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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 18 in tackles again this season — he also did it as a walk-on sophomore — and he's currently tied as the Big Ten's leader in interceptions — he also did that as a sophomore. But don't ask him about legacy. His mind can't go there quite yet. "I feel like I've done a pretty good job here at Purdue — when a lot of people didn't think I'd be able to," Feichter said. "But I haven't really thought about the (legacy) yet. I'll let other people say what they want to say." RAHEEM MOSTERT Raheem Mostert came to Purdue four years ago hoping to break records. He'll leave having done it, even if it may not be the kind he was en- visioning. Mostert is the school's all-time kickoff return yardage leader with 2,207 yards, setting the mark in his final season, and likely will be remembered for his special teams work as much as anything. Not only was he a burner on kickoff returns — he had two career touchdowns and led the NCAA in return average as a freshman — but he also was an impact player in coverage, often de - livering the game's biggest hits after racing down to cover a punt. "I liked (special teams) ever since I was playing in little league, Pop Warner and even in high school when I was on the kickoff cover unit. I just like going down making plays," he said this week. "That's what I love to do. I just like making plays. "(The KOR record) was great. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a record (for that). But taking over that record, I feel great. I took the most out of my opportunity." Mostert said that was his main goal during college career, being able to seize the opportunities given. He didn't exactly do that as a senior on offense, though. After working to earn the starting running back job — about one year after moving from receiver — Mostert seemingly had a breakout game in the opener against Western Michigan with 146 rush - ing yards. But he couldn't duplicate that effort as a starter and after a pair of fumbles early in the year, he lost his starting job to good friend and classmate Akeem Hunt. Hunt has thrived in the role, leading the team with 718 yards rushing, including a career-high 177-yard game in Purdue's only Big Ten victory of the season. Mostert has ad - justed to being a comple- mentary player, though, and had a 44-yard touchdown run against the Illini and a 69-yard run in a 115-yard game against Minnesota. Against Wisconsin, he played more snaps with Hunt on the field than at any other point this season. And Mostert is just fine if his career ends that way, with a good buddy alongside. "I know I'm excited," Mostert said. "He posted an Instagram pic of me and him after like the very first home game of our freshmen year. That brought back a lot of memo- ries. I was just like, 'Man, we have been through a journey together.' We're always going to be brothers and always have that bond." RYAN RUSSELL Greg Hudson reiterated his point, saying that Ryan Russell has done what's been asked of him. The defensive end's statistics in his final season as a Boilermaker might not meet lofty expectations — Russell has only two sacks and four tackles for loss with two games left this year — but he's played hard, says Hudson. And coming off a 2013 season in which Russell's motor was in question, that shows improvement. "He's done what we've asked him to do: To give us more," Hudson re - peated. "Now, how much is that 'more' going to be valued? Do you put out a scale and say 'Here's how much more I gave.' But he's given us more, he's made more plays and in our divi- sion in this Big Ten, it's not easy to be a defensive line- man, because you're going to get your oil checked in the running game. Now if the ball is being thrown a bunch, he would probably stand out more." But Russell's competed, and played well against those solid West Division running backs like Nebras- ka's Ameer Abdullah or Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, although the for- mer was injured vs. Purdue and the latter rushed for more than 200 yards. But he's not sacked quarter- backs as frequently, having brought down only Illinois' Wes Lunt — and injuring the QB — in the Big Ten Tom Campbell Raheem Mostert will leave Purdue as one of the school's best special team players, not only breaking the record for career kickoff return yardage but also being known as a big hitter in coverage. Tom Campbell Perhaps there weren't the top-10 all-time sack numbers or the resounding entry to Purdue's storied "Den of Defensive Ends," but Ryan Russell doesn't have any regrets in a career that has seen him start 45 games entering this weekend.