unofficially during 7-on-7 and team periods on those days of practice, Appleby completed 27-of-30 passes and had an in - terception, and Etling was 22-of-34. Earlier in the week when asked if he should start at quarterback and if he could lead the team to victories, Etling went po- litical, saying it's up to the coaches if he'll play and that any of Purdue's QBs can win. Was Etling afraid to admit he is con- fident in his abilities? "You can be outwardly confident, but you've just got to be care- ful with the media some- times, espe- cially at times like this right now where you're taking shots from all sides," Etling said. "You just want to endure it as long as you can. You don't Aug. 30 WESTERN MICHIGAN '14 Record: 2-2 Series: 5-0-0 W, 43-34 Sept. 6 CENTRAL MICHIGAN '14 Record: 2-3 Series: 5-1-0 L, 17-38 Sept. 13 VS. NOTRE DAME^ IN INDIANAPOLIS '14 Record: 4-0 Series: 26-58-2 L, 14-30 Sept. 20 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS '14 Record: 4-1 Series: 0-1 W, 35-13 Sept. 27 IOWA^ '14 Record: 4-1 Series: 46-36-3 L, 10-24 Oct. 4 AT ILLINOIS '14 Record: 3-2 Series: 40-43-6 Noon, ESPN2 Oct. 11 MICHIGAN STATE^ '14 Record: 3-1 Series: 28-33-3 3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2 Oct. 18 AT MINNESOTA^ '14 Record: 4-1 Series: 32-34-3 Noon, TBD Nov. 1 AT NEBRASKA^ '14 Record: 5-0 Series: 1-1 TBA, TBD Nov. 8 WISCONSIN^ '14 Record: 3-1 Series: 29-44-8 TBA, TBD Nov. 22 NORTHWESTERN '14 Record: 2-2 Series: 50-27-1 TBA, TBD Nov. 29 AT INDIANA '14 Record: 2-2 Series: 72-38-6 TBA, TBD PURDUE'S 2014 SCHEDULE Dec. 6 — Big Ten Championship Game Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) ^ 2013-14 Bowl participant Tom Campbell In Purdue's first two practices of Illinois prep this week, Austin Appleby got all of the first-team snaps at quarterback in 7-on-7 and team periods. Still, Hazell wouldn't say the sophomore would get his first start Saturday.