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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 17 BY STACY CLARDIE AND KYLE CHARTERS P urdue's senior class didn't quite do what it set out to. The group, many of whom make up a significant portion of the Boilermakers' two- deep, desired to lead the program into the postseason, seeing it recapture momentum after a one-win season in 2013. But Purdue won't go to a bowl. Yet, there' s a feeling that the Boilermak- ers are headed in the right direction, with three wins this season — and two more games remaining — including one in the Big Ten. And close losses, like against Michigan State and Minnesota, could have gone the other way. Defensive end Ryan Russell says he hopes the senior class is remembered for get- ting Purdue to the doorstep, even if it wasn't yet ready to step through. "We fought a lot of hard games and to not come out with those wins is hard," he said. "When you're getting blown out or not really competing and the games are whizzing by, those hurt. But it's the close ones that really sting. So I just hope that that fuels everyone moving forward, to not happen like that. "… I think (those close losses) will be in everyone's mind and how to bounce back and persevere all the way through." Following, Gold and Black looks at four seniors who have impacted Purdue in ways big and small. LANDON FEICHTER Landon Feichter was in the midst of a ridiculous stretch, riding five consecutive games of at least 10 tackles in Weeks 3-7 this season. No Purdue player in at least the last 20 years — maybe longer — had accomplished such a feat. But, still, Feichter found himself in an un- usual place to start Week 8 at Minnesota: On the sideline. The senior, the team's leading tackler, had gotten benched by first-year second- ary coach Taver Johnson. He'd been told he wasn't "consistent" or "physical" enough. Feichter won't say much about the de- cision now, except to say it's the coach's to make. But his response to the move was not surprising. It's what he's always done when people, coaches, have questioned his abilities. "You've just got to continue to try to prove them wrong in a sense," he said. "That's something I've been used to doing at my time at Purdue. I knew when an opportunity presented itself, I needed to go out there and make the most of it and just continue to prove to them why I should be on the field. "I think these past two games have been the best stretch of my career here." Feichter initially was thrust back into major snaps when, first, starting safety Taylor Richards was on the bench for much of the second half against Minnesota and then, the next week, starting safety Frankie Wil - liams got a concussion at Nebraska. With Wil- liams out against Wisconsin two weeks ago, Feichter was starting again. Against the Cornhuskers and Badgers, he had 18 tackles, three interceptions, forced a fumble, recovered it, broke up a pass and had a key fourth-down stop against Melvin Gor- don. "Both of the times at halftime, I stood up and said, 'We're a better team. We just need to play like it,' " Feichter said. "I guess something just triggered and (I) made some plays." In a very Feichter way: Being in the right place at the right time, whether it was to snag Jimmy Herman's tipped ball for an intercep- tion in the end zone at Nebraska or racing to catch up to a defender to get a PBU with his back against Wisconsin. It's been that at-all-costs nature that has been Feichter's best trait throughout his foot- ball career. If there's ever a time to use the term "war- rior" when it relates to football, it's for Feichter, who has played with two broken hands and battled through several other nagging inju- ries to produce. He's on pace to finish as the team's leader Senior class pushed Purdue's program forward F O O T B A L L F E A T U R E : S E N I O R S Tom Campbell Odd circumstances initially attracted then-Purdue coach Danny Hope to Landon Feichter, but Feichter has spent a career making sure everyone knows his name and has proven to be one of the team's most reliable players. Getting Closer